The Hype and Hope of Interdisciplinary Management Studies
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.00035 |
| Author | David Knights,Hugh Willmott |
| Date | 01 March 1997 |
| Published date | 01 March 1997 |
Introduction
The hype surrounding interdisciplinary research
in management has grown dramatically over the
last decade. Hardly a research initiative, call for
papers, management textbook or departmental
prospectus appears without making some claim to
support or offer an interdisciplinary approach.
And yet commentary upon this development
is surprisingly sparse. Databases are searched in
vain for evidence of articles that explicitly present
or discuss interdisciplinary management research.
This paper offers an initial, highly tentative stab
at such a commentary.
The disciplinary contents of, and divisions with-
in, management studies1are manifestations of an
effort to combine a degree of academic respect-
ability drawn from established disciplines such as
economics and psychology with knowledge that is
relevant for the functional activities (e.g. market-
ing, accounting, information systems) of manage-
ment practice. Given the multi-disciplinary nature
of management as an academic field, it is not
surprising that there is a move to build bridges if
not to live on one island. In recent times, this
move has been given additional impetus from the
field of practice as the functional disciplines
appear increasingly outmoded. Reflecting earlier
specialist, practitioner divisions, these disciplines
British Journal of Management, Vol. 8, 9–22 (1997)
The Hype and Hope of Interdisciplinary
Management Studies
David Knights and Hugh Willmott
Manchester School of Management, UMIST, Manchester M60 1QD, UK
Demand for multi-, if not interdisciplinary, research is currently strong, especially from
funding bodies. But it often leaves little more than a shrill echo within the corridors of
management departments and business schools. Academic respectability still seems to
remain with the single disciplinary approach of economics, finance, sociology, etc. and
also increasingly with those management subjects such as marketing, human-resource
management or operations research that depend upon other social sciences for their
existence, although the latter have considerable difficulty in gaining recognition and
respect from those in the disciplines from which they draw their theoretical inspiration.
As academics struggle to find ways of bridging their separate and distinct discip-
lines, practitioner divisions are being questioned and eroded as they are increasingly re-
garded as dysfunctional in achieving the flexibility and speedy responses demanded of
the modern corporation. This paper seeks to develop an analytical understanding
of the obstacles to the development of interdisciplinary research and teaching in
management.
© 1997 British Academy of Management
The authors acknowledge support from ESRC PICT
in preparing this paper. The views expressed are those
of the authors and are not necessarily shared by other
members of UMIST PICT or by members of other PICT
research centres. An earlier version of this paper was
delivered at the British Association of Management
Annual Conference, 14–16 September 1992. We thank
all those who offered their critical comments as well as
the anonymous reviewers of this special issue.
1When we refer to management studies, we have in
mind primarily the research and teaching that is
undertaken within management or business schools of
UK universities.
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