Approaches for scientific collaboration and interactions in complex research projects under disciplinary influence

This paper reviews the approaches to breaking disciplinary barriers in complex projects by arguing that in addition to the way transdisciplinary research has been explored, other sets of concepts including social capital and research value chains can effectively enhance and strengthen the transdisciplinary narrative. The need for scientists to work together have been there for a long time. As the inter-linkages between society and the environment gets more apparent, complex and compelling; collaboration, cooperation and integration across multiple social and epistemological perspectives become more important. Scientific disciplines distinguished it through different forms of interests, perspectives, assumptions, priorities, vocabularies, methodologies and communication styles. These elements together constitute professional knowledge communities at the level of disciplines or sub-disciplines into which they socialize. Disciplinary protectionism, low level of understanding of other disciplines, power control and beneficiaries of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary outputs often forms the basis for weaker collaborations. Breaking these barriers by working together in complex projects to solve real life problems using sustainable inter and transdisciplinary approaches are long overdue. Integrating ideas, perspective and people with different disciplines are continuous processes that require clarity of communication, patience, good leadership and consensus building. From the review it is clear that; it is not about the mechanics of organizations, projects or teams, or structures, ontologies and epistemologies of these disciplines that solves these real life problems, but by accepting the social networks and barriers affecting interdisciplinary communication; by generating social capital and cohesion, by effectively building teams and ensuring cultural understanding amongst all actors who have roles to play on the problem or project in question.