The organization of interdisciplinary research : modes, drivers and barriers

Abstract

Although the role and management of interdisciplinary research in knowledge development has received plenty of attention in recent years ambiguity remains, often hindering management efforts. To address this issue, this paper provides an integrated review of extant literature on interdisciplinary research. It focuses on integration processes and the main drivers and barriers to different modes of collaborative interdisciplinary research. We propose a different approach to considering interdisciplinary integration, based on two factors: the type of knowledge integration, and the durability of the context of that integration. As a result we characterize four modes of interdisciplinary integration. We then consider how different groups of drivers of, and barriers to, interdisciplinary research affect those types of integration. Overall the paper provides an integrated perspective for researchers, managers and policy makers concerned with understanding the organization of interdisciplinary research.