A Study of Technology Adoption by Researchers : Web and e-science infrastructures to enhance research

Abstract

This paper examines the recent development of an e-research agenda. e-Research is taken as the latest stage of the e-science programme, which - as developed in tandem with web 2.0 tools - has begun to be adopted by researchers. This paper discusses these research infrastructures before current research investigating the relationship between academic researchers and technology is reviewed. The results of a survey undertaken in 2007 within a UK research-led university are presented and analysed in order to answer the questions about the uptake of these technologies by academic researchers and the relationship between the two technological infrastructures. If e-research is to mean enhanced research, it must include web 2.0 developments alongside e-science initiatives, even if this poses problems for institutional support and development.