Towards A Reference Model for Online Research Maps

Knackstedt, Ralf; Lis, Łukasz; Stein, Armin; Becker, Jörg; Barth, Ingo


Abstract
Online research maps are websites that present information about certain research activities in a structured manner. Institutions like universities, states, or individual researchers use them as knowledge base to identify and communicate "who knows what" and "where can the respective information be found". Furthermore, these items are used as a research marketing measure, stressing the importance of this kind of portal. However, research maps differ in their range of functionalities, their respective naming, their target audience and so on. Thus, it is an exhausting task identifying and choosing the right set of functionalities. Our goal is to offer a template for the creation of common practice online research maps. For this purpose, we present a reference model and describe its development process. As preliminary measure, 66 research maps have been carefully analysed with respect to the formerly mentioned aspects. Derived from the results of our analysis, common practice was identified and used as basis for developing a reference model for online research maps. For development pur-poses, an existing language for describing internet portals was chosen and adapted to suite the requirements of describing research maps. The reference model presented in this article was then evaluated in a multi-methodical procedure.

Keywords
Knowledge transfer; Web Site Analysis; Conceptual modelling; Reference modelling



Publication type
Research article in proceedings (conference)

Peer reviewed
Yes

Publication status
Published

Year
2009

Conference
17th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2009)

Venue
Verona

Book title
Information Systems in a Globalising World: Challenges, Ethics and Practices

Editor
Newell, Susan; Whitley, Edgar A.; Pouloudi, Nancy; Wareham, Jonathan; Mathiassen, Lars

Start page
1

End page
13

Publisher
AIS eLibrary

Place
Verona, Italy

Language
English

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