International publication output and research impact in social sciences: comparison of the Universities of Vienna, Zurich and Oslo

In this study we carried out a bibliometric analysis of the social sciences at three European universities (Vienna, Zurich, Oslo). The data source for this investigation was the Web of Science SSCI and publications between 2000 and 2006 were included for retrieval. Apart from the analysis of the publication output, activity and impact, networks of co-authorships, disciplines and references were explored. In general the results reveal that overall Oslo outperformed the other two universities which show similar publication activities and outputs. Using the University of Oslo as a benchmark should help to outline different strategies (research, publication and cooperation) to enhance the international visibility of the output of the University of Vienna in different fields of the social sciences.