Researchers’ article sharing through institutional repositories and ResearchGate: A comparison study

Abstract

The present study examined whether social and individual motivation factors influence researchers’ article-sharing intentions through their use of institutional repository or ResearchGate and how these factors differ between the two types of platforms. For this study, we employed a theoretical framework that integrated the Theory of Planned Behavior, community considerations, and reciprocity to examine social and individual motivation factors affecting researchers’ article-sharing intentions through the use of institutional repositories or ResearchGate. We employed diverse statistical analyses including Cronbach’s alpha, principal components factor analysis, multiple regression, and t-test based on a total of 492 survey responses from institutional repository and ResearchGate users. The results of this research revealed that institutional repository users’ article-sharing intentions were led by perceived community benefit, career benefit, and career risk whereas ResearchGate users’ intentions were led by subjective norms, perceived reciprocity, career benefit, career risk, and ease of use of the platform. These results demonstrate the need to develop different types of support and article-sharing policies for both institutional repository and ResearchGate users to facilitate or increase their article-sharing behaviors.