The architecture of global knowledge production – do low-income countries get more involved?

This article examines the integration of low-income countries into the global knowledge production network through international scientific collaboration, focusing on the field of Business and Economics using publication data from 2007 to 2018. Employing an undirected research collaboration model grounded in reciprocal preferential attachment and homophily mechanisms, the study finds that while international collaborations have increased overall—including among low-income countries—there is no significant improvement in the relative integration of low-income countries into the global scientific network. High-income countries show a basic but declining willingness to collaborate with low-income countries, and low-income countries remain dependent on increased investments in education and research and development (R&D) to enhance their scientific reputation and structural embeddedness. The findings underscore the importance of both national investment in research capacity and sustained cooperation efforts by high-income countries to foster more inclusive global knowledge production.