How multi/interdisciplinarity is actualised in work organisation with professional employees specialised in single disciplines: two case studies of the high-technology industry

ABSTRACT

Higher education is based on a disciplinary system and science-specific educational programmes, but multi/interdisciplinarity (MD/ID) knowledge, working methods and collaboration are becoming common in the workplace with complex tasks and digital work environments. This article will provide an insight into these issues by presenting a study of the organisation of work in the high-tech metals industry, studying firms whose production is based on specialised technology, i.e. in the convergence of industrial branches.

Given that knowledge of many disciplinary fields and methods are prerequisites, this convergence suggests a MD/ID work organisation to cope with the specialised technological infrastructure. The aim of these case studies is to examine how MD and ID are actualised in the organisation of work sites in the converged metals industry. The data consist of interviews collected from firms and expert organisations.

KEYWORDS:

• Work organisation
• multi/interdisciplinarity
• higher education
• engineering profession

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Arja Haapakorpi

Arja Haapakorpi is a Ph.D. and Adjunct Professor in sociology (University of Helsinki). Her areas of expertise include working life studies and higher education studies.  She has published 32 peer reviewed articles, 10 monographs and 18 popular texts. She is an independent researcher.