The past decade has seen many changes in the scientific productivity landscape of developing countries. Most governments now realise the potential of R&D in science and technology, and are using this as a tool to increase job opportunities and global competitiveness. A study published in the latest issue of the Indian Academy of Science?s Current Science analyses the comparative performance of the emerging world leaders.
It confirms that the volume of research in developing countries has grown due to supportive political will and huge investments in research infrastructure. But doubts still exist about the quality of research. This is evident from the declining proportion of papers receiving at least 100 citations. Brazil (0.419%) and South Africa (0.790%) recorded a slightly higher proportion of papers receiving at least 100 citations than India (0.321%) and China (0.404%).
Israel, interestingly, had a higher proportion of papers receiving at least 100 citations than India and China. Its performance was even better than that of France and Japan. With the West still fighting recession, there is a high probability of India and China becoming world science leaders. But this can only be achieved by supplementing quantity research papers with quality.
