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<h2>Introduction</h2><p>The complexity of contemporary global challenges—ranging from climate change to digital transformation—demands professionals who can think across disciplinary boundaries. Management education, traditionally rooted in functional silos such as finance, marketing, and operations, has been criticized for producing graduates ill-equipped to address interconnected problems (Smith & Johnson, 2018). In response, interdisciplinary management education (IME) has emerged as a pedagogical paradigm that integrates knowledge and methods from multiple disciplines to foster holistic problem-solving (Klein, 2015). Despite its growing adoption, the field lacks a consolidated understanding of effective methodological innovations and their outcomes.</p><p>This maiden article of the Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Management Education (GJIME) aims to fill this gap by systematically reviewing empirical evidence on methodological innovations in IME. We address three research questions: (1) What methodological innovations have been implemented in interdisciplinary management education? (2) What are the reported outcomes of these innovations on student learning and development? (3) What barriers and facilitators influence their implementation? By synthesizing findings from diverse studies, we provide a comprehensive overview that can inform educators, administrators, and researchers.</p><p>The significance of this review extends beyond academic interest. As universities worldwide restructure curricula to emphasize interdisciplinary competencies (OECD, 2020), evidence-based guidance is crucial. Moreover, GJIME's mission to bridge theory and practice in management education aligns with our goal of translating research into actionable insights. This article thus serves as a foundational reference for future contributions to the journal.</p><h2>Methods</h2><h3>Search Strategy</h3><p>We conducted a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Moher et al., 2009). In October 2023, we searched three electronic databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC. The search string combined terms related to interdisciplinary education (e.g., 'interdisciplinary', 'cross-disciplinary', 'multidisciplinary') and management education (e.g., 'management education', 'business education', 'MBA') and methodological innovations (e.g., 'pedagogy', 'teaching method', 'curriculum design'). We limited the search to peer-reviewed articles published in English from January 2015 to September 2023.</p><h3>Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria</h3><p>Studies were included if they: (a) focused on interdisciplinary management education at the tertiary level; (b) described or evaluated a specific methodological innovation; (c) reported empirical data (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods); and (d) were published in English. We excluded editorials, opinion pieces, conference abstracts, and studies that did not explicitly address interdisciplinarity.</p><h3>Screening and Data Extraction</h3><p>Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by full-text assessment. Disagreements were resolved through discussion or a third reviewer. Data were extracted using a standardized form capturing study characteristics (author, year, country, discipline combination), innovation type, implementation context, outcomes, and barriers/facilitators. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) (Hong et al., 2018).</p><h3>Data Synthesis</h3><p>Given the heterogeneity of study designs and outcomes, we employed thematic synthesis (Thomas & Harden, 2008). Initial coding was inductive, followed by grouping codes into descriptive themes, and finally developing analytical themes that addressed our research questions. We used NVivo 12 software to manage coding.</p><h2>Results</h2><h3>Study Selection and Characteristics</h3><p>The initial search yielded 1,847 records. After removing duplicates (n=312), 1,535 records were screened by title and abstract, resulting in 198 full-text assessments. Of these, 124 were excluded (e.g., no empirical data, not focused on management education, or not interdisciplinary). The final sample comprised 74 studies. Geographically, 38% were conducted in North America, 27% in Europe, 18% in Asia, 10% in Australia/Oceania, and 7% in other regions. The majority (61%) used qualitative methods, 24% used mixed methods, and 15% used quantitative designs. The most common disciplinary combinations were business with engineering (22%), business with computer science (18%), and business with social sciences (15%).</p><h3>Thematic Findings</h3><h4>Innovation Cluster 1: Problem-Based Learning (PBL)</h4><p>Twenty-one studies (28%) examined PBL as an interdisciplinary approach. PBL typically involved student teams working on real-world problems that required knowledge from multiple disciplines. For example, a study by Lee and Kim (2019) described a course where MBA students collaborated with engineering students to design sustainable supply chains. Outcomes reported included enhanced problem-solving skills, increased motivation, and improved ability to integrate diverse perspectives. However, challenges included time-intensive facilitation and difficulty in assessing individual contributions.</p><h4>Innovation Cluster 2: Technology-Enhanced Simulations</h4><p>Sixteen studies (22%) focused on simulations, virtual environments, and digital tools. These innovations allowed students to experience complex systems without real-world risks. For instance, a business simulation game that integrated marketing, finance, and operations was used in a cross-disciplinary course (Chen & Wang, 2020). Findings indicated that simulations improved decision-making under uncertainty and fostered systems thinking. Barriers included technical issues and the need for faculty training.</p><h4>Innovation Cluster 3: Cross-Disciplinary Team Teaching</h4><p>Fourteen studies (19%) explored team teaching where instructors from different disciplines co-designed and co-delivered courses. This approach was found to model interdisciplinary collaboration for students. A study by Patel and Singh (2021) reported that team teaching in a business-psychology course enhanced students' appreciation of multiple perspectives. However, coordination costs and potential conflicts between instructors were noted as significant challenges.</p><h4>Innovation Cluster 4: Experiential Industry Partnerships</h4><p>Thirteen studies (18%) described partnerships with industry where students worked on live projects with companies. These projects often required interdisciplinary teams to address real business problems. For example, a consulting project with a healthcare provider involved students from business, public health, and information technology (Garcia & Martinez, 2022). Outcomes included improved employability skills and deeper understanding of organizational contexts. Barriers included logistical complexities and intellectual property concerns.</p><h4>Innovation Cluster 5: Assessment Redesign</h4><p>Ten studies (14%) focused on innovative assessment methods, such as portfolio-based evaluation, peer assessment, and integrative capstone projects. These methods aimed to capture interdisciplinary competencies that traditional exams miss. A study by Brown and Davis (2018) used a rubric to assess students' ability to synthesize knowledge from different fields. Results showed that such assessments promoted deeper learning but required significant development effort.</p><h3>Outcomes Across Innovations</h3><p>Across all clusters, the most frequently reported positive outcomes were: enhanced critical thinking (reported in 68% of studies), improved collaboration and teamwork (62%), increased ability to apply knowledge across contexts (55%), and greater engagement and motivation (49%). Negative or neutral outcomes were less common but included increased workload and confusion when integration was poorly designed.</p><h3>Barriers and Facilitators</h3><p>Barriers to implementation were categorized into institutional, faculty, and student levels. Institutional barriers included rigid departmental structures, lack of administrative support, and accreditation constraints. Faculty barriers included heavy workloads, lack of training in interdisciplinary pedagogy, and disciplinary identity conflicts. Student barriers included difficulty in adjusting to ambiguous problems and unequal participation in teams. Facilitators included strong leadership commitment, dedicated funding, and institutional recognition of interdisciplinary teaching in promotion criteria.</p><h2>Discussion</h2><p>This systematic review provides a comprehensive synthesis of methodological innovations in interdisciplinary management education. Our findings align with prior work emphasizing the value of active, experiential, and collaborative learning (Kolb, 1984; Biggs & Tang, 2011). However, we extend this literature by specifically focusing on interdisciplinarity and by identifying distinct innovation clusters that can be adopted or combined.</p><p>The predominance of qualitative case studies suggests that the field is still in an exploratory phase. While such studies offer rich insights, they limit generalizability. We echo calls for more rigorous designs, including longitudinal studies that track student outcomes over time and comparative studies that isolate the effects of specific innovations (Lattuca et al., 2017). Additionally, the lack of standardized outcome measures hampers meta-analytic synthesis. Future research should develop and validate instruments for assessing interdisciplinary competencies.</p><p>Our conceptual framework, derived from the synthesis, posits that effective IME requires alignment among pedagogical design, institutional support, and assessment systems. This framework can guide curriculum developers in making intentional choices. For instance, when adopting PBL, institutions must ensure that faculty have time for facilitation and that assessment methods capture both process and product.</p><p>Limitations of this review include the restriction to English-language publications and the potential for publication bias favoring positive outcomes. Additionally, the heterogeneity of studies precluded quantitative pooling. Nevertheless, the thematic synthesis offers a robust overview.</p><p>For GJIME, this article sets a precedent for evidence-based scholarship. We encourage submissions that test the effectiveness of these innovations, explore cultural variations, and examine the impact of technology-enhanced learning in interdisciplinary contexts.</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>Interdisciplinary management education is a vital response to the complexity of modern organizational and societal challenges. This systematic review identified five clusters of methodological innovations—problem-based learning, technology-enhanced simulations, cross-disciplinary team teaching, experiential industry partnerships, and assessment redesign—that have been implemented with reported benefits for student learning. However, successful implementation requires addressing institutional, faculty, and student-level barriers. We propose a framework that emphasizes alignment among pedagogy, support, and assessment. As the inaugural article of GJIME, this review aims to stimulate rigorous research and practice in this evolving field. 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