The local and global structure of knowledge production in an emergent research field: An exponential random graph analysis

These exponential random graph models used in this article demonstrate that the uncertainty and centralized influence typical of an emerging area of research leads to the creation of a densely interconnecting core that acts to cohere the network.

Abstract

Previous research has characterized knowledge networks by diffuse connectivity and/or clusters and the absence of centrality. In contrast, exponential random graph models used in this article demonstrate that the uncertainty and centralized influence typical of an emerging area of research leads to the creation of a densely interconnecting core that acts to cohere the network. Moreover, eclecticism and innovativeness, also characteristic of a developing area, lead to a diffusely connected structure. The data, comprising 2200 authors and 76 papers have been manually coded from articles on the feminization of the labor force in Asia.