Emerging Strategies in Research—Going Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries

Book excerpt: Going beyond the disciplinary horizons is an emerging trend of research now-a-days. It is becoming increasingly important for addressing society's most pressing needs. Within the disciplinary framework, the ability to solve problems through the generation of knowledge has traditionally been addressed from discipline-specific perspective. However, it has become apparent that the research needed to address today's complex problems requires the expertise from multiple disciplines. Trans-disciplinary, Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary contributions combined concepts and knowledge not only used by academicians and researchers but also other stakeholders in the civic society, including representatives of the private sector, public administrators, and the public. These contributions enable the cross-fertilization of knowledge and experiences from diverse groups of people and contribute towards holistic vision of a subject, as well as new explanatory theories. Rather than being an end in itself, this kind of research is a way of achieving innovative goals, enriched understanding, and a synergy of new methods.