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An analysis of entry and persistence among scientists in an emerging field of science: the case of neural networks
Author(s) -
Rappa Michael A.,
Debackere Koenraad
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
randd management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.253
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1467-9310
pISSN - 0033-6807
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9310.1995.tb00922.x
Subject(s) - persistence (discontinuity) , field (mathematics) , psychology , engineering , geotechnical engineering , mathematics , pure mathematics
This paper examines the factors that influence scientists in their choice and persistence in an area of research, and compares the experience of scientists who enter a field early with those scientists who follow in their footsteps once the field becomes widely accepted. Evidence is presented from an international survey of more than seven‐hundred scientists working in the field of neural networks. After controlling for cohort and experience effects, the results suggest that early entrants as a group are indeed different in both their motivations to enter and their persistence to remain in the field. In general, compared with scientists who enter late, early entrants are significantly less influenced by the social dynamics of the research community.