Page 7 - Interdisciplinary Approach to Research

provide bacterial genome-sequencing projects, to identify features unique to design vaccines and

antibiotics to combat them speaks very highly of the significance of this paper.

Theoretical Framework

Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in many

cases, to challenge and extend existing knowledge within the limits of critical bounding

assumptions (Nwokeafor, 2017). A theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or

support a theory of a research study. This research theoretical framework is based on Thibaut and

Kelly (1959) Social exchange theory which stresses on the advancement of basic forms of

interaction when two or more actors have something of value to each other, and they have to

decide whether to exchange and in what amount and at what level. According to Thibaut and

Kelley (2008), mutual interdependence of persons involved in a research exercise becomes the

central theme for that study when social behavior is involved. They developed a theoretical

framework based on the interdependence of actors, in the case of this study, interdisciplinary

researchers. They also highlighted social implications of different forms of interdependence such

as reciprocal control associated with the collaborated spirit to advance a research endeavor.

According to Thibaut and Kelley (2008) interdisciplinary research orientations, the expected

outcomes of such a research exercise has always been based on a combination of collaborative

efforts and mutual and complementary arrangements.

Review of Literature

Interdisciplinarity is seen as a remedy to the harmful effects of excessive specialization

(Thompson, 1990). On some views however, interdisciplinarity is entirely indebted to those who

specialize in one field of study that is without specialists. Interdisciplinarians would have no

information and no leading experts to consult. Others place the focus of interdisciplinarity on the

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