Utility, Impact, Fashion and Lobbying: An Agent-Based Model of the Funding and Epistemic Landscape of Research
Authored by Pawel Sobkowicz
Date Published: 2017
DOI: 10.18564/jasss.3399
Sponsors:
European Union
Platforms:
NetLogo
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
The paper presents an agent-based model of an evolution of research
interests in a scientific community. The research epistemic/funding
landscape is divided into separate domains, which differ in impact on
society and the perceived utility, which may determine the public
willingness to fund. Scientific domains also differ in their potential
for attention grabbing, crucial discoveries, which make them fashionable
and also attract funding. The scientists may `follow' the availability
of funds via a stylized grant based scheme. The model includes possible
effects of the additional public relation and lobbying efforts,
promoting certain disciplines at the cost of others. Results are based
on two multi-parameter NetLogo models. The first uses an abstract,
square lattice topology, and serves as a tool to understand the effects
of the parameters describing the individual preferences. The second
model, sharing the internal dynamics with the first one, is based on an
actual research topics map and projects statistics, derived from the UK
Research Council data for 2007-2016. Despite simplifications, results
reproduce characteristics of the British research community surprisingly
well.
Tags
Agent-based model
Simulation
systems
Science
Maps
Publication
Community structure
Epistemic landscape
Research funding
Fashions
Maps
of science
Categories
Topics