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Interdisciplinarity in ferment: The role of knowledge networks and department affiliation

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  • Ribeiro, Filipa M.

Abstract

This paper examines the relation between department affiliation and interdisciplinarity in terms of knowledge creation. While the claims made for the benefits or limitations of interdisciplinarity are diverse, they have been largely related to modes of academic governance or to the bare nature of disciplines. Less is known on the precise role of social networks in fostering or hindering interdisciplinarity within intraorganizational contexts. Thus, to explore the influence of network structure, tie strength and nodal properties in interdisciplinarity within higher education institutions, we study the structure and dynamics of academic's personal knowledge networks. It is used a mixed methods approach combining the delineation of personal networks with the ties' content analysis regarding a conceptual model specifically developed for this study. Personal network data were collected and semi-structured interviews were held with 32 academic staff members of the academic and research system in Catalonia, Spain. Findings suggest that belonging to a department decreases interdisciplinarity and that institutional constraints are more significant than the strength of the ties. Researcher's network centrality and strength of ties are positively related to interdisciplinarity. Structural holes control for certain organizational rewards and individual attributes but are not directly linked to interdisciplinarity.

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  • Ribeiro, Filipa M., 2016. "Interdisciplinarity in ferment: The role of knowledge networks and department affiliation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 113(PB), pages 240-247.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:113:y:2016:i:pb:p:240-247
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2015.07.021
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    1. Fernanda Morillo & María Bordons & Isabel Gómez, 2003. "Interdisciplinarity in science: A tentative typology of disciplines and research areas," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 54(13), pages 1237-1249, November.
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    6. Scott E. Page, 2007. "Prologue to The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies," Introductory Chapters, in: The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies, Princeton University Press.
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    2. Machado de CAMPOS, Silvia Regina & Henriques, Roberto & Yanaze, Mitsuru Higuchi, 2019. "Knowledge discovery through higher education census data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).

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