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These expectations are one cause of \u201cspeculative ethics\u201d. Evaluators of interdisciplinary research proposals should be aware of the pitfalls existing in this kind of research. The purpose of this paper is to highlight \u201cspeculative interdisciplinarity\u201d as a cause of exaggerated expectations with the result that ethical analysis and similar activities focus on unlikely impacts.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper confronts documented statements of champions of emerging technologies with assessments by specialists from the scientific disciplines involved in the development of the technologies and examines the extent to which differences are due to problems with interdisciplinary work.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper identifies the causes of exaggerated expectations related to the impact of emerging technologies based on interdisciplinary research. Lack of experience with interdisciplinary research is shown to be a major cause.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>This is basically a case study for a spectacular individual example. There is a need to show that the same problems exist for less spectacular scientific endeavours.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Review process organisers and reviewers should be aware that exaggerated expectations can arise as a result of insufficient attention to the organisation of interdisciplinary research. There is a need for studies to confront expectations with the genuine state of research.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper highlights a need to pay attention to the organisation of interdisciplinary research.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/14779961211210621","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,2,25]],"date-time":"2012-02-25T07:26:08Z","timestamp":1330154768000},"page":"4-18","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["The jobs of others: \u201cspeculative interdisciplinarity\u201d as a pitfall for impact analysis"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Michael","family":"Rader","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"unstructured":"Adee, S. 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