Evaluating the impact of digital library database resources on the productivity of academic research
| Date | 01 March 2019 |
| Published date | 01 March 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IDD-07-2018-0025 |
| Pages | 42-52 |
| Author | Muhammad Rafi,Zheng JianMing,Khurshid Ahmad |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Library & information services,Lending,Document delivery,Collection building & management,Stock revision,Consortia |
Evaluating the impact of digital library
database resources on the productivity
of academic research
Muhammad Rafi, Zheng JianMing and Khurshid Ahmad
Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
Abstract
Purpose –Digital library database resources have a significant impact on stimulating the research culture in higher education. The use of digital
databases makes it possible to understand intellectual growth, research productivity, planning and identification of user information needs.
Evaluating the effectiveness of user database resource utilization and research, the purpose of this study is to assist management in developing an
excellent academic policy.
Design/methodology/approach –This study establishes a quantitative method to analyze the productivity of academic research using digital
databases. The secondary data extracted from the databases of 52 universities provided by Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the
literature published on the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science. The statistical technique simple linear regression was used
to analyze the data for understanding the impact of independent variables the “digital databases”on the dependent variable “research
productivity”.
Findings –The result of the coefficient of multiple determination, R-squared, R
2
0.679, indicated 67 per cent impact of the predictor on the outcome
variable. However, the standardized coefficient Beta 0.824 revealed 82 per cent impact of the individual pre dictor on the outcome variable. Overall,
the result of linear regression showed a significant effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. Besides, the result of correlation and
the strength of association between the database resources and the academic publication was significant (p<0.005).
Practical implications –This research work is a supportive tool for managing gaps and promoting the development of necessary measures to
develop strategies and solutions to create a better academic environment. The ultimate use of standard database resources can foster higher
academic research to develop innovative ideas and improve researchers’cognitive abilities.
Originality/value –From Pakistan’s point of view, this study is the first one that gives insight into the intellectual growth of young researc hers in
higher education. The study provides first-hand information on the use of database resources and their significant impact on the productivity of
academic research.
Keywords Research productivity, Research publications, Database utilization, Digital contents, Famous databases, HEC digital library
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Over the past five decades, higher education has achieved
academic maturity and research stability, despite the lack of
facilitiesand management experiences (Bray and Major, 2011).
In the past, the lack of currentliterature and database resources
slowed scholars’scientific research.Since the 1990s, technology
has rapidly changed theworld, with many databases to support
scientificresearchinvariousfields. The emergence of digital
technology has accelerated the library’s subscription to journal
databases, e-books, cataloging and reference management.
These online database resources deepen the availability of
electronic resources and extend the boundaries of academic
research. Accessto electronic resources has a greater impacton
student performance. The need for specific information is a
compelling factor in obtaining student degrees using online
journal database r esources (Montenegr o et al.,2016).
Currently, thepublished literature is documentedworldwide in
a big data surveillance system. Long before the existence of
other scientific databases, the contents of the Science Direct
database were used for knowledge-based citation and
correlation studies (Duan and Xiong, 2017). The digital
technology has replaced traditional information delivery. As a
result, many databases have sprung up in the modern library
websites. These databases resources and emerging websites
have become a reliable and rich source of published literature
(Rogersand Nielsen, 2017). The impactof online resources and
printed materials cast a significant impact on the research
productivity of scientists and sponsors (Ani et al.,2015). Even
the online and integrated database resources are important to
parliamentarians elected to parliament and for users in the
business domain (Munyoro, 2017;Gerrard et al.,2018).
Evaluating the previously published literatures of several
databases for three decades (1980-2014) it is obvious that the
process of internationalization of higher education expedite
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/2398-6247.htm
Information Discovery and Delivery
47/1 (2019) 42–52
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2398-6247]
[DOI 10.1108/IDD-07-2018-0025]
Received 23 July 2018
Revised 10 October 2018
3 November 2018
Accepted 1 December 2018
42
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