Zhang, Yanjing (2019) Transdisciplinary practice in the contemporary architectural profession. PhD thesis, University of Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
Transdisciplinary practice blurs disciplinary boundaries and reconstructs patterns of architectural practice. It is also a vigorous paradigm which is shaping practitioners' philosophy, perspectives, and actions. This thesis explores transdisciplinary practice through the observation of different scales of firms to identify the nature of cross-boundary practice. Their mutually reciprocated intention is to create a mode of omni-collaboration in the architecture profession. The thesis aims to extend the current interpretation of 'social capital and social practice' in the architectural profession. Following the booming of free market policies in the majority of the world, the architectural profession has been increasingly challenged by greater complexity and fierce competition for demanding subjects for research and design. The accelerating climate of transdisciplinary practice has become prevalent so that it is no longer a novelty to integrate knowledge and expertise into the collaboration. Whereas many scholars have contributed to the theorisation of the architectural profession, focused study on cross-boundary practice including transdisciplinary research is insufficient. The deficiency of research interests in transdisciplinary practice identified a gap for this thesis to fill in. The case study is the primary method of investigation for this thesis. Selected companies were defined into three categories depending on their scales, namely small and medium enterprises (SMEs), transforming institutions and mega-firms. Comparative studies have been used to analyse discourses and projects, and to discuss the substance of transdisciplinarity. This thesis argues that transdisciplinary practice has restructured the function of the architectural profession, and transforms knowledge, resources and collective intelligence into innovative creativity in the form of social capital.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | transdisciplinary practice; architectural profession; collaboration; teamwork; collective intelligence; knowledge management |
| Index terms: | complexity, paradigm, teamwork, social capital, comparative study, creativity, collaboration, practitioner, case study, competition, boundaries, social practice, philosophy, profession, knowledge management, architectural practice, investigation |
| Subjects: | professional development, data collection methods, education and knowledge transfer, management, social theory, innovation and creative processes, systems engineering, property law, research design and methodology, business, philosophical studies, sociology, institututions, practitioner, market analysis |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Legal Issues, Design Practice, Roles and Professions, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Information Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here