One of the strongest proponents of applying research evidence to management practice, Denise M. Rousseau, H. J. Heinz II University Professor of Organizational Behavior at Carnegie Mellon University, defines evidence-based management (EBMgt) as “the systematic, evidence-informed practice of management, incorporating scientific knowledge in the content and processes of making decisions.” EBMgt employs valid scientific findings in the context of critical thinking, decision-making, and judgment to help managers obtain and use the best and most reliable information available to increase managerial and organizational effectiveness.
But why is it important for managers to think critically about and incorporate current research findings into their management practices and decision-making? A good parallel comes from the field of medicine. You may naturally assume that medical doctors and health care practitioners use the latest and best research evidence available in the field of medicine to make their decisions. Yet despite the thousands of studies conducted and published in the field of medicine each year, studies suggest that only about 15% of doctors make evidence-based decisions. Instead, most rely on obsolete information they learned in school, unproven traditions, personal experiences, and information provided by vendors selling medical products and services. During the past two decades, however, evidence-based medicine has begun to revolutionize the way medical practitioners make decisions and prescribe treatments.
Stanford professors Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton argue that managers should take a similar evidence-based approach in making decisions, taking actions, and prescribing cures for organizational ills: “Managers are actually much more ignorant than doctors about which prescriptions are reliable—and they’re less eager to find out. If doctors practiced medicine like many companies practice management, there would be more unnecessarily sick or dead patients and many more doctors in jail or suffering other penalties for malpractice.”
Professor Rousseau suggests that EBMgt consists of four basic activities: (1) obtaining the best scientific information available, (2) systematically assessing organizational facts, (3) using critical thinking and reflective judgment to apply the research evidence, and (4) considering key ethical issues.33 Throughout the remainder of the text, you will be presented with current research evidence from the field of OB and asked to think critically about how you might apply these findings in your current or future career as a management practitioner.
Questions to Answer
What are some of the primary advantages of evidence-based management practices?
What makes it difficult for managers to be evidence based in their actions and decision-making?
What can hospitality organizations do to create a culture of evidence based decision-making?
Word Count & Depth
400 – 600 Words
Research Quality
3 + Sources
