Problems of high technological interest, for example the development of gas turbine engines, span disciplinary boundaries. Collaboration is critical in advancing the technology, but it has been less a factor in gas turbine research. In this paper it is proposed that step changes in gas turbine performance can emerge from such collaborative endeavors. In these, success depends on the development of integrated teams with the appropriate range of skills. This is well known in product development, but it is less familiar, and less subscribed to, in the research community. Case histories of two projects are given to illustrate the point: the development of the concept of "smart jet engines" and the Silent Aircraft Initiative. In addition to providing the ability to attack multidisciplinary issues discussion is also given about the way in which collaboration can enhance the research process within a single discipline.
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