Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African science shows a decline in its global competitiveness in that its scholarly
publication rate has not kept pace with that of other countries, both developed and
developing. This, together with a decline in publication rate especially among junior South
African scholars, suggests a structural problem in the South African national system of
innovation. A declining publication rate indicates a problem of knowledge diffusion for
South Africa, and hints at a possible knowledge generation problem. This assignment limits
itself to the dynamics of knowledge diffusion with specific reference to Open Access
scholarly communication. Open Access scholarly communication is an overt intervention
regarding knowledge diffusion. The marginalisation of science in and of developing
countries, leading to a state of knowledge imperialism and knowledge dependence, is
addressed, and it is argued that knowledge diffusion and generation are at the heart of longterm
economic growth.
This assignment has been structured around two core sections, a theoretical framework
based in the literature, and empirical study. The central concepts of scholarly
communication and Open Access, national information policy (NIP), and national system
of innovation (NSI) are elaborated upon in the theoretical framework (Chapters 2 and 3).
The empirical part of this study (Chapters 4 and 5) in turn consist of two parts. Both parts
used the survey method, however the first part made use of a questionnaire instrument,
and the second part made use of a structured record review. Both empirical studies were
used to assess levels of activity and extent of adoption of Open Access within a defined
South African scholarly community, one discipline-based, the other institution-based.
The aims of this study were two-fold: to assess levels of awareness of and investment in
Open Access modes of scholarly communication within defined scholarly communities;
and to create a benchmark document of South Africa's involvement to date in various
Open Access initiatives. The argument is made for the openness of scholarly systems, and
furthermore that the disparate and uncoordinated nature of Open Access in South Africa
needs a policy intervention. The policy intervention so identified would exist within an
enabling policy environment and would be minimally disruptive to the South African
science system. Said policy intervention would constitute a National Information Policy
since it would address the storage, dissemination, and retrieval of scholarly research output. This assignment recommends the amendment of the current statutory reporting
mechanism - used by scholars to report and obtain publication rate subsidies - which
would require that scholars make their research available via an Open Access mode of
scholarly communication, and moreover, would require scholars to report on having done
so. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wetenskap as praktyk in Suid-Afrika toon 'n afname in internasionale
mededingendheid. Laasgenoemde is sigbaar in die tempo waarteen Suid-Afrikaanse
vakpublikasies nie tred hou met dié van ander nasies nie, beide ontwikkelde en
ontwikkelende lande. Hierdie afname, gepaardgaande met 'n afname in publikasiegetalle
van veral junior navorsers, sou kon dui op 'n strukturele probleem in Suid-Afrika se
nasionale innovasiestelsel. 'n Afname in die vakpublikasietempo dui daarop dat Suid Afrika
'n probleem het ten opsigte van die distribusie van kennis. Hierdie werkstuk is beperk tot
die dinamiek van kennisdistribusie met spesifieke verwysing na 'Open Access'
wetenskaplike kommunikasie. 'Open Access' wetenskaplike kommunikasie is 'n eksplisiete
intervensie gemik op kennisdistribusie. Wetenskap binne en vanuit ontwikkelende lande
word al hoe meer onbelangrik geag en kennis-imperialisme and kennis-afhanklikheid neem
toe. Aan hierdie laasgenoemde aspekte word ook aandag geskenk. 'n Deel van die argument
wat geopper word is dat kennisdistribusie en kennis-generering kern aspekte van langtermyn
ekonomiese groei is.
Hierdie werkstuk bestaan uit twee kern afdelings: 'n teoretiese raamwerk gebaseer op 'n
literatuuroorsig, en 'n empiriese studie. Die sentrale konsepte van wetenskaplike
kommunikasie en 'Open Access', nasionale inligtingsbeleid, en nasionale innovasiestelsels
word beskryf in die teoretiese raamwerk (Hoofstukke 2 en 3). Die empiriese deel van
hierdie studie (Hoofstukke 4 en 5) bestaan uit twee dele. Beide laasgenoemde dele maak
gebruik van 'n opname as metodiek, maar die eerste deel het gebruik gemaak van 'n vraelys,
en die tweede deel het gebruik gemaak van gestruktureerde studie van rekords (in die vorm
van Webtuistes). Albei empiriese studies was gebruik om die vlak en mate van aktiwiteit
rondom 'Open Access' binne 'n beperkte Suid-Afrikaanse wetenskaplike gemeenskap vas te
stel. Hierdie gemeenskappe is gedefinieer óf volgens dissipline óf volgens instansie.
Die doel van hierdie werkstuk was veelvoudig: om die vlak van kennis van en
betrokkenheid by 'Open Access' inisiatiewe vas te stel binne Suid-Afrika; sowel as om 'n
basis-dokument te skep insake Suid-Afrika se betrokkenheid tot op hede by verskeie 'Open
Access' inisiatiewe. Die argument vir 'n oop wetenskaplike stelsel word gestel. Verder word geargumenteer dat
die lukrake en ongekoordineerde manier waarop 'Open Access' tot dusver in
Suid-Afrika bevorder is, daarop dui dat 'n intervensie op die vlak van beleid benodig word.
Laasgenoemde beleid sou binne die bestaande beleidsomgewing geformuleer word, en sou
relatief min ontwrigting meebring in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse navorsingsopset. Die
spesifieke beleid wat ter sprake is, is die nasionale inligtingsbeleid aangesien dit regulasies
daarstel ten opsigte van die berging, distribusie, en herwinning van navorsingsuitsette.
Hierdie werkstuk stel voor 'n verandering van die huidige statutêre
verslagdoeningsmeganisme - wat gebruik word deur wetenskaplikes om verslag te doen
oor hul gepubliseerde navorsing om navorsingsubsidie te kry - wat sou vereis dat
wetenskaplikes hul navorsingsuitsette beskikbaar stel via 'n 'Open Access' kanaal, en
verder, dat navorsers verslag doen oor laasgenoemde.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50409 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | De Beer, Jennifer Anne |
| Contributors | Muller, H. P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 208 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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