ABSTRACT
Spatial data infrastructure (SDI)-related research should take advantage of related work in the social sciences. Research on SDI diffusion, for example, can draw upon the conceptual frameworks that have been developed in sociology and communications research. The most obvious SDI success story is in the establishment of clearinghouses and portals to disseminate metadata. Some of the most challenging research questions are posed by the scale for multi-level stakeholder participation in SDI implementation. The challenge to those involved in SDI implementation is to find ways of ensuring some measure of standardisation and uniformity while recognising the diversity and the heterogeneity of the different stakeholders. This will involve a sustained mutual learning process on the part of all those involved in SDI implementation. There is a continuing need for interaction between those involved in the critical study of SDIs and scholars who are familiar with mainstream social science research.
