Zum Leistungsstand der sowjetischen naturwissenschaftlichen Forschung im internationalen Vergleich
By: Hansjoachim Hinkelmann.
Series: Berichte des Bundesinstituts für Ostwissenschaftliche und Internationale Studien ;; 56-1977; Berichte des Bundesinstituts für Ostwissenschaftliche und Internationale Studien ;; 1977-56
Publisher: Bundesinstitut für Ostwissenschaftliche und Internationale Studien
Published: 1977
Place of publication: [Köln
Language: ger
Number of pages: 49
Description: Summary  : Fundamental Research in Soviet Science - A Comparative Case Study 
Comparative studies of fundamental research in science in Soviet Union and Western countries are scarce up to now and not very systematic. It is, however, very interesting and important to know whether there are already essential differences in the first s of the Research and Development process.
  Here a comparison is presented for Solid State Physics, which is an important discipline from a fundamental point of view as well as from its technological applications. In order to get well-defined results and to avoid interferences from different factors we restrict our interest to the special field of onedimensional conductors, the physical and technical importance of which is shortly discussed. The reasons for choosing this field are especially the fact that this field is extremely well-defined and that problems are of very recent interest.
  The development of research in this field is  studied for the different scientific communities in Soviet Union, in Europe and in the USA in particular for the years after 1971. In order to quantify and compare the interest we consider
- the frequency of official statements concerning the importance of the field
- the number of publications in this field
- the citation frequencies of certain key publications
- the composition of international conferences on these problems.
  These criteria must be considered as suggestions to get some aata wnich can be easily verified.. The restrictions of these criteria are shortly discussed.
  Results
. 1.The starting position in 1971/72 was more or less equal for scientists in Soviet Union and the Western countries. The interest in problems of high-temperature superconductivity and linear conductors and the knowledge of their enormous technical importance were present all over the world. Experimental techniques and. possibilities were also equally developped.
  2. In the following years a different development of the interest is observed, in the USA, in Europe and in Soviet Union. The activity in Soviet Union increases only very little in the beginning and goes up steeply just in the last years (,1976/77). In the USA an extremely sharp increase and decrease of the interest is observed which is typical for "en vogue" phenomena.
  3. Some special features of Soviet scientific life are given in order to explain the observed retarded reaction of Soviet scientists. These features are
  - organizational reasons
  - technical and experimental difficulties
  - low scientific communication.
  They are quite general and apply more or less to all research in science. Therefore the behaviour observed here for the special field of linear conductors might be found, in other areas of science.
  4. Here only the time distribution of interest in linear conductors is given. No attempt has been made to discuss or even compare total quantity and quality or the further consequences
   5. The different behaviour of the scientific communities observed here is discussed within the context of a proposed strategy for international division of labour in the R+Dprocess. A feasible and mutually advantageous cooperation requires, however, the dismantling of barriers to communication between research groups in East and West.
Notes: Bibliography: p. 44-45.
Cover title.
Summary in English and German.