Nurturing cross-disciplinary research: Institutional logics, hybrid spaces and meta-organization at a research university

The emergence of “big research” has given rise to a variety of organizational environments (e.g. powerful research labs, projects and centres) that complement and transcend the traditional departmental structures of universities. Success in building and sustaining these “organized research units” and in reconciling their competing interests is central to the mission of a research university. In this preliminary study, we focus on individual experiences of working in cross-disciplinary research projects and centres within a large research university. Through interviewing key individuals (project leaders, academic and non-academic staff) engaged in running large research projects and/or centres, we aim to unpack the diversity and dynamics of different institutional logics at work at different stages of the organized research unit (ORU) life cycle. We seek to draw general conclusions in terms of managing and reconciling the research missions of ORUs, the university, and its external stakeholders (government, industry and society in general).