Scientific collaboration and the Kerala model: does the internet make a difference?

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become the panacea for development for many developing countries in the modern, knowledge-based world. Kerala, a state in India known for its model of development, has not only joined this bandwagon but has also selected ICTs as a means to pull the state out of its present crisis. The paper examines the institutions of knowledge production in Kerala (academic and scientific sectors), which are generally the forerunner of other sectors in terms of their use of ICTs. We examine the extent to which ICTs have affected research communication and collaboration, the processes, which are crucial in developing a knowledge-based economy. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.