Interdisciplinarity in an era of new public management: a case study of graduate business schools

Abstract

In an era of rapid knowledge transmission and creation spurred on by advances in technology and globalisation, calls for interdisciplinarity to solve ‘wicked’ problems are common. In the same era, universities are increasingly adopting new public management practices. The extent to which these practices affect knowledge production is an underexplored area. Results from a longitudinal study of Australian graduate business school academics are used to examine the impact of government policy and institutional change on engagement in interdisciplinary teaching and research. While disciplinary identity is a common barrier to interdisciplinarity, the nature and culture of graduate business schools were potentially able to overcome this barrier. However, the introduction of a national research measurement exercise and a concomitant strengthening of new public management practices, with subsequent institutional restructuring, revived disciplinary silos. The case study has particular relevance to universities in other countries where new public management is established.