Ciccotosto, Sue, Pryce, Josephine, Chaiechi, Taha, Hamilton, John, and Loban, Heron (2013) Focusing on people, communities and commerce: interdisciplinary research as a multiple lens. Etropic: electronic journal of studies in the tropics, 12 (1). pp. 42-51.

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Abstract

Universities, as knowledge intensive communities, seek to encourage multi-disciplinary research. Using a social capital framework, this paper explores the experiences of researchers from different disciplines within the Business and Law Schools at an Australian regional University. Social capital views organisations as a social community (community of practice) deriving distinctive advantage through speed and efficiency in creating, accessing, and transferring knowledge. Members of a multi-disciplinary research group combined complimentary viewpoints on the concept of 'value' to write a journal article on tension between different sections of society on an agreed topic. Undertaking a process of discussion, negotiation and debate to produce the article led to interesting ideas and viewpoints, new avenues of thought and "Eureka" moments, from which surfaced new ways of thinking about the problem. Using the reflections of the different team members, this paper shows how the information transfer across discipline boundaries and between quantitative and qualitative researchers can lead to a greater understanding of the complex web of societal life. This information transfer informs and enriches understandings of complex situations and assists the researchers to redefine problems outside of the normal boundaries of research.

Item ID:	28674
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1448-2940
Date Deposited:	18 Sep 2013 01:42
FoR Codes:	15 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 1599 Other Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services > 159999 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970115 Expanding Knowledge in Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services @ 50% 91 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 9104 Management and Productivity > 910402 Management @ 50%
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