Fostering multidisciplinary collaboration in drug discovery
Erden, Zeynep Ben-Menahem, Shiko von Krogh, Georg Schneider, Andreas Koch, Guido Widmer, Hans
Erden, Zeynep
Ben-Menahem, Shiko
von Krogh, Georg
Schneider, Andreas
Koch, Guido
Widmer, Hans
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Publication Type
Journal article
Editor
Supervisor
Publication Year
2019
Journal
Drug Discovery World
Book
Publication Volume
Publication Issue
Spring
Publication Begin page
58
Publication End page
62
Publication NUmber of pages
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Abstract
Drug discovery teams combine specialists with in-depth knowledge from a variety of scientific disciplines. Such diversity in thought worlds poses a challenging exercise in cross-disciplinary collaboration and project coordination. Based on a longitudinal field study of five projects in a leading pharmaceutical company we present a framework outlining the conditions for effective cross-disciplinary collaboration in drug discovery teams. We show that knowledge creation in multidisciplinary teams relies on a combination of formal team structures and informal co-ordination practices. Formal team structures set the boundary conditions for cross-disciplinary co-ordination. Within their boundaries self-managed sub-teams draw on informal co-ordination practices involving cross-disciplinary anticipation, synchronization and triangulation to overcome knowledge boundaries and high uncertainty. We identify five key insights and two questions which are important for managers to consider for fostering multidisciplinary collaboration in drug discovery.
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Keywords
Drug Discovery Teams, Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Drug Discovery