Cyberscience: Modelling ICT-induced changes of the scholarly communication system

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is changing science and research. This paper focuses on the complex process of change of the scholarly communication system and how on we may explain the differences of ICT use among research fields. The author submits a heuristic model of change that sets ICT initially as an independent variable and systematizes a series of intervening variables. He distinguishes between institutional, functional/technical and actor-related factors that contribute to our overall understanding of the path of academe towards ‘cyberscience’. It turns out that the ICT-induced development and hence the differences between research specialities cannot be explained by a small, parsimonious set of factors. The resulting picture is one of multiple causation with a strong emphasis on cultural aspects.