The cooperation between vertical-view scientists (specific discipline) and horizontal-view scientists (cross disciplines) is important because the link between discipline-specific science and cross-discipline science is operationally essential to accomplish innovations. Cooperation of both scientists is, however, difficult because they normally hold different attitudes regarding research and methods of thought.
How to create an effective integration between these two groups? In full research, two integrations are requisite:
- The first one is an integration of disciplines by combining knowledge of diversely specified domains necessary even within a discipline (The elaboration of R&D’s goals /business-contributions through functions (OKRs) could be measured and monitors)
- The second one is integration of roles of scientists such as observing, designing and producing, normally conducted independently.
The integration will fully yield a tangible outcome if we recognize two research methodologies; vertical and horizontal ones and set up a dialectic conversation. For example, a vertical research on NLP is to move technology frontier forward by creating/improving new/existing algorithms and indeed it is driven in NLP discipline and watch the state-of-the-art know-how. However, in solving a business problem, researchers might need a cross-disciplinary view (horizontal) which sometimes requires NOT using the state-of-the-art technologies for the sake of better integration with technologies from other disciplines. When results of different researches are added to a business-solution result, the integration of those pieces of knowledge will exert functions meaningful in businesses. Therefore, the function recognisable in businesses can be achieved only when relevant research topics in different disciplines are combined in the right way. Let’s call this relevant combination of research topics as functional network of research.
The creation of a structured panoramic view reveals the relevant composition of full research which derives a new type of innovation based on holistic observation. It is an important research system in the age of sustainability. The structured panoramic view is an effective method for making business-solution proposal.
In addition to Vertical Research Development Strategies we will have a new task for cross-discipline researchers here to use research outcomes of each research discipline relevant to requested business-solution. It is expected that research is conducted in these disciplines in the form of business-solutions fulfils benefits and to meet business-requirements.
We need to establish desirable cooperation among the three key players namely: specific-discipline researchers, cross-discipline researchers and Sales / Business-Development departments.
The difficulty in the synthesis of roles lies in the fact that the factual knowledge and knowledge of usage granting meaning are produced by different processes. Factual knowledge is a knowledge system obtained through understanding the existing matters by specific-discipline scientists. The understanding is normally gained through “analysis” which follows a process from facts to the scientific laws behind the phenomenological observation of facts. On the other hand, knowledge of usage is that accumulated by repetition of various designs by horizontal-view scientists who use knowledge which is systematic scientific knowledge gained as a result of analysis, and this is called “synthesis” which follows a process from groups of scientific laws to facts.
For example, when we wish to know the shape of an object, geometry and methodology to measure the shape are available as established disciplines. For objects which cannot be treated by existing disciplines, some hypotheses need to be established and then theoretical analysis becomes possible by them. If inconsistencies arise, the hypothesis will be rejected. The analytical method that is the main method of vertical-view scientists has gained objectivity by eliminating subjectivity, and now it is a standard method accredited in modern science.
Architecting business-solutions, usually needs a cross-disciplinary approach, through the following steps:
● Set an initial hypothesis and a preliminary design includes different AVAILABLE technologies,
● Set up an experiment (e.g. high-level algorithm, simulation) to see the BEHAVIOUR of the hypothesis
● Find the most cost effective business-solution architecture with associated risk factors
● Propose the second best business-solution architecture
