This paper identifies areas in the design science research (DSR) subfield of the information systems (IS) discipline where a more detailed consideration of practitioner audiences of socio-technical design artifacts could improve current IS DSR research practice and proposes an initial conceptualization of these audiences. The consequences of not considering artifact audiences are identified through a critical appraisal of the current informing science lenses in the IS DSR literature. There are specific shortcomings in four areas: 1) treating practice stakeholders as a too homogeneous group, 2) not explicitly distinguishing between social and technical parts of socio-technical artifacts, 3) neglecting implications of the artifact abstraction level, and 4) a lack of explicit consideration of a dynamic or evolutionary fitness perspective of socio-technical artifacts. The findings not only pave the way for future research to further improve the conceptualization of artifact audiences, in order to improve the informing power – and thus, impact on practice and research relevance – of IS DSR projects; they can also help to bridge the theory-practice gap in other disciplines (e.g. computer science, engineering, or policy-oriented sociology) that seek to produce social and/or technical artifacts of practical relevance.

Certain trends in scientific research have important relevance to bioethics theory and practice. A growing stream of literature relates to increasing transparency and inclusivity of populations (stakeholders) in scientific research, from high volume data collection, synthesis, and analysis to verification and ethical scrutiny. The emergence of this stream of literature has implications for bioethics theory and practice. This paper seeks to make explicit these streams of literature and to relate these to bioethical issues, through consideration of certain extreme examples of scientific research where bioethical engagement is vital. Implications for theory and practice are derived, offering useful insights derived from multidisciplinary theory. Arguably, rapidly developing fields of citizen science such as informing science and others seeking to maximise stakeholder involvement in both research and bioethical engagement have emerged as a response to these types of issues; radically enhanced stakeholder engagement in science may herald a new maximally inclusive and transparent paradigm in bioethics based on lessons gained from exposure to increasingly uncertain ethical contexts of biomedical research.

Aim/Purpose: This study was undertaken to shed light on how the use of a heteronormative mobile dating application creates an environment to promote psychological empowerment among female users within the online dating scene. The study focused on a mobile dating application which specifically challenges traditional gender roles, namely Bumble. Background: Mobile dating applications have become an increasingly popular medium for people to meet potential partners. However, users’ pre-existing social norms and biases inform how they communicate on these platforms, and stereotyped judgment about women perpetuates ideologies which continue to oppress them within the cyber world. Despite this, very little research has investigated the experiences of female users of mobile dating applications. Methodology: The study was qualitative in nature, and 10 semi-structured interviews of female Bumble users were conducted. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Contribution: The study contributes to knowledge by highlighting how key features of mobile dating applications influence various aspects of psychological empowerment as articulated in the findings. Findings: The findings show that the Bumble application supports Intrapersonal variables of Psychological Empowerment of female users relative to Domain Specific Perceived Control and Self-Efficacy, Motivation to Control and Perceived Competence. However, Domain Specific Perceived Control can also be negatively impacted due to self-doubt when female users receive little to no matches. Interactional variables of psychological empowerment are also supported, as Bumble allows female users to be critically aware of the need to screen potential partners, understand relevant causal agents, develop skills relative to initiating conversations and mobilize resources. However, Bumble is not effective in supporting behavioral variables of psychological empowerment because of limitations in the tool’s functionality and the behavior of the people interacting on the platform. Recommendations for Practitioners: The findings are important as they suggest the need to enhance the features available to female users in order to better suit their needs and desire to take control of their lives in the context of dating and/or friendship. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings reveal the need for a change of perceptions and attitudes on the part of some users to create a safer and more considerate virtual dating space, to truly achieve psychological empowerment. Future Research: More research is required on how male and female users domesticate mobile dating applications and how the use of these applications influence their daily lives from a socio-cultural point of view.

Aim/Purpose: The authors argue that interdisciplinarity, together with the more recent concept of transdisciplinarity, can be seen as a coherent attempt not so much to reassemble the fragmented structure into a whole, as to create a fruitful collaboration and integration among different disciplines that takes into account their specificity. Background: At the threshold of the Modern Age, a series of paradigm shifts in Western thought caused its fragmentation into a variety of academic subdisciplines. Such diversification can be considered the result of epistemological shifts and changes in the division of intellectual labor. Contribution: Which semantic horizons can this new approach open, and on which theoretical foundations could a dialogue between disciplines be produced? The growing importance of this problem is evidenced by the emergence, during the last decades, of philosophical reflections on the interactions among different research fields. The paper aims to contribute to the contemporary discussion of the need to overcome boundaries between disciplines. Consequently, it has both a methodological and theoretical impact, since all branches of knowledge aspiring to go beyond their traditional theoretical boundaries would benefit from a coherent theoretical perspective which tries to reconceptualize the transfer of knowledge from one field to another. Findings: The possibility of transdisciplinarity in modern science finds its theoretical premise in M. Foucault’s seminal work on the organization of knowledge, The Order of Things, which hinted at the existence of gaps in the grid of knowledge, leading, as a result, to the possibility of creating transdisciplinary connections. Future Research: The authors’ critical discussion of transdisciplinarity aims to revive the French epistemological tradition that in the last decades has often been rejected by researchers as not being rigorous nor analytical. This choice is motivated by the belief that, despite such evident defects, at its bottom lies a genuine theoretical intention that does not take for granted the possibility of transcending the usual division of intellectual work. In addition, the authors offer a brief account of the Russian conception of transdisciplinarity, relatively little studied in the West, which is presumed to integrate and solve the difficulties of other similar models.

Aim/Purpose: In this paper, we discuss how a Transdisciplinary (TD) and a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) initiative was conceptualized, developed, implemented, and sustained at a small academic institution with limited research infrastructure, emphasizing the role of capacity building. Background: Most examples of the implementation of TD research come from large-scale initiatives in research-intensive institutions or centers with multiple resources to establish collaborations among experts from different disciplines. However less is known about the implementation of TD and CBPR initiatives in small academic settings. Methodology: This paper includes a discussion of the challenges and lessons learned of this process in a teaching-intensive Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), which included a research component as part of the institutional priorities when it transitioned to a 4-year college in 2001. Contribution: We hope that our experience helps other researchers in similar institutions to engage in this type of research. Findings: In this case, a collaborative TD and CBPR initiative was successfully implemented despite limited resources for capacity building and research infrastructure, as well as diversity among researchers and community members. Recommendation for Researchers: To sustain institutional collaborative capacity in this type of institution, authors recommend continuous capacity building efforts and the development of modules and/or courses to provide formal TD training for junior faculty while encouraging researchers to interact and collaborate. In addition, the importance of the role of the community liaison is highlighted. Impact on Society: Successful TD and CBPR initiatives may have a positive impact on the reduction or elimination of health disparities which involve complex phenomena that requires a broad view from different perspectives. Future Research: Even though capacity building can facilitate the implementation of TD and CBPR, many challenges arise as an inherent result of community engagement and the integration of different disciplines. Thus, the need of continuous reflection to acknowledge them becomes critical for advancing TD and CBPR efforts.

Aim/Purpose: This paper describes the regulatory affairs discipline as a useful case in the study of both inter- and transdisciplinary science and dynamics related to communication across multiple boundaries. We will 1) outline the process that led to the development of transnational competencies for regulatory affairs graduate education, 2) discuss how the process highlights the transdisciplinary character of regulatory affairs, 3) provide implications for how to communicate the influence of this characterization to future healthcare professionals, and 4) draw conclusions regarding how our lessons-learned might inform other programs of study. Background: In the past few decades, the regulatory affairs profession has become more internationalized. This prompted the need for new competencies grounded in the transnational and cross-disciplinary contexts in which these professionals are required to operate. Methodology: A convenience sample of experienced regulatory affairs professionals from multiple disciplines contributed to the development of transnational competencies for a master’s program in regulatory affairs using a transdisciplinary framework. Contribution: An applied exemplar in which to understand how transdisciplinary characteristics can be communicated and applied in higher education. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper recommends how competencies developed from a regulatory affairs program can serve as exemplars for other applied transdisciplinary higher education programs. Impact on Society: This framework provides a seldom-used reflective approach to regulatory affairs education that utilizes cross-disciplinary theory to inform competence-based formation of professionals.

Aim/Purpose: This paper introduces a Social Machine for collaborative sensemaking that the developers have configured to the requirements and challenges of transdisciplinary literature reviews. Background: Social Machines represent a promising model for unifying machines and social processes for a wide range of purposes. A development team led by the author is creating a Social Machine for activities that require users to combine pieces of information from multiple online sources and file types for various purposes. Methodology: The development team has applied emergent design processes, usability testing, and formative evaluation in the execution of the product road map. Contribution: A major challenge of the digital information age is how to tap into large volumes of online information and the collective intelligence of diverse groups to generate new knowledge, solve difficult problems, and drive innovation. A Transdisciplinary Social Machine (TDSM) enables new forms of interactions between humans, machines, and online content that have the potential to (a) improve outcomes of sensemaking activities that involve large collections of online documents and diverse groups and (b) make machines more capable of assisting humans in their sensemaking efforts. Findings: Preliminary findings suggest that TDSM promotes learning and the generation of new knowledge. Recommendations for Practitioners: TDSM has the potential to improve outcomes of literature reviews and similar activities that require distilling information from diverse online sources. Recommendation for Researchers: TDSM is an instrument for investigating sensemaking, an environment for studying various forms of human and machine interactions, and a subject for further evaluation. Impact on Society: In complex areas such as sustainability and healthcare research, TDSM has the potential to make decision-making more transparent and evidence-based, facilitate the production of new knowledge, and promote innovation. In education, TDSM has the potential to prepare students for the 21st century information economy. Future Research: Research is required to measure the effects of TDSM on cross-disciplinary communication, human and machine learning, and the outcomes of transdisciplinary research projects. The developers are planning a multiple case study using design-based research methodology to investigate these topics.

Aim/Purpose: The complexity of scientific problems has spurred the development of transdisciplinary science, in which experts are brought together to collaborate across disciplinary and practice boundaries. These knowledge diverse teams can produce novel solutions, but they often fail to achieve their potential. Background: Leaders have a crucial role to play in enabling effective collaboration among these diverse experts. We propose that a critical predictor of whether a newly formed interdisciplinary team will perform well is the leader’s multidisciplinary breadth of experience, which we define as a leader’s possession of significant experience in multiple areas of research and practice. We suggest that these leaders will have the capability to skillfully manage the interactions within the team. Methodology: We test our prediction in a sample of 52 newly formed interdisciplinary medical research teams. We also observe and examine the communication patterns in a subset of these teams. Contribution: There is a lack of systematic study of the impact leaders have on newly formed interdisciplinary science teams whose members have little or no prior collaborative experience with each other, possess specialized knowledge, and have limited overlapping expertise. This study combines quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the effect of leader multidisciplinary experience on team communication patterns and innovation. Findings: Our study finds that teams are more innovative when their leader has a moderate breadth of multidisciplinary expertise. Exploration of team communication patterns suggests that leaders with moderate multidisciplinary breadth of experience actively stimulated information sharing across expert domains by choosing cross-cutting topics and drew individuals’ attention to the knowledge and approaches of others in the team. Recommendations for Practitioners: Insights from this work can have practical implications regarding how to best select and train leaders to facilitate cross-boundary collaboration in transdisciplinary science. This study elucidates a variety of communication strategies that leaders can to enhance the team innovativeness. Recommendation for Researchers: Further investigation into the underlying psychological states that these communication strategies elicit is needed. Future research should investigate psychological mediators such as knowledge consideration, perspective taking, and cognitive flexibility. Impact on Society: Transdisciplinary science is needed to solve society’s most complex problems. The more insight we gather about factors that can help these knowledge diverse teams to be successful, but more society will benefit. Future Research: More research is needed on team formation, leader experience, and team outcomes in transdisciplinary science teams in a variety of contexts.

Aim/Purpose: Given that leadership has been shown to play a key role in knowledge-producing organizations, leaders of transdisciplinary science have received surprisingly little empirical attention. This study addresses the research gap by examining leadership in the context of a new transdisciplinary research organization. Background: Drawing on complexity leadership theory—a framework developed for identifying behaviors that facilitate creativity, learning, and adaptability in complex adaptive systems—this study examines leadership roles and practices that affect the generation of adaptive dynamics in transdisciplinary science. Methodology: The study is based on a longitudinal, qualitative in-depth case study on a newly formed transdisciplinary research center and its leadership team. The data includes ethnographic observations from leadership meetings and interviews with leaders. Contribution: This unique empirical case contributes to the study of transdisciplinary science by shedding light on the actions of academic leaders as they try to support transdisciplinary conversation, learning, and collaboration in a new center. Findings: The analysis shows that the leaders relied on both enabling and administrative leadership practices in a way that made them the focal point of transdisciplinary knowledge integration and thus jeopardized the creation of adaptive dynamics throughout the organization. Recommendations for Practitioners: The study highlights the importance of having knowledge brokers and hybrid scholars in strategic positions at different levels of the transdisciplinary research organization already in its early stages. Recommendation for Researchers: Longitudinal qualitative case studies that rely on different types of data provide rich information on how new leadership conceptualizations are implemented in organizations and the complex ways in which they relate to knowledge creation processes and outcomes. Impact on Society: Transdisciplinary science has the potential to find cures to complex diseases. Understanding leadership in transdisciplinary science can help in maintaining transdisciplinary research activities in the long run and thus make it more impactful. Future Research: The use of leadership roles and practices will be examined at different developmental stages in the transdisciplinary research process.

Aim/Purpose: Collaborative, interdisciplinary research is growing rapidly, but we still have limited and fragmented understanding of what is arguably the heart of such research—collaborative, interdisciplinary reasoning (CIR). Background: This article integrates neo-Pragmatist theories of reasoning with insights from literature on interdisciplinary research to develop a working definition of collaborative, interdisciplinary reasoning. The article then applies this definition to an empirical example to demonstrate its utility. Methodology: The empirical example is an excerpt from a Toolbox workshop transcript. The article reconstructs a cogent, inductive, interdisciplinary argument from the excerpt to show how CIR can proceed in an actual team. Contribution: The study contributes operational definitions of ‘reasoning together’ and ‘collaborative, interdisciplinary reasoning’ to existing literature. It also demonstrates empirical methods for operationalizing these definitions, with the argument reconstruction providing a brief case study in how teams reason together. Findings: 1. Collaborative, interdisciplinary reasoning is the attempted integration of disciplinary contributions to exchange, evaluate, and assert claims that enable shared understanding and eventually action in a local context. 2. Pragma-dialectic argument reconstruction with conversation analysis is a method for observing such reasoning from a transcript. 3. The example team developed a strong inductive argument to integrate their disciplinary contributions about modeling. Recommendations for Practitioners: 1. Interdisciplinary work requires agreeing with teammates about what is assertible and why. 2. To assert something together legitimately requires making a cogent, integrated argument. Recommendation for Researchers: 1. An argument is the basic unit of analysis for interdisciplinary integration. 2. To assess the argument’s cogency, it is helpful to reconstruct it using pragma-dialectic principles and conversation analysis tools. 3. To assess the argument’s interdisciplinary integration and participant roles in the integration, it is helpful to graph the flow of words as a Sankey chart from participant-disciplines to the argument conclusion. Future Research: How does this definition of CIR relate to other interdisciplinary ‘cognition’ or ‘learning’ type theories? How can practitioners and theorists tell the difference between true intersubjectivity and superficial agreeableness in these dialogues? What makes an instance of CIR ‘good’ or ‘bad’? How does collaborative, transdisciplinary reasoning differ from CIR, if at all?

Aim/Purpose: Transdisciplinarity is considered as a framework for understanding knowledge producing teams (KPTs). Features of transdisciplinary knowledge producing teams (TDKPTs) are provided using a complex adaptive systems (CAS) lens. TDKPT features are defined and linked to complexity theory to show how team participants might develop skills that more truly express complex adaptive conditions. Background: TDKPTs are groups of stakeholder participants tasked with producing knowledge across disciplinary, sectoral, and ecological boundaries. TDKPTs reflect components of complex adaptive systems (CAS) and exemplify how CAS behave and function. Methodology: The paper accesses literature from the Science-of-Team-Science (SciTS), complexity theory, and systems theory to construct a typology of the features of TDKPTs. Contribution: This paper provides a list of features developed from a diverse body of literature useful for considering complexity within TDKPTs. Findings: The paper proposes a series of features of transdisciplinary knowledge producing teams. In addition, the authors identify important skill building aspects needed for TDKPTs to be successful. Recommendations for Practitioners: The paper provides a framework by which team functioning can be considered and enhanced within TDKPTs. Recommendation for Researchers: The paper suggests categorical features of transdisciplinary teams for research on the collaborative processes and outcomes of TD teams. Future Research: Knowledge producing team members need to engage in theoretical, episte-mological, and methodological reflections to elucidate the dynamic nature of TD knowledge producing teams. Understanding how conflict, dissonance, and reciprocal interdependencies contribute to knowledge generation are key areas of future research and inquiry.

Aim/Purpose: This is an introductory paper for the Special Series on transdisciplinary communication. It summarizes the various articles in the special series and raises questions for future investigation.

Aim/Purpose: The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the first official definition of the term “transdisciplinarity.” This paper focuses on a critical analysis of the development of modern transdisciplinarity since its inception. Background: The article presents two main directions for the development of transdisciplinarity. It also shows its identification features, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as the significant role transdisciplinarity plays in science and education. Methodology: The methodology employed in this article is a content analysis of resolutions of international forums as well as articles on transdisciplinarity published from 1970 to 2019. Contribution: For one reason or the other, several of these authors did not quote the opinions of the original authors of transdisciplinarity. The subsequent use of those articles by other authors thus posed some ambiguities about the place and role of transdisciplinarity in science and education. The advent of e-databases has made it possible to access the original forum articles. This further made it possible to refine the original content of the term “transdisciplinarity” and to trace its development without mixing it with vague opinions. Based on these findings, the perception of transdisciplinarity as a marginal trend in science and education could be eliminated. Findings: This paper shows how modern transdisciplinarity is developing into two main directions: transdisciplinarity in science as well as transdisciplinarity in education. These orientations have individual goals and objectives. The transdisciplinarity of scientific research helps to complete the transformation of the potential for interdisciplinary interaction and the integration of disciplines. Whereas, in education, transdisciplinarity (meta-discipline) is about developing an international standard for transdisciplinary education and also describing the content of transdisciplinary competence for students of diverse disciplines at all levels of higher education (bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate studies). Recommendation for Researchers: Transdisciplinary research involves the interaction of people with disciplinary knowledge plus a degree of scientific outlook. Since disciplinary knowledge domains remain in their disciplinary boxes, it is, therefore, advisable to generalize disciplinary knowledge rather than force them to interact. This is the basis for proposing the systems transdisciplinary approach—which provides a methodology for unifying and generalizing disciplinary knowledge. Future Research: As the research shows, the organizers of modern international forums do not take into account the division of transdisciplinarity development trends. To increase the effectiveness and significance of such forums, it is necessary to return to the practice of organizing special international forums on the transdisciplinarity of science and that of education.

Aim/Purpose: The growing complexity of the business environment and business processes as well as the Big Data phenomenon has an impact on every area of human activity nowadays. This new reality challenges the effectiveness of traditional narrowly oriented professional education. New areas of competences emerged as a synergy of multiple knowledge areas – transdisciplines. Informing Science and Data Science are just the first two such new areas we may identify as transdisciplines. Universities are facing the challenge to educate students for those new realities. Background: The purpose of the paper is to share the authors’ experience in designing curriculum for training bachelor students in Informing Science as a concentration within an Information Brokerage major, and a master program on Data Science. Methodology: Designing curriculum for transdisciplines requires diverse expertise obtained by both academia and industries and passed through several stages - identifying objectives, conceptualizing curriculum models, identifying content, and development pedagogical priorities. Contribution: Sharing our experience acquired in designing transdiscipline programs will contribute to a transition from a narrow professional education towards addressing 21st-century challenges. Findings: Analytical skills, combined with training in all categories of so-called “soft skills”, are essential in preparing students for a successful career in a transdiciplinary area of activities. Recommendations for Practitioners: Establishing a working environment encouraging not only sharing but close cooperation is essential nowadays. Recommendations for Researchers: There are two aspects of training professionals capable of succeeding in a transdisciplinary environment: encouraging mutual respect and developing out-of-box thinking. Impact on Society: The transition of higher education in a way to meet current challenges. Future Research The next steps in this research are to collect feedback regarding the professional careers of students graduating in these two programs and to adjust the curriculum accordingly.

Aim/Purpose: The Informing Science Institute (ISI) is an informing system, designed using informing science principles, for the express purpose of informing researchers who study problems related to informing. This paper describes the ISI as an applied instance of an informing system and analyzes the channels, informers, and clients of the ISI. Background: This paper begins with a brief overview of the current activity of the ISI, as well as an introduction to informing science philosophy and an explanation of the need for a transdiscipline. The ISI is a non-profit organization that provides several informing channels, including 13 open-access, peer-reviewed journals, as well as conferences, books, and outreach activities. Methodology: Statistical analyses of the authors, institutions, and countries of origin were conducted for every ISI paper published between 1998 and December of 2019. Additionally, interviews were conducted with 5 current and former Editors-in-Chief of ISI journals. Contribution: This paper provides a current description and analysis of the ISI informing system’s channels, informers, and clients. Findings: The ISI has published over 4,100 articles by over 4,500 authors from over 600 universities. Statistical analyses of articles published in ISI journals demonstrated that the ISI is characterized in part by robust international participation, with significant participation by authors from countries that have been traditionally under-represented in academic publications. The ISI achieved these outcomes through the use of the philosophical principles and design guidelines for informing science.

Aim/Purpose: Use of the term “rigor” is ubiquitous in the research community. But do we actually know what it means, and how it applies to transdisciplinary research? Background: Too often, rigor is presumed to mean following an established research protocol scrupulously. Unfortunately, that frequently leads to research with little or no impact. Methodology: We identify a sample of 62 articles with “rigor” in the title and analyze their content in order to capture the range of perspectives on rigor. We then analyze how these findings might apply to informing science. Contribution: This paper offers an approach to defining rigor that is theory based and appropriate for transdisciplinary research. Findings: Rigor definitions tend to fall into one of two categories: criteria-based and compliance-based. Which is appropriate depends on the research context. Even more variation was found with respect to relevance, which is often used as a catch-all for research characteristics that aren’t associated with rigor. Recommendations for Practitioners: Recognize that when researchers are referring to rigor and relevance, they of-ten mean these to apply to other researchers rather than to practice. When funding research, it is important to understand who the rigor and relevance are directed towards. Recommendations for Researchers: When using the term “rigor”, think carefully about which meaning is intended and be transparent about that meaning in your writing. Impact on Society: A great deal of public money is invested in achieving research rigor. Society should be aware of what it is buying with that funding. Future Research: Developing a better understanding of research fitness and the factors that contribute to it.

Aim/Purpose: There is ample evidence that team processes matter more than the characteristics of individual team members; unfortunately, very few empirical studies have examined communication process variables closely or tied them to team outcomes. Background: The University of Miami Laboratory for Integrated Knowledge (U-LINK) is a pilot funding mechanism that was developed and implemented based on empirically-established best practices established in the literature on the Science of Team Science (SciTS). In addition to addressing grand societal challenges, teams engaged in processes designed to enhance the process of “teaming”. This study uses the Inputs-Mediator-Outputs-Inputs (IMOI) model as a blueprint for an investigation into how team communication processes (shared communication, shared leadership, formal meetings, informal meetings) influence intermediary team processes (goal clarity, role ambiguity, process clarity, trust) and team outcomes (team satisfaction, team productivity). Methodology: Monte Carlo methodologies were used to explore both longitudinal self-report (survey of communication and team outcome variables) data and objective data on scholarly productivity, collected from seventy-eight members of eleven real-world intact interdisciplinary teams to explore how team communication processes affect team outcomes. Contribution: This study is among the few that centers communication practice and processes in the operationalization and measurement of its constructs and which provides a test of hypotheses centered on key questions identified in the literature. Findings: Communication practices are important to team processes and outcomes. Shared communication and informal meetings were associated with increased team satisfaction and increased research productivity. Shared leadership was associated with increased research productivity, as well as improved process and goal clarity. Formal meetings were associated with increased goal clarity and decreased role ambiguity. Recommendation for Researchers: Studying intact interdisciplinary research teams requires innovative methods and clear specification of variables. Challenges associated with access to limited numbers of teams should not preclude engaging in research as each study contributes to our larger body of knowledge of the factors that influence the success of interdisciplinary research teams. Future Research: Future research should examine different team formation and funding mechanisms and extend observation and data collection for longer periods of time.

Aim/Purpose: The article is designed to contradict the existing opinion that “transdisciplinarity is a marginal direction of contemporary science.” Background: The difficulties of implementing transdisciplinarity into science and education are connected with the fact that its generally accepted definition, identification characteristics, and methodological features are still missing. In order to eliminate these disadvantages of transdisciplinarity, its prime cause and initial idea had to be detected. Then an attempt was made to analyze correspondence of the existing opinions about transdisciplinarity with the content of its prime cause and initial ideas. Methodology: The bibliometric content analysis of the literature reviews on the subject of transdisciplinary was used in order to determine correspondence of the opinions about transdisciplinarity with the meaning of its prime cause and initial ideas, as well as to generalize these opinions. This method allowed detecting and classifying opinions into 11 groups including 39 stereotypes of transdisciplinarity. For substantiation of transdisciplinary approaches consistency with the approaches of the contemporary science C.F. Gauss random variables normal distribution was used. The “Gauss curve” helped to show the place of transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches in the structure of academic and systems approaches. The “Gauss curve” demonstrated the step-by-step broadening of the scientific worldview horizon due to sequential intensification of synthesis, integration, unification, and generalization of the disciplinary knowledge. Contribution: Based on rethinking the results from bibliometric content analysis of the literature reviews, the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity could be formulated, as well as the definition for the transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches could be given. It was shown that transdisciplinarity is a natural stage for development of contemporary science and education, and the transdisciplinary approaches were capable to suggest the methods and tools to solve the complex and poorly structured problems of science and society. Findings: Many existing stereotypes of transdisciplinarity do not meet its prime cause and initial ideas. Such stereotypes do not have deep philosophic and theoretical substantiation, as well as not suggesting the transdisciplinary methods and tools. Thus, the authors of such stereotypes often claim them to be transdisciplinary or suggest perceiving them as transdisciplinarity. This circumstance contributed to the fact that many disciplinary scientists, practitioners, and initiators of higher education view transdisciplinarity as a marginal direction of contemporary science. Based on the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity, as well as its prime cause and initial ideas, we managed to show that transdisciplinarity is presented in contemporary science in the form of two different approaches: the transdisciplinary approach and the systems transdisciplinary approaches. The objective of the transdisciplinary approach is ensuring science development at the stage of synthesis and integration of disciplinary knowledge. The objective of the systems transdisciplinary approach is ensuring solving of modern society problems using unification and generalization of disciplinary knowledge. Recommendation for Researchers: The researchers should consider that within the limits of the transdisciplinary approach the disciplinary specialists are managed. Within the limits of the systems transdisciplinary approach the disciplinary knowledge is managed. Thus, the transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and research with participation of the scientists of complementary disciplines. An example for such research can be a team of researchers of medical disciplines and complimentary disciplines from chemistry, physics, and engineering. The systems transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and performance of research with participation of scientists of non-complementary disciplines, for example, economics, physics, meteorology, chemistry, ecology, geology, and sociology. Future Research: In terms of the main initial idea, transdisciplinarity is formed as a global approach. The global approach should have a traditional institutional form: it should be a science discipline (meta-discipline) and have carriers with the transdisciplinary worldview. Training for such carriers can be organized by the universities within the limits of the systems transdisciplinarity departments and Centers of Systems Transdisciplinary Retraining for Disciplinary Specialists. Thus, it is reasonable to initiate discussion for the idea to reform the disciplinary structure of the universities considering creation of such departments and centers.

Aim/Purpose This paper aims to illustrate, through an exploratory ideographic case study, how a Complex Thinking framework can inform the design of scientific events and the facilitation of scientific Inter and Transdisciplinary groups towards positive emergent outcomes, both at the level of the functioning of the group and the collective complexity of their thinking. Moreover, it aims to show how the choice of facilitation strategies can contribute to positive emergent outcomes in the context of a fully online event, with its inherent constraints. Finally, this study aims to conduct an exploratory qualitative evaluation of the participants’ experiences during School, with a focus on the processes and how they relate to the aims of the School and the goals of the facilitation. Background Science needs to embrace modes of knowing capable of generating more complex (differentiated, integrated, recursively organized, emergent), ecologically fit, and creative responses, to meet the complexity of the world’s challenges. New formats and strategies are required that attend to the facilitation of Inter and Transdisciplinary scientific events and meetings, towards creative and complex outcomes. A Complex Thinking framework provides suggestions for the facilitation of Inter and Transdisciplinary meetings and events through targeting key properties which may lead to the emergence of complex and creative outcomes. Methodology We adopt an ideographic case study approach to illustrate how a complex systems approach, in particular a Complex Thinking framework, grounded in an enactive view of cognition, guided the design choices and the facilitation strategies of an online Inter and Transdisciplinary Advanced Training School (Winter School). We aim to illustrate how the facilitation strategies were selected and used to promote deep and creative interactions within the constraints of an online environment. We adopt an exploratory qualitative approach to investigate the participants’ reports of their experiences of the School, in light of the principles and goals that guided its design and facilitation. Contribution This paper opens a new area of theoretical and applied research, under the scope of a Complex Thinking framework, focused on the facilitation of Inter and Transdisciplinarity at scientific events, meetings, and discussions towards complex and creative outcomes. Findings The results of the exploratory qualitative analysis of the participants’ experiences regarding the event suggest a critical role of its methodology in fostering rich, deep, and constructive interactions, in leading to the emergence of a collective group experience, to the integration of ideas, and in facilitating transformative personal experiences, under the effects of the emergent group processes. It suggests that the strategies employed were successful, anticipating and overcoming the particular constraints of an online event. Recommendations for Practitioners This case study suggests that a Complex Thinking framework can fruitfully guide the design of facilitation strategies and activities for scientific events and meetings, activating a number of key relational processes that contribute to or boost the emergence of positive group experiences and the production and integration of novel ideas. Recommendations for Researchers This study calls for action-oriented and applied research focused on the developmental evaluation of innovations, regarding the facilitation of scientific creativity and integration, within the scope of a Complex Thinking approach. Impact on Society This paper calls for new modes of organization and formats of scientific activities, suggesting that Inter and Transdisciplinary events and meetings may benefit from intentional management and facilitation of interactions between participants to produce transformative impacts. It demonstrates the importance of the organizational principles used to plan and run events that engage multiple and various societal agents, from academics to practitioners and social activists, towards enhancing their richness and relevance to complex real-world challenges. Future Research This study highlights the need for process-focused systematic case study research using complex systems-informed designs to explore how and which facilitation strategies may promote which (interaction of) properties of Complex Thinking and associated processes and how, and under which conditions, these lead to more complex and creative outcomes.

Aim/Purpose: The integration of knowledge through the transdisciplinary method with the three concepts civilization, ideology, and geopolitics (CIG) enables the analysis of international relations in a new perspective and the informing strategists of countries, organizations, analysts, clients, etc. These three concepts express the transdisciplinarity that offers a new theoretical explanation and the informing science approach. Background: The integration of knowledge using the three concepts for the analysis of international relations has found adequate explanations from 1890 until the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan. Therefore, the CIG model theoretically and practically finds support for more than a century, as argued in the paper. Methodology: The present paper uses a mixed theory based on transdisciplinary methodology and informing science. The literature was reviewed to find and build the theoretical basis and provide appropriate examples. The theory is also based on the model used by Francis Fukuyama in his books on building and dissolution of states (middle-range theory). Contribution: This paper enables the rethinking of the limitations of research on a theoretical and practical basis that is done in many scientific circles, not to eliminate others but to enrich science even more. Findings: In the paper, the main findings are the following: Integrating the three CIG concepts according to the transdisciplinary method offers a new perspective to explain international relations using the IS method; The integration of the three concepts is worthwhile after 1980, when the model of cabinet governments falls, Bismarck falls, and public opinion starts to emerge; It was after 1980 that theories of civilization and geopolitics began to emerge along with ideologies to apply in practice; These three concepts offer explanations based on a CIG zone and in the periphery of the CIG zone. In the CIG zone the security sphere is more stable and long-term, while in periphery the cooperation is temporary and not long termed; The paper shows that the Cold War period is divided into two periods; The paper also finds that CIG explains with examples the events that happened after the Cold War and until present days; The paper also shows, based on the strategies of the superpowers, how they are extending their influence based on the CIG concepts. The paper also shows new patterns of cooperation and clashes between the superpowers’ security zones, which also provide an explanatory perspective for the USA withdrawal from Afghanistan. (We do not talk in the paper about the Afghanistan issue and USA withdrawal). Recommendation for Researchers: Scientific attributes in the integration of knowledge give researchers a more open and comprehensive perspective to make more accurate and practical analyses of international relations. According to this model, other theories are enriched that use the transdisciplinary method, IS, and the CIG as a model for the integration of knowledge. Future Research: Researchers and practitioners of this CIG model can find answers such as “Why did the USA fail in Afghanistan and why was it successful in Kosovo?” as well as other questions about finding a solution for Iraq, cooperation with China, etc.

Aim/Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic has created many adverse effects. It overloads the healthcare system, causes deaths, and angers some at anti-covid restrictions. This study examines the feasibility of using technical and technological ideas to overcome these effects. The solution is based on new knowledge about the virus, its nature, formation, and activation in the environment. Background: The rapid spread of a new coronavirus infection is taking place against the background of a lack of time required to create new treatment scenarios for the disease, development, production, and vaccine safety research. In such a situation, it became necessary to gain this time for organizing and conducting events that could reduce the burden on the healthcare system. Methodology: The science that studies the morphology, physiology, genetics, ecology, and evolution of viruses is virology. The modern development of virology is moving towards a more accurate and comprehensive description of the mechanisms of interaction of viruses with the host organism. This contributed to the emergence of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and immunomics. However, in virology, there is no particular discipline that sets itself three fundamental goals: to substantiate a single concept of the emergence of viruses; to study the natural mechanisms of formation of virus molecules in the environment; to describe the natural mechanisms of activation of certain viruses in the environment that cause viral pandemics. As a result, there are many articles among the published scientific articles on viruses dealing with the mechanisms of interaction of viruses with the host organism. However, there are no articles on the natural mechanisms of formation and activation of certain viruses in the environment. In the absence of such specialized articles, we were forced to use the method of systems transdisciplinary generalization of disciplinary knowledge to achieve our article’s purpose. Generalization created new knowledge about the nature of viruses, about the mechanisms of their formation and activation in the environment and cells of biological organisms. It is logical to assume that to synchronize the state of biological objects of all functional ensembles on the planet, it is necessary to create and activate appropriate “technological tools.” We have suggested and proved that RNA viruses play the role of such tools. Piezoelectricity activates viruses. It occurs during the compression and stretching of sedimentary rocks and bases of continental plates in different territories. Contribution: The systems transdisciplinary generalization of the knowledge of scientific disciplines made it possible to edit the concept of viruses, to eliminate stereotypes that arose due to the use of unsuccessful analogies. As a result of this generalization, it was possible to prove that viruses are not intracellular parasites. The virus is a “technological tool” of the planetary organizing component. This “tool” aims to correct the genetic programs of organisms of all functional ensembles (plants, animals, people), which will maintain the state of organisms and the parameters of their metabolism in changing environmental conditions. Findings: The viruses that triggered pandemics in the 20th century and early 21st century are RNA viruses. RNA molecules play the role of “technological tools” that the planetary organizing component uses to carry out short-term and long-term adjustments and constant support of the genetic programs of biological organisms. Therefore, in such a situation, it is advisable to talk not about the fight against the virus but only about eliminating the negative manifestations of the Covid-19 pandemic: reducing the number of people in need of emergency hospitalization, eliminating cases of the acute course of the disease and deaths. It is proposed to use certain technical and technological ideas and solutions to eliminate these negative manifestations. Recommendation for Researchers: This paper recommends that researchers use new interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. They challenge assumptions and conclusions about the nature of viruses, and the mechanisms of their formation and activation in the environment can initiate. Such new research might describe the mechanisms that form and activate viruses in the environment and the body’s cells. They also might provide practical use of this knowledge to eliminate the multiple speculations and fears that arise against the background of reports of the likely appearance of more deadly viruses and viral infections. Future Research: The results of a systems transdisciplinary generalization of disciplinary knowledge about the nature and purpose of viruses are essential for expanding the horizon of the scientific worldview. Future fundamental research on the mechanisms of objective organizing constituents, a general description given in this article, will contribute to a deeper understanding of chemical and biological evolution mechanisms in which modern humanity is involved. In due time, such an understanding will allow a new look at the existing scenarios of the world socio-economic order, explore and describe new principles of sustainable development of society.

Aim/Purpose: This is an introductory paper for the developing special series on applied psychology and informing science. It takes into account the spirit of informing science to launch the first of three articles in the series on applied psychology. The paper concludes by raising questions for future investigations.

Aim/Purpose: This paper applies informing science principles to analyze the evolution of United States (U.S.) healthcare delivery, exploring how policy shifts, technological advancements, and changing practices have transformed informing processes within this complex system. By examining healthcare delivery through a transdisciplinary lens, we aim to enhance the understanding of intricate informing environments and their dynamics. Background: The U.S. healthcare system epitomizes a complex, evolving transdisciplinary domain intersecting information systems, policy, economics, and public health. Recent transformations in stakeholder information flow necessitate an informing science perspective to comprehend these changes fully. Methodology: We synthesize literature on U.S. healthcare delivery changes, employing informing science frameworks such as Cohen’s “informing environment” concept to analyze the evolution of healthcare informing processes. Contribution: This study expands informing science theory by examining how changes in a complex transdisciplinary system impact information flow, decision-making, and stakeholder interactions. The results provide insights into challenges and opportunities within evolving informing environments. Findings: Our analysis reveals significant alterations in the U.S. healthcare informing landscape due to policy, regulatory, and technological changes. We identify key transformations in client-sender-delivery system relationships, shifts in information asymmetry, and the emergence of novel informing channels and barriers. Recommendation for Researchers: Future studies should develop informing science models capable of capturing the complexity and dynamism of healthcare delivery systems, particularly amidst rapid technological and policy changes. Future Research: Further investigation is needed into how emerging technologies reshape healthcare informing processes and their impact on care quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness.

A new paper describing a system integrating a GDPR Ontology with blockchain to support checking data operations for compliance.

The post paper: Automating GDPR Compliance using Policy Integrated Blockchain appeared first on UMBC ebiquity.

Based on a multi-year field study of early-stage drug discovery project teams at a global pharmaceutical company, this paper examines how multidisciplinary teams engaged in knowledge creation combine formal and informal coordination mechanisms when faced with unpredictable interdependencies among specialists' knowledge domains. While multidisciplinary teams are critical for knowledge creation in increasingly specialized work environments, the coordination literature has been divided with respect to the extent to which such teams rely on formal coordination structures and informal coordination practices. Our findings show that when interdependencies among knowledge domains are dynamic and unpredictable, specialists design self-managed (sub-)teams around collectively held assumptions about interdependencies based on incomplete information (conjectural interdependencies). These team structures establish the grounds for informal coordination practices that enable specialists to both manage known interdependencies and reveal new interdependencies. Newly revealed interdependencies among knowledge domains, in turn, promote structural adaptation. Drawing on these findings, we advance an integrative model explaining how team-based knowledge creation relies on the mutual constitution of formal coordination structures and informal coordination practices. The model contributes to theory on organizational design and practice-based research on coordination in cross-disciplinary knowledge creation.

Over the past decade, the terms "crisis" and "crisis management" have become increasingly popular topics of interest for business professionals and management academics alike. According to the Institute for Crisis Management (2013), "Newsworthy business crises have been on a steady upward trend since 2009.

BERJAYA SOMPO INSURANCE BERHAD (Berjaya Sompo) is set to provide complimentary daily hospitalisation income benefits to all SOMPO Health, SOMPO MedicNow, and SOMPO CashNow policyholders to help them navigate uncertainties from possible side effects of Covid-19 vaccination.

Berjaya Sompo policyholders who are covered under the above-mentioned policy can claim up to RM1,000 if they are required to be hospitalised resulting from sickness due to Covid-19 vaccination as advised by a medical practitioner.

Berjaya Sompo has three individual insurance products that cater to different needs - SOMPO Health offers comprehensive medical insurance coverage with higher annual limits up to RM500,000 from as low as RM2.50 per day.

SOMPO MedicNow is a medical insurance that provides coverage for hospitalisation, surgical expenses, kidney dialysis, cancer treatment, and other related benefits up to RM100,000 annual limit from as low as RM1.20 per day. SOMPO CashNow is ideal for customers with a lower budget as it offers basic insurance coverage for death and bodily injury resulting from accident, daily hospitalisation income as a result of injury or illness, and hospitalisation allowance due to Covid-19 from as low as RM0.31 per day.

Berjaya Sompo is committed to caring for and protecting Malaysians who are facing temporary financial setbacks during these challenging times. The brand remains steadfast in providing the necessary health insurance protection for its customers during this pandemic.

For more details on SOMPO Health, policyholders are advised to contact their servicing agents or visit www.berjayasompo.com.my. For SOMPO MedicNow and CashNow which are exclusively available online, you can visit https://online.berjayasompo.com.my/medicNow/ and https://online.berjayasompo.com.my/cashNow/ respectively.

KUALA LUMPUR: The shift towards subscription-based services is gaining traction in Malaysia, aligning with a broader global trend that redefines how consumers access products.

This model provides an appealing option for many Malaysians, particularly young families and newlyweds, who face rising living costs.

Offering high-quality appliances on a subscription basis eases the financial burden of ownership, allowing consumers to enjoy premium products without the pressure of a large upfront investment.

One notable brand offering subscription-based home appliance services is the South Korean brand, LG.

LG Malaysia product director of subscription business Hojin Jung said the introduction of the LG Rent Up Subscription in Malaysia is a natural progression of the company’s commitment to providing innovative and accessible solutions tailored to the evolving needs of modern consumers.

“LG Rent Up Subscription is inspired by our success with subscription models in South Korea, where we saw significant growth, driven by increasing demand for convenience and affordability.

“Recognising similar trends here, we noticed a growing interest in flexible ownership models in Malaysia, spurred by the need for more cost-effective solutions amidst rising living expenses and fuelled by shifting consumer preferences.

“Since its launch in March 2024, the market response has been encouraging. We have seen growing inquiries from customers who have signed up for our water purifier subscription model and are now exploring subscriptions for other high-demand appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and TVs.

“This shift highlights a changing mindset in how Malaysians approach home appliance ownership – especially among younger, urban consumers who prioritise access over ownership, seeking premium products without the upfront financial commitment,” Hojin told SunBiz.

He said urbanisation and the desire for more sustainable, convenience-focused living have made subscription services an attractive option.

“By offering top-tier technology on a subscription basis, we make high-end living more accessible while emphasising affordability and environmental responsibility. LG’s Rent Up Subscription model meets Malaysians’ evolving needs, allowing them to enjoy premium technology without the burden of ownership,” he said.

Hojin said the subscription model is gaining popularity among young Malaysians, especially urban professionals and families facing high living costs and limited space.

This trend, he said, reflects a growing shift toward a ‘sharing economy,‘ where access to energy-efficient appliances without the financial strain of ownership is valued.

LG Rent Up Subscription’s launch saw a strong uptake in Kuala Lumpur and major cities, where 40% of tech-savvy millennials prefer renting to stay updated with technology affordably.

Elaborating on the model further, Hojin said that although subscription services share similarities across markets, the Malaysian context has distinct differences.

“In South Korea, for example, the rental model for water purifiers is well-established, with over 70% market penetration. Malaysia, meanwhile, is still in its early phase, but consumer awareness is rising quickly. Moreover, this trend is not isolated to Malaysia. LG is actively preparing to introduce the subscription model in other markets, including Taiwan and Thailand, by year-end.”

Touching on the vision for LG Rent Up in Malaysia, Hojin said the LG Rent Up Subscription is just the beginning of a transformative journey in how it engages with consumers in Malaysia.

“As we look ahead, we plan to expand our subscription offerings to include a wider array of smart home appliances and electronics, reflecting the growing demand for connected living solutions.

“Our vision for LG Rent Up Subscription is to enhance the customer experience by offering seamless integration with our LG ThinQ technology, which already empowers our appliances to be more intuitive and user-friendly. This will allow our customers to enjoy a smart, responsive lifestyle, further elevating the convenience and efficiency of their homes,” he explained.

Hojin said that as the subscription economy continues to evolve, particularly among tech-savvy and environmentally conscious consumers, LG Rent Up Subscription aims to play a pivotal role in making premium technology more accessible.

“Our ultimate goal is to foster a circular economy model in which subscribing to high-quality appliances reduces the financial burden on consumers and contributes to sustainability by extending product lifecycles and minimising waste.

“The more we enhance our subscription model, the more committed we are to making innovative technology more attainable. We ultimately aim to enrich the lives of our customers while promoting responsible consumption and environmental stewardship,” Hojin said.

More than a dozen sectors of region will be included in development scheme

Star-studded nuptials started in March with a three-day pre-wedding party with a performance by superstar Rihanna

After identifying the culprit, Hania Aamir urged fans to report the account, which has changed names multiple times.

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Let's see how to duplicate pages in Power builder based and Elementor based themes.

The post How to duplicate a page in WordPress appeared first on Template Monster Help.

The picture shows a person using VPN on mobile phone. — Canva/FilePTA blocks over 844,000 websites, more than 100,000 URLs for explicit content.Unregistered VPNs cited as security risks; PTA accelerates VPN registration.Complaints of slow VPN speeds rise as PTA restricts unauthorised...

A man flying a replica of a plane used by the U.S. Army Air Corps and British Royal Air Force in World War II had to make an emergency landing on U.S. Route 17 in Polk County, Florida, earlier this week.

One of the great bonuses of documenting Baltimore is that we happen across lots of incredible kitchens. This episode is our love letter to all the hard-working cooks behind the pots and pans and fryers and grills in those kitchens, to the food they make, and to the personality they put into every dish.

The Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) in Tervuren (Belgium) is part of the FishBase Consortium and responsible for the information on the fresh- and brackish water fishes of Africa in the FishBase database. Through an agreement with the Belgian Development Cooperation and as part of the FishBase program, the RMCA has five (5) grants available for a 3-month training program in the use of FishBase and the taxonomy of African fishes.

The training will have three subsets:

1. A detailed explanation of FishBase in all its aspects;
2. A training in the taxonomy of African fishes;
3. A case study based on data from FishBase or on taxa for which taxonomic problems have been encountered.

This course has been offered annually since 2005 and is held at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium). For more information and to apply for this three-month training grant, see: http://fishbase.africamuseum.be or www.fishbaseforafrica.org. Please note that for 2016, this course will be given in French only.

Questions? Contact Dimitri Geelhand de Merxem (dimitri.geelhand@africamuseum.be).

From 9 to 11 November in Vienna, Austria the EU H2020 project Detecting changes in essential ecosystem and biodiversity properties – towards a Biosphere Atmosphere Change Index: BACI has organised a special workshop titled "Remote sensing applications related to land use/change" with the aim to facilitate co-design and co-production of knowledge with regard to innovative applications of remote sensing products.

EU BON project partner Duccio Rocchini was among the invited lecturers at the event. His talk titled "Like in a Rubik’s cube: Recomposing Biodiversity Information by Remote Sensing Data" introduced some experience from EU BON.

The overarching objective of BACI is to tap into the unrealized potential of existing and scheduled space-borne Earth observation data streams to detect changes in ecosystem functioning and services that have repercussions for essential biodiversity variables, land use potentials, and land-atmosphere interactions.