The Evolution of a Body of Knowledge

Abstract

Since World War II there has been a growing momentum for interdisciplinary problem-focused research (IDR) performed by teams of disciplinary specialists. Increased efforts to understand the nature and successful management of IDR have led to an exponential increase in, and a growing consolidation of scholarship on the subject. By tracing the evolution of the current body of knowledge on IDR, we can not only determine the sociological and epistemological factors in the production and use of that knowledge but also ascertain the current state of the art in the field.