Communications of the ACM

Seeking a more efficient combination of the best elements of the research and practice communities in small organizations.

Mark Underwood

This is an excellent piece. I encountered the same issue you described with ResearchGate.

In the U.S., as tax subsidies for universities decreases, there is increased competition for federal (and a few state) research grants ("pure research") and contracts (typically R&D or latter-stage research) to cover high education costs.

This scenario is likely to put additional pressure on smaller organizations who need access to partners, reference sources (research libraries) and other infrastructure in order to compete. Collaboration tools and culture may prove critical.

The other U.S. trend worth noting is the increased number of adjunct faculty, whose commitment to their institutions is likely to diminish as the gap between their pay and that of tenured researchers increases. http://n.pr/1fHLAwF