How collaboration impacts citation flows within the German science system

The present paper examines the relationships between the major research organizations in Germany. Special focus is given to the three research fields natural sciences, engineering and technology, and medical and health sciences for the publication period 2007–2012. The results not only provide understanding of collaboration ties, but also of preference structures with regard to referencing and citation behavior and the citation impact of co-authored publications. The mean normalized citation rate and the PP(top 10 %) indicator show that inter-organizational co-authorship just as international co-authorship is rewarded with higher citation impact as opposed to intra-organizational publications.