Abstract
Evidence-based practice (EBP) in management is still in its infancy. Several studies suggest that managers in businesses and other organizations do not consult the scientific evidence when making decisions. To facilitate its uptake, we need to better understand practitioner attitudes and perceived barriers related to EBP. In medicine and nursing, an abundance of research exists on this subject, although such studies are rare in management. To address this gap, we surveyed 2,789 management practitioners in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Our findings indicate that most managers we studied have positive attitudes towards EBP. However, lack of time and a limited understanding of scientific research are perceived as major barriers to the uptake and implementation of EBP in management. Studies in other professions where EBP is far more established also report similar barriers. We discuss the implications of our findings for practice, education and research, providing suggestions to enhance use of EBP in management practice.
Highlights
Evidence-based practice means making decisions through the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best available evidence from multiple sources to increase the likelihood of a favorable outcome [1]
Evidence-based practice (EBP) remains in its infancy; A substantial amount of research suggests that managers do not read academic articles [2,3,4,5,6] or consult the scientific evidence [3, 7,8,9]
The final survey consisted of 36 closed-ended questions along with several open-ended follow-up questions to assess the following topics: what evidence sources managers use in their daily routine, their familiarity with academic journals and online research
Summary
Evidence-based practice means making decisions through the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best available evidence from multiple sources to increase the likelihood of a favorable outcome [1]. Managerial attitudes and perceived barriers regarding evidence-based practice of the accumulated scientific evidence available on key issues in their practice. Ignorance regarding scientific findings relevant to management practice is comparable to that of medicine 25 years ago–Gordon Guyatt, who coined the term ‘evidence-based’ in 1990, noted: ‘The problem isn’t clinical experience: the problem is that we (physicians) are so unsystematic, intuitive, and with no notion of scientific principles in our accumulation of clinical experience’ [12]. As Henry Mintzberg said, ‘No job is more vital to our society than that of a manager. It is the manager who determines whether our social institutions serve us well or whether they squander our talents and resources.’ [13]
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