The Ripple Effect: Citation Chain Reactions of a Nobel Prize

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Ripple Effect: Citation Chain Reactions of a Nobel Prize

AU - Faber Frandsen, Tove

AU - Nicolaisen, Jeppe

PY - 2013/3

Y1 - 2013/3

N2 - This paper explores the possible citation chain reactions of a Nobel Prize using the mathematician Robert J. Aumann as a case example. The results show that the award of the Nobel Prize in 2005 affected not only the citations to his work, but also affected the citations to the references in his scientific oeuvre. The results indicate that the spillover effect is almost as powerful as the effect itself. We are consequently able to document a ripple effect in which the awarding of the Nobel Prize ignites a citation chain reaction to Aumann's scientific ouvre and to the references in its nearest citation network. The effect is discussed using innovation decision process theory as a point of departure to identify the factors that created a bandwagon effect leading to the reported observations.

AB - This paper explores the possible citation chain reactions of a Nobel Prize using the mathematician Robert J. Aumann as a case example. The results show that the award of the Nobel Prize in 2005 affected not only the citations to his work, but also affected the citations to the references in his scientific oeuvre. The results indicate that the spillover effect is almost as powerful as the effect itself. We are consequently able to document a ripple effect in which the awarding of the Nobel Prize ignites a citation chain reaction to Aumann's scientific ouvre and to the references in its nearest citation network. The effect is discussed using innovation decision process theory as a point of departure to identify the factors that created a bandwagon effect leading to the reported observations.

U2 - 10.1002/asi.22785

DO - 10.1002/asi.22785

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2330-1635

VL - 64

SP - 437

EP - 447

JO - American Society for Information Science and Technology. Journal

JF - American Society for Information Science and Technology. Journal

IS - 3

ER -