FH Münster logo
Einrichtungs-Logo
Einrichtungs-Logo
Quicklinks
DEUTSCH

How were the transfer barriers identified?

Transfer barriers were identified on the basis of a systematic literature review. These transfer barriers were compared with the practical experiences from münster.land.leben. The twelve transfer barriers resulting from this process were then assigned to the three project phases.
Top of page

How can the transfer barriers be classified?

Top of page
All of the transfer barriers that can occur in the course of a transdisciplinary collaboration are illustrated below. It should be noted here that the course of the project does not always have to be linear, but that the phases with the corresponding transfer obstacles can occur iteratively. In addition, transfer obstacles may not occur at all or may occur in other phases than those assigned in this toolbox, or they may recur in later project phases. The last transfer barrier "spatial and social distance" describes a cross-process transfer barrier that can be applied to all other barriers and their tools. A more detailed description of the transfer obstacles can be found in the whitepaper "gemeinsam.zukunft.gestalten: Knowing and avoiding the main stumbling blocks in transdisciplinary collaborations" (Kurzhals et al. 2021).

What are the 12 transfer barriers?

Top of page

1. Lack of awareness of mutual competencies

Actors from different sectors are often not aware of the competencies of the other actors involved in a cooperation.
read more
go to Article

2. Different visions

Especially in transdisciplinary cooperations, there is a risk that the actors develop different visions without a clear orientation and focus on the project.
read more
go to Article

3. Different institutional structures, logics and norms

Each of the four sectors (science, business, civil society and politics) has its own structures, logics and norms that can complicate knowledge transfer within a cooperative project.
read more
go to Article

4. Lack of needs orientation

Lack of orientation and reference to the different needs of all actors in a project can hinder the success of the cooperation.
read more
go to Article

5. Unclear roles and responsibilities

Unclear responsibilities, guidelines and assignment of tasks between project participants as well as asymmetrical distribution of roles make transdisciplinary cooperation difficult, especially with regard to management and its organization.
read more
go to Article

6. Spatial and social distance

Cooperation with many different actors can be confronted with spatial and social distance which makes personal contact and effective communication and organization difficult.
read more
go to Article

7. Differences in the methodological approach

Collaborations between scientists and social actors quickly find differences in methodological approaches and orientations. With regard to the research methods used, there is a risk of not meeting scientific requirements and at the same time not being relevant for the social actors.
read more
go to Article

8. Different technical languages

Different technical languages can lead to communicative misunderstandings that make cooperation and the coordination process more difficult.
read more
go to Article

9. Lack of trust

Lack of trust prevents a good relationship among the different actors of a project.
read more
go to Article

10. Declining cooperative commitment

As the project continues, there is a risk that the commitment of the individual actors in the project will decrease and that there may even be a loss of participating actors.
read more
go to Article

11. High complexity of outcome measurement

The results of a transdisciplinary project are difficult to measure because they often involve long-term changes in attitudes and behavior. Due to this, there is a danger that the social relevance of the projects is not sufficiently considered.
read more
go to Article

12. Lack of permanence and sustainability of project results

If the project is terminated, there is a risk that the results will not be sustained in practice and/or that the project will not be sustained.
read more
go to Article

How can the transfer barriers be addressed and overcome?

The tools and methods contained in the toolbox were each selected to help to overcome a specific transfer barrier. To overcome or address the identified transfer barriers, transfer tools or methods were collected, modified or further developed from the fields of agile management methods such as Scrum, Lean Start-up, Design Thinking, innovation management, creativity management, and empirical social research, among others.
Top of page

If I want to learn more about the transfer barriers?

The transfer barriers are the result of a systematic literature research as well as the practical experiences from münster.land.leben and shall first raise the awareness for these barriers and thus create the necessary prerequisite to enable the addressing and overcoming of the transfer barriers in a second step with the long-term goal to contribute to the successful implementation of transdisciplinary cooperation projects. Read more in the white paper available for download here:
Top of page

Um unsere Webseite für Sie optimal zu gestalten und fortlaufend verbessern zu können, verwenden wir Cookies. Weitere Informationen und die Möglichkeit zum Widerruf finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
Seite drucken