Scientific communication, information flows in industry - exemplified by pharmaceutical information in China & the UK
This study compare information flows in China and the UK with the example of pharmaceutical information. The general objective is to explore the relationship between information situation and the status of science and industry in a country. In China scientific information has long dominated information flows while in the UK scientific information in dominance has gradually been changed to industrial information flow in dominance (i.e. information work by, for and associated with industry). After background study of information communication environment and medicines research in China and the UK, scientific communication and S&T information flow are firstly studied, taking examples from pharmaceutical sciences. Then the thesis proceeds into studying pharmaceutical information flow which includes not only scientific information but also business information, drug information, patent information and statutory information. A systematic comparison has been carried out to describe pharmaceutical information flow infrastructure; wider system of the information flow; information flow performance; relations among scientific information, business information, drug information, patent information and statutory information; relationships among system (pharmaceutical information flow), wider system (national pharmaceutical industry), general information environment, and special environment "national drug situation/pharmaceutical activity". The industry's role in pharmaceutical information flow in Britain and China reflects the fundamental difference in the two countries' situation. In the UK, pharmaceutical industry playa central role in the pharmaceutical information flow. Some information are directly related to the industry such as S&T information, patent information and business information, some are indirectly associated with the industry such as drug information and statutory information. The big industry, big science and big information may reflect the UK situation. On the other hand, pharmaceutical information flow in China is mainly S&T information flow and is not closely linked with the industry. The less sophisticated pharmaceutical industry has a premature "nerve system"- information flow. The very limited industry involvement in R&D and therefore in information work reflects the little industry, little science and little information in China.
Z665 Library Science. Information Science
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