Having recently engaged in an interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues from behavioral economics and applied psychology for the first time, I have realized that when scholars from different disciplines join forces, the collaborative process is nothing but straightforward. Yet, in today’s complex research landscape, being able to initiate interdisciplinary collaborations has become a crucial academic skill. An example of a successful interdisciplinary project is Harvard's Program on Integrative Knowledge and Human Flourishing, which explores the factors contributing to human well-being by integrating insights from diverse fields such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, neuroscience, and public health. With this article, I aim to share some lessons learned (both positive and negative) from my personal experience with interdisciplinary research and conclude with what I would do differently next time, with a few light-hearted anecdotes along the way.
Expanding Horizons: From Silos to Landscapes
The beauty of collaborating across research areas is the exposure to new perspectives. Coming from family business research and, more generally, from a strategic management background, teaming up with colleagues from applied psychology and behavioral economics has radically changed my perspective on the phenomenon under investigation. For instance, stopping looking at the family as just part of the organization and starting exploring the relationships between family members with a Darwinian eye made me realize that a family business isn’t just a unit of economic analysis but also a living, breathing organism characterized by very primitive dynamics. Now, it’s hard not to look at David Attenborough’s documentaries without thinking about whether the firstborn of the litter will also become the CEO of the pack.
Broader Impact: Change the Angle to Make Your Research Matter
Engaging in interdisciplinary research not only adds depth to academic work but also broadens its relevance. Adding a behavioral economics and applied psychology perspective to my project made me realize how, just changing the angle and thus stepping out of my comfort zone, help me to formulate deeper and more elaborate arguments. I believe this result was due to the continuous exchange of ideas with colleagues from radically different schools of thought. Surprisingly, adding an anthropological line of reasoning to our work did not just help in elaborating theoretical contributions but also produced practical recommendations for an unexpected number of different stakeholders.
Playing by the Book: Access to Broader Funding Opportunities
By proposing projects that tackle cross-cutting issues, researchers may have access to a wider range of funding sources, as the projects’ interdisciplinary nature can translate into higher societal relevance. One notable example is the Horizon Europe program by the European Union, which funds a wide range of interdisciplinary research projects. However, we all know how crucial clarity of purpose is in applying for external funds. With interdisciplinary research, sometimes trying to fit your purpose into the narrow boxes required by different grant agencies, while maintaining the nuances given by the different disciplines, can be very demanding.
Lost in Translation: Assemble the Pieces of the Puzzle
Interdisciplinarity is, by definition, a complex assembly of interests that the parties bring to the table. Different academic fields mean different research questions, different writing styles, different journals, and different target audiences. During an interdisciplinary collaboration project, you can sometimes get lost in translation. Every discipline has its own language, and understanding each other jargon can pose some challenges. Be prepared for meetings where you nod along for 30 minutes, secretly Googling terms on your phone. It is also important to be ready to accept some compromise. Economists like competing hypotheses and want to use Latek, while management scholars are obsessed with finding the right positioning for the paper and contributing to the “hottest” academic conversation.
But, what would I do differently if I could go back in time? Well, there are a number of lessons that I have learned from this experience.
Clarify the Objective from Day One: Agreeing on a common goal is crucial. This starts with formulating a clear research question and agreeing on the positioning of the paper (e.g., what academic journals are we targeting?). A clear vision of the final goal of the research collaboration helps avoid conflicting expectations.
Establish the Hierarchy among Disciplines. In some collaborations, one discipline may dominate the research agenda, leading to a potential perception of an imbalance in contributions. Although having a dominant discipline can avoid confusion in the positioning of the papers, it can also create tensions if team members feel that their perspectives are not being equally valued. Reiterating my previous point, being transparent from day one about the project’s final goal becomes of crucial importance so that all coauthors are aligned on the project’ outcomes.
Avoid Authorship Disputes. Deciding on authorship and credit can be tricky in interdisciplinary projects. Different disciplines have varying norms around authorship order, which can lead to misunderstandings and disputes. Although the golden rule on how to assign credits doesn’t exist, in my personal experience, discussing this topic earlier than later is always a good idea.
Be Ready to Compromise. As I have already mentioned, the ability to compromise in doing interdisciplinary research is essential. Balancing the pursuit of one's idea with the need for compromise in interdisciplinary research projects requires embracing open dialogue, where researchers advocate for their perspectives while remaining flexible and willing to integrate diverse insights for a consistent and innovative outcome. It is, however, important not to lose sight of your research’s core objectives, and fight for your ideas throughout the entire creative process.
Don’t lose the genuine curiosity: Last but not least, the most successful collaborations are built on a genuine curiosity about each other's fields. Although the risk of eroding the initial assumptions of collaboration is high, sometimes taking a breath or even a good laugh can help regain the clarity and interest that initially dictated the choice to collaborate.
To conclude, I would define my personal experience with interdisciplinary research as bittersweet. While the road was a little bumpy, it was also paved with the potential for groundbreaking insights. That said, my overall thought is that gaining firsthand experience with interdisciplinarity is the best way to learn from it.
IFERA Blog Editor
