Scientific knowledge integration and interdiscipilinary collaboration

The paper investigates knowledge integration among researchers in the case of Globaqua. The theoretical discussion starts with interdisciplinary research (IDR). Different forms of disciplinary collaboration are dispersed, ranging from the least to the highest form of integration. IDR is about scholars trying to strive for active synergy of theories, frameworks and knowledge. Integrative understanding is a constituting element of IDR, coming to a shared understanding of an empirical phenomenon, is used to assess to what extent scholars in Globaqua achieved collaboration. Assessing the degree of dialogue and trust throughout the project is examined by researching into informal and formal interaction. Both concepts rely on relationship building as an incremental process, dialogue is thinking in relationship with one another and trust revolves around expected behaviour based on previous research endeavours. The paper explores knowledge integration by using a multimethod approach in threefold. First, interviews with researchers of the Sava RB sampling campaign which serves as a case study. Additional interviews with module leaders are incorporated to acquire a global image of Globaqua. Second, questionnaire data used to assess knowledge integration in Globaqua is explored. Third, the author developed an analytical tool to assess journal output produced in Globaqua. Analysing an aggregate of Globaqua articles done to overcome self-rating biases and explore a new vantage point to assess IDR. The paper argues that differences in the degree of knowledge integration persist throughout the project. It is shown that the Sava RB sampling campaign fostered further integration between chemistry and biology. Integrative understanding is hampered by lack of active managerial steering on aligning theories, frameworks and knowledge. Informal interaction is assessed by using the Sava RB sampling campaign as an example. The formal interaction is assessed by examining project meetings. It is shown that project meetings were valued in a different way. The paper concludes that knowledge integration in Globaqua is layered, as some collaborations were more successful than others. Recommendations to overcome the lack of alignment and to assess IDR in the future are presented. Keywords: Interdisciplinary research (IDR), Knowledge integration, Integrative understanding, Dialogue, Trust.