The Art and Science of Innovation: innovation through transdisciplinary work

Observe practice, not a slogan

The book examines transdisciplinary art–science work through themes including situated knowledge, boundary crossing and learning through working. A historical discussion of the Bauhaus sits alongside contemporary settings. These perspectives direct attention to the conditions under which encounters between specialties become productive.

For management researchers, this offers an opportunity to inspect what “innovation” means in a proposed study. A creativity-climate score, a learning episode and a new product are different traces. The research question should determine which trace matters.

A reading route with a purpose

Start with the conceptual discussion of transdisciplinarity and workplace learning, then compare the historical setting with a contemporary one. Record changes in workspaces, authority, professional standing and evaluation. This makes comparison more useful than simply collecting appealing examples.

Qualitative readers might pay attention to professional language, negotiation and moments of discomfort. Those are suggested observation prompts, not a standardized coding scheme offered by the book. Their relevance still needs to be justified within each study.

Try a small observation exercise

Illustration created by Lê Minh: imagine designers and engineers developing a product. Rather than asking immediately whether the team is innovative, describe one decision they interpret differently, how they address that difference and what changes in their understanding. This is an exercise in observation, not empirical evidence or a validated measure.

Who may benefit

Researchers in workplace learning, education, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration may find the perspective especially useful. Readers seeking rapid ideation techniques will need a different companion. The invitation here is to notice how knowledge changes during work. For an overly broad innovation thesis, that can lead toward a smaller, observable process worth investigating carefully.

Choose a companion reading

Continue with: Qualitative Analysis Using NVivo (First edition · English).

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