Methodological Problems of Interdisciplinary Research in Public Administration

The presented study examines the scope of interdisciplinary research in the science of public administration. Aim. This study aims to examine the organization of interdisciplinary research projects in the science of public administration and to analyze their major issues. Tasks. The authors specify the definitions of different types of interdisciplinary research, determine stages in the organization of interdisciplinary projects, describe the mechanisms of knowledge integration, and identify major problems of interdisciplinary research in the science of public administration. Methods. This study uses general scientific methods of cognition to analyze major problems in the organization of interdisciplinary research projects in public administration. Results. The study examines the methodological basis for the organization and conducting of interdisciplinary research; specifies the definitions that help distinguish between interdisciplinary research (in a narrow sense), multidiscplinary and transdiscplinary projects; introduces the concept of an interdisciplinary platform as an amalgamation of the basic principles, objectives, and methodological references that are common for the participants of an interdisciplinary project and allow them to understand each other and coordinate their activities; identifies major stages in the organization of an interdisciplinary project (from providing a rationale for interdisciplinary research to conducting working sessions); clarifies the basic methods of knowledge integration in interdisciplinary projects; analyzes the key problems in the organization of interdisciplinary research in general and the science of public administration in particular. Conclusion. The definitions of the types of interdisciplinary projects are specified. Major stages in the planning of interdisciplinary research are identified, which should aid the organization of interdisciplinary research in public administration. The basic mechanisms of integration of interdisciplinary knowledge are examined, and major methodological problems of interdisciplinary projects in public administration are determined.

public administration, public management, science of public administration, interdisciplinarity, interdisciplinary research, публичное управление, публичное администрирование, наука публичного управления, междисциплинарность, междисциплинарные исследования

1. Методологические проблемы дисциплинарных и междисциплинарных исследований в социально-гуманитарных науках: коллективная монография / под общ. ред. В. А. Гневко. СПб.: Изд-во СПбАУЭ, 2010. 250 с.

2. Klein J. T. Interdisciplinarity: History, theory, and practice. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press Publ., 1991. 579 p.

3. Frederickson H. G., Smith K. B., Larimer C. W., Licari M. J. The Public Administration Theory Primer. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Westview Press, 2011. 308 p.

4. Grimmelikhuijsen S., Jilke S., Olsen A. L., Tummers L. Behavioral Public Administration: Combining Insights from Public Administration and Psychology // Public Administration Review. 2016. Vol. 77. N 1. P. 45-56.

5. Toomey A. H., Markusson N., Adams E., Brockett B. Inter- and Trans-disciplinary Research: A Critical Perspective. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, 2015: [Электронный ресурс]. Режим доступа: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/612558-Inter-%20and%20Trans-disciplinary%20Research%20-%20A%20Critical%20Perspective.pdf.

6. Choi C. K., Pak A. W. P. Multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity in health research, services, education and policy: Definitions, objectives, and evidence of effectiveness // Clinical Investment in Medicine. 2006. Vol. 29. N 6. P. 351-364.

7. Hirsch Hadorn G., Hoffmann-Riem H., Biber-Klemm S., Grossenbacher-Mansuy W., Joye. D., Pohl C., Wiesmann U., Zemp E., eds. Handbook of Transdisciplinary Research. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2008. 448 p.

8. Ушаков Е. В. Философия и методология науки: учебник и практикум. М.: Юрайт, 2017. 392 с.

9. International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Nairobi: UN-Habitat, 2015. 36 p.

10. Cressman D., Holbrook J. A., Lewis B. S., Wixted B. Understanding the Structure of Formal Research Networks. Vancouver: BC, Simon Fraser University, 2011.

11. Repko A. F. Interdisciplinary research: process and theory. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2012. 509 p.

12. Bruun H., Hukkinen J., Huutoniemi K., Klein J. T. Promoting Interdisciplinary Research: the case of the Academy of Finland. Heisinki: Publications of the Academy of Finland, 2005. 206 p.

13. Cummings J. N., Kiesler S. Who collaborates successfully? Prior experience reduces collaboration barriers in distributed interdisciplinary research: [Электронный ресурс]. Режим доступа: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kiesler/publications/2008pdfs/2008Cummings-Kiesler.pdf.

14. Bergmann M., Schramm E. Transdisziplinare forschung: Integrative forschungsprozesse verstehen und bewerten. Frankfurt a.M., New York: Campus Verlag, 2008. 321 p.

15. Miller G. J., Yang K.,eds. Handbook of Research Methods in Public Administration. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2007. 992 p.