Evaluating the structure of cross-boundary digital government research collaboration

Abstract

The end result of scientific collaboration is generating knowledge and simultaneously diffusing knowledge across expertise and geographical boundaries. In response, there have been significant increases in internationalization and cross-national characteristics of digital government research that give rise to the issues of multicultural research team composition. Considering the significant and growing trends of multi-cultural research team in Digital Government research, this study aims to investigate the determinants of digital government research team formation using the ERGM model from social network analysis. The data are derived from North American Digital Government Working Group, a working group of digital government researchers from Canada, Mexico, and the United States.The data shows that network closure and short distance structure characterize the structure of North American Digital Government research network and trusted relationship is critical factor affecting the formation of research collaboration. In addition, this study also found that reputation or information technology alone is not a credible determinant of scientific collaboration construction. Thus, to successfully engage in research collaboration cross-discipline and/or cross-region using online collaboration tools, researchers need to establish credible trust relationship to warrant the success of collaboration.