Identifying and overcoming barriers to interdisciplinary research: Perspectives from a sample of academics in the United States

Abstract: Driven by the need to solve complex real-world problems and by the dynamic landscape of modern academia, interdisciplinary research (IDR) has been emphasized by researchers in recent years as an avenue for knowledge innovation and integration. Different from traditional single discipline research, IDR combines knowledge and methods from diverse domains to address common, seemingly intractable challenges (Bark & Robson, 2016; Stember, 1991). Within interdisciplinary models, researchers work collectively while maintaining their disciplinary-specific foundations (Rosenfield, 1992). The inherent complex nature of many social and scientific phenomena may lead researchers to reach out to other disciplines, and to build IDR teams to achieve a more holistic understanding of the research questions and their multi-faceted answers (Siedlok & Hibbert, 2014). Teams are the core structure of modern organizations. Since HRD is interdisciplinary and relies on IDR for scholarship, and since HRD professionals support IDR project teams in the workplace, studies identifying the keys to high performance need to continue in the discipline’s journals (Robbins, 2021).
Effective IDR in higher education settings is hampered by barriers that demand exploration and resolution. Hurdles to IDR include, but are not limited to, language differences, structural issues, collaboration challenges, departmental policies/procedures, and lack of alignment in reward systems (Boden & Borrego, 2011; Cooke et al., 2020; Johnston & van de Lindt, 2022; Pellmar & Eisenberg, 2000; Townsend et al., 2015). Identifying barriers to IDR teams can empower researchers, institutions, and HRD professionals to create an environment that nurtures effective collaboration, innovative problem-solving, and impactful outcomes (London, 2022).
The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate — through qualitative interviews with members of IDR teams — the barriers to conducting interdisciplinary projects at a research-intensive public university in the US. The main research questions were: 1) What types of barriers arise in interdisciplinary collaborations in academic settings? 2) What strategies do researchers propose to overcome these barriers?
The theoretical framework for this study is based on the Social-Ecological Model and complex dynamic systems perspectives. This framework provides a robust understanding of the interactions between various levels of barriers and their effects (Kilanowski, 2017).
This study adopted a qualitative approach, allowing researchers to discover findings with a more holistic and interpretive perspective by understanding the qualities of human realities, experiences, and phenomena under natural situations. We employed purposive sampling and a general thematic analysis of data derived from two rounds of in-depth interviews. A total of 34 interviews were completed – 23 participants in Round 1 during 2019 and 11 participants in Round 2 during 2020. Interviewees included the principal investigators (PIs) and team members of IDR teams who received funding from a seed grant initiative designed to foster interdisciplinarity. We also interviewed deans, department heads, and other administrative staff who were responsible for overseeing or assisting the grant initiative at the university. Interview questions for PIs included: “What barriers or problems did you encounter during the IDR?” We then used the Noticing, Collecting, and Thinking (NCT) method to code the transcripts, using Atlas.ti software. We employed thematic analysis to capture the most salient and recurring ideas about barriers to interdisciplinarity and corresponding solutions.
The findings of the study illuminated a spectrum of barriers spanning individual, team, departmental, institutional, and policy levels. For PIs, the most discussed barriers encompassed assembling an appropriate team and team building, communication issues, lack of institutional support, unclear expectations, disciplinary differences related to research/scientific language and analytical tools (including statistics), as well as effectively working in a team. For administrators, the most salient barriers included the unclear review process and distance between disciplines. Some administrators also spoke at length about discouraging junior faculty from collaborating outside their home discipline. As the initiative ran from 2019 to 2021, both PIs and the administrators considered the COVID-19 pandemic to be one of the barriers they encountered. Strategies identified to address these barriers: 1) Employ milestone-driven methods for IDR teams; 2) Establish an open communication mechanism; 3) Clarify different disciplinary backgrounds; 4) Increase institutional support; 5) Create reward systems for IDR.
This study identified barriers to IDR and explored strategies for handling these barriers by examining insights from the experience and perspectives of PIs and administrators engaged in interdisciplinary initiatives. The identified obstacles to IDR transcend the individual and team dimensions, reaching into deeper strata encompassing institutional practices and academic frameworks, reflective of the inherent intricacies of IDR. The exploration of these findings can help offer broader knowledge to promote more productive IDR collaborations.
Keywords: Interdisciplinary research, barriers, strategies