Factors Influencing Research Collaboration in LIS Schools in South Africa
Onyancha, Omwoyo Bosire; Maluleka, Jan R.; Ajiferuke, Isola
The study sought to explore the underlying factors that influence research
collaboration in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools in South Africa. The
population for the study consisted of 85 academic teaching staff employed by LIS schools
in South African universities. A survey design was used to obtain data for the study,
through a questionnaire containing open- and close-ended questions. A total of 85 teaching
staff in 10 LIS schools in South Africa were alerted, through email, to the location of the
Web-based questionnaires, developed using the Stellarsurvey software. A total of 51
questionnaires were completed and returned for analysis. The findings suggest that factors
such as networking, sharing of resources, enhancing productivity, educating students,
overcoming intellectual isolation, and accomplishments of projects in a short time as well
as learning from peers influenced research collaboration in LIS in South Africa. Factors
that are likely to hinder effective collaboration in LIS research include bureaucracy, lack of
funding, lack of time, as well as physical distance between researchers. The findings
further suggest that even though there are drawbacks to collaboration, majority of LIS
researchers thought that collaboration is beneficial and should be encouraged.
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