How to promote interdisciplinary R&D in the academia: the case of the “House of the Future”

Abstract

While empirical research does indeed suggest that collaborative R&D has many desirable outcomes, it is also clear that collaborative work is difficult and expensive. The challenge becomes increasingly sharp as complex and expensive research questions require a large pool of resources and a combination of specialized disciplines. As a result, different organizations get involved in interdisciplinary projects to expand the frontiers of knowledge. This paper analyzes the strategy and methodological approaches used to mobilize interdisciplinary R&D within a universityindustry network named ‘House of the Future’. We discuss the implications of our research for R&D networks design.