Books and journals Case studies Expert Briefings Open Access
Advanced search

Search results

1 – 10 of over 21000
To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 14 December 2020

Profiling interdisciplinary accounting research: an analysis of publication descriptors in three leading journals

Lina Xu, Steven Dellaportas, Zhiqiang Yang and Sophia Ji

The aim of this study is to profile interdisciplinary accounting research and the facilitating role played by researchers by probing the characteristics of published…

HTML
PDF (205 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to profile interdisciplinary accounting research and the facilitating role played by researchers by probing the characteristics of published articles in three leading interdisciplinary accounting research journals, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ); Accounting, Organizations and Society (AOS); and Critical Perspectives on Accounting (CPA).

Design/methodology/approach

Profiling analysis is undertaken with a broad scan of publication descriptors in AAAJ, AOS and CPA between 2005 and 2016. Profiling stems from identifying and quantifying the characteristics of interdisciplinary research, and with further analysis, infer generalisations about its content and the community of interdisciplinary researchers.

Findings

The published output of 1,462 articles is produced by 1,688 authors affiliated with 660 institutions in 52 countries. The two most high-ranking topics are social and environmental accounting and management accounting. The highest-ranked authors are Stephen Walker, Rob Bryer, Lee Parker and Yves Gendron. The most productive universities are the University of London, Cardiff University and the University of Manchester. The countries highly involved in interdisciplinary accounting research are the UK, USA, Australia and Canada.

Research limitations/implications

The data is restricted by the sample of manuscripts based on three interdisciplinary accounting research journals for the period 2005–2016 and does not consider manuscripts published in other accounting and non-accounting journals. Additionally, the process of analysing publication descriptors to generate categorised lists was a complex process that may not be replicated precisely by other researchers.

Practical implications

The results reported in this study can assist researchers interested in interdisciplinary research on what they may expect to read and understand.

Originality/value

The present study profiles interdisciplinary research in accounting to gain a picture of the elements that comprise interdisciplinarity, which, at present, is without empirical investigation.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-10-2019-0592
ISSN: 2049-372X

Keywords

  • Collaboration
  • Interdisciplinary research
  • Accounting journals
  • Research profiling

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 5 May 2015

Reflections on interdisciplinary sustainability research with undergraduate students

Can Baran Aktas

The purpose of the article was to convey experiences with pioneering interdisciplinary sustainability research by involving undergraduate students. Experiences with…

HTML
PDF (101 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the article was to convey experiences with pioneering interdisciplinary sustainability research by involving undergraduate students. Experiences with initiating and conducting multiple research projects spanning engineering and sustainability are described, and recommendations for programs and faculty in other institutions of higher education that plan to implement or support similar endeavors are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The article and presented conclusions are based on three separate research projects, where specific examples as to how those projects were developed as well as challenges and rewards faced during the project are described.

Findings

It is concluded that faculty should not refrain from working with students from different backgrounds and disciplines. Bringing different backgrounds and perspectives to a project enables a big picture view of problems at hand and leads to better solutions that are more in line with the three pillars of sustainability, while at the same time providing valuable hands-on experience to undergraduate students.

Originality/value

By its very definition, sustainability is an interdisciplinary field and, thus, requires novel approaches for education and research compared to other settled fields of science. A viable way to increase the role of sustainability in higher education is to foster interdisciplinary research and teaching. The institutions role in promoting such efforts has been discussed together with example strategies that were found to be successful as well as those that were not. The article presents results of potential successes in projects where the traditional disciplinary bounds have been breached, and an interdisciplinary approach has been used to achieve project goals. The article also gives examples on what types of sustainability research can be conducted with undergraduate students.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2013-0153
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

  • Interdisciplinary
  • Sustainability
  • Sustainable development
  • Higher education
  • Hands-on learning
  • Multidisciplinary

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 12 February 2018

Seeing through the network: A focus on interdisciplinary student research and information discovery

Dany Savard

This paper aims to investigate upper-undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions of interdisciplinarity in relation to their information-seeking habits by analyzing…

HTML
PDF (130 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate upper-undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions of interdisciplinarity in relation to their information-seeking habits by analyzing their beliefs, rationalizations and preferences around the retrieval, evaluation and use of information sources for interdisciplinary research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study made use of focus group interviews with 18 student participants enrolled in different academic programs in the humanities and social sciences at a research university in Toronto. Transcript data were analyzed through use of the constant comparison method.

Findings

Students perceive the classification of library collections as both helpful and problematic in their pursuits of interdisciplinary work. Students believe that knowing how to identify appropriate terminology while navigating scholarly and non-scholarly environments is crucial to their success in interdisciplinary research. Librarians can adjust their service philosophies and research tools to better anticipate the needs of students engaged in interdisciplinary research.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the literature by providing library practitioners and other interested parties with a unique view of how undergraduate and graduate students contextualize their information needs when undertaking interdisciplinary research work.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 46 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-05-2017-0016
ISSN: 0090-7324

Keywords

  • Academic libraries
  • Undergraduates
  • Graduates
  • Information research
  • Information literacy
  • Attitudes

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 25 February 2014

Human aspects of interdisciplinary research

Shaista E. Khilji

Based upon the argument that the primary characteristic of successful interdisciplinary research lies in human behavior and action (Brun et al., 2007 as cited in Buller…

HTML
PDF (202 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

Based upon the argument that the primary characteristic of successful interdisciplinary research lies in human behavior and action (Brun et al., 2007 as cited in Buller, 2008), the purpose of this paper is to offer a view on human aspects of interdisciplinary research.

Findings

The paper presents interdisciplinary research as an overlapping process of collective human interactions, consisting of group composition, conceptualization, integration and contribution. Conceptualization and integration processes are particularly important for knowledge exchange and creation as individuals learn to translate, articulate, relate and relocate their original disciplinary positions (Buller, 2008). Further, the paper argues that interdisciplinarity can be enhanced through appropriate group mechanisms and practices; and successful interdisciplinary research also translates into individual (and group) learning and capability development, in addition to knowledge creation.

Research limitations/implications

Interdisciplinary research is important for IB scholars to stay relevant in today's complex environment (Cheng et al., 2009). Since the South Asian region represents extreme contrast and paradoxes, interdisciplinary research could prove particularly valuable in exploring contradictions there (Khilji, 2012).

Originality/value

The value of this perspective is in describing interdisciplinary research as a boundary-spanning experience for researchers in that it facilitates creation of new insights and allows them to transcend their original discipline. However, interdisciplinarity itself is not automatic, but must be collectively managed through appropriate group mechanisms and practices (Buller, 2008; Haythornthwaite, 2006).

Details

South Asian Journal of Global Business Research, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SAJGBR-12-2013-0090
ISSN: 2045-4457

Keywords

  • International Business
  • Interdisciplinary research
  • Integration
  • Process
  • Conceptualization
  • Human aspects
  • Interdisciplinarity
  • South Asia

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 14 March 2020

Critical factors impacting interdisciplinary university research teams of small size: A multiple-case study

Oleksandr Tkachenko and Alexandre Ardichvili

This study aims to explore key factors influencing the work of interdisciplinary university research teams of small size.

HTML
PDF (216 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore key factors influencing the work of interdisciplinary university research teams of small size.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a multiple-case study of four interdisciplinary university research teams of small size in which science and/or engineering was an important component.

Findings

Data analysis revealed 17 critical factors classified into five groups. Although some factors were more influential than others, it was rather multiple factors at various levels of analysis, and not a single factor, that influenced the work of research teams. Another important finding was the identified need to develop project management capacity of university researchers. The study also revealed two strategies, conditioned on the availability of funds, that small university research teams use as a way to adapt to situational demands and research opportunities.

Originality/value

Although previous research examined various aspects pertinent to the work of industry research teams and large research groups, empirical research into interdisciplinary university research teams of small size has been limited.

Details

Team Performance Management: An International Journal, vol. 26 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/TPM-07-2019-0068
ISSN: 1352-7592

Keywords

  • Team
  • Teamwork
  • Interdisciplinary research
  • Case study

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 9 October 2017

A social marketer, a geographer, and an engineer walk into a bar: Reflections on energy + Illawarra and undertaking interdisciplinary projects

Ross Gordon, Gordon Waitt and Paul Cooper

This paper aims to contribute to contemporary debates about interdisciplinarity and social marketing by presenting the critical reflections of a social marketer, a human…

HTML
PDF (201 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to contemporary debates about interdisciplinarity and social marketing by presenting the critical reflections of a social marketer, a human geographer and an engineer on working across disciplines in an Australian community energy efficiency intervention – Energy + Illawarra. The paper also aims to identify challenges, practicalities and learning that emerge from collaborating on interdisciplinary projects. It also aims to provide some suggestions and guidelines for researchers in the interdisciplinary space.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a case study approach and presents the critical reflections of a social marketer, a human geographer and an engineer on working together on the Energy + Illawarra project – a community energy efficiency social marketing intervention.

Findings

Challenges in interdisciplinary projects that are presented by differences in ontology, methodology, language and discourse are identified. The importance of being critically reflexive and openness to alternative perspectives are examined. Concerns over publishing interdisciplinary research are considered. The value of experimenting and developing partnerships through pilot projects is discussed. The potential of leveraging existing synergies and the opportunity to learn from clashes in ontology are also highlighted.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the discussion about being interdisciplinary in social marketing by identifying subjectivities, practicalities and opportunities from collaborating on cross-disciplinary projects. Guidance for researchers on working on interdisciplinary projects offers value for social marketers working in this area.

Details

Journal of Social Marketing, vol. 7 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-04-2017-0029
ISSN: 2042-6763

Keywords

  • Challenges
  • Interdisciplinarity
  • Recommendations
  • Subjectivities
  • Energy + Illawarra
  • Low income energy efficiency program

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 16 March 2012

Plugging the “whole”: librarians as interdisciplinary facilitators

Jeffrey A. Knapp

The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the obstacles to interdisciplinary research and examine some ways that academic librarians can help to overcome them.

HTML
PDF (105 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the obstacles to interdisciplinary research and examine some ways that academic librarians can help to overcome them.

Design/methodology/approach

A broad review of the literature of the social sciences was reviewed for descriptions of difficulties that interdisciplinary researchers encounter. General developments in librarianship from library literature were then applied as a starting point for discussing ways that librarians can provide important services to interdisciplinary scholars.

Findings

Librarians, as “meta‐scholars”, can provide useful services to scholars engaging in interdisciplinary research.

Social implications

Interdisciplinary research has shown great potential for problem‐solving, being focused more on a problem than with disciplinary distinctions. This is a worthy area for librarians to target with their skills and services.

Originality/value

This is a discussion of ways that librarians can break into new roles and responsibilities, and simultaneously strengthen their profile at a time when some expect librarianship to fade away.

Details

Library Review, vol. 61 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531211259328
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

  • Academic libraries
  • Interdisciplinary research
  • Librarian roles
  • Librarianship
  • Librarians

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 17 September 2018

Embedding funding consultation in library services: A co-occurrences network analysis of knowledge flow in scientific funding

Jiang Wu, Jingxuan Cai, Miao Jin and Ke Dong

Although interdisciplinary research is an increasing trend in scientific funding projects, they are suffering from a lower probability of being funded. The purpose of this…

HTML
PDF (562 KB)

Abstract

Purpose

Although interdisciplinary research is an increasing trend in scientific funding projects, they are suffering from a lower probability of being funded. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current situation on successful case of funding application and provides suggestions on how libraries can expand services to help scientific funding application.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper utilizes the co-occurrences of disciplinary application codes to construct an interdisciplinary knowledge flow network. Based on 193517 sponsored projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the authors study the interdisciplinary flow of knowledge and investigate the evolution of network structure using social network analysis.

Findings

Results show that the interdisciplinary knowledge flow network is not only a small-world network but also a scale-free network. Two main knowledge flow paths across scientific departments exist, showing the heterogeneity of knowledge distributions across scientific disciplines. The authors also find that if two disciplines in the same scientific department both have a wide influence to other disciplines, they are more prone to link together and create a knowledge chain.

Originality/value

Funding consultation currently has not occupied an advisory role either in library services or in the research team. This paper conducts a co-occurrences network analysis of interdisciplinary knowledge flow in scientific funding projects. Considering the complexity of funding application and the advantage of traditional library services on information collection, integration, and utilization, the authors conclude the possibility and necessity of embedding funding consultation in traditional library services.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-06-2017-0127
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

  • Library services
  • Knowledge flow
  • Social network analysis
  • Interdisciplinary knowledge
  • NSFC
  • Scientific funding service

To view the access options for this content please click here
Article
Publication date: 3 September 2020

Digital humanities research: interdisciplinary collaborations, themes and implications to library and information science

Fangli Su, Yin Zhang and Zachary Immel

The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure, patterns and themes of interdisciplinary collaborations in the digital humanities (DH) research through the…

HTML
PDF (2.6 MB)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure, patterns and themes of interdisciplinary collaborations in the digital humanities (DH) research through the application of social network analysis and visualization tools.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes articles containing DH research in the Web of Science Core Collection as of December 2018. First, co-occurrence data representing collaborations among disciplinary were extracted from the subject category. Second, the descriptive statistics, network indicators and interdisciplinary communities were calculated. Third, the research topics of different interdisciplinary collaboration communities based on system keywords, author keywords, title and abstracts were detected.

Findings

The findings reveal that while the scope of disciplines involved in DH research is broad and evolving over time, most interdisciplinary collaborations are concentrated among several disciplines, including computer science, library and information science, linguistics and literature. The study further uncovers some communities based on closely collaborating disciplines and the evolving nature of such interdisciplinary collaboration communities over time. To better understand the close collaboration ties, the study traces and analyzes the research topics and themes of the interdisciplinary communities. Finally, the implications of the findings for DH research are discussed.

Originality/value

This study applied various informetric methods and tools to reveal the collaboration structure, patterns and themes among disciplinaries in DH research.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 77 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-05-2020-0072
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

  • Digital humanities
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Network structure and patterns
  • Research topics
  • Visualization
  • Library and information science

To view the access options for this content please click here
Book part
Publication date: 5 February 2016

Going Interdisciplinary in French and US Universities: Organizational Change and University Policies

Séverine Louvel

This paper analyses French and US universities’ organizational responses to the more or less explicit pressures they face to go interdisciplinary. Defining universities as…

HTML
PDF (266 KB)
EPUB (342 KB)

Abstract

This paper analyses French and US universities’ organizational responses to the more or less explicit pressures they face to go interdisciplinary. Defining universities as pluralistic organizations, I show that the implementation of interdisciplinary research does not result in well-integrated institutional strategies, but rather combines initiatives from the scientific community and from university leaders. Based on case studies conducted on the development of interdisciplinary nanomedicine in five leading French and US research universities, I identify three settings where the implementation of interdisciplinarity involves shifts in organizational structure – in principal investigator-based research teams and scientific networks, in departmental boundaries, and in institutional structures, and question issues of governance, leadership and resource allocation arising from those shifts. We see similarities between the two countries in terms of how initiatives by “entrepreneurial academics” – searching for funds for interdisciplinary research – and by the university leadership – also searching for funds, and redefining institutional projects around interdisciplinarity – complement each other. We also identify one major difference – with French pro-interdisciplinary university policies being strongly influenced by a political impetus from the French ministry of higher education and research.

Details

The University Under Pressure
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X20160000046011
ISBN: 978-1-78560-831-5

Keywords

  • Interdisciplinarity
  • organizational change
  • university policy
  • nanomedicine
  • French and US universities

Access
Only content I have access to
Only Open Access
Year
  • Last week (63)
  • Last month (261)
  • Last 3 months (796)
  • Last 6 months (1452)
  • Last 12 months (2705)
  • All dates (21810)
Content type
  • Article (16864)
  • Book part (3957)
  • Earlycite article (950)
  • Case study (38)
  • Expert briefing (1)
1 – 10 of over 21000
Emerald Publishing
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
© 2021 Emerald Publishing Limited

Services

  • Authors Opens in new window
  • Editors Opens in new window
  • Librarians Opens in new window
  • Researchers Opens in new window
  • Reviewers Opens in new window

About

  • About Emerald Opens in new window
  • Working for Emerald Opens in new window
  • Contact us Opens in new window
  • Publication sitemap

Policies and information

  • Privacy notice
  • Site policies
  • Modern Slavery Act Opens in new window
  • Chair of Trustees governance statement Opens in new window
  • COVID-19 policy Opens in new window
Manage cookies

We’re listening — tell us what you think

  • Something didn’t work…

    Report bugs here

  • All feedback is valuable

    Please share your general feedback

  • Member of Emerald Engage?

    You can join in the discussion by joining the community or logging in here.
    You can also find out more about Emerald Engage.

Join us on our journey

  • Platform update page

    Visit emeraldpublishing.com/platformupdate to discover the latest news and updates

  • Questions & More Information

    Answers to the most commonly asked questions here