Evidence-Based Management (EBM) refers to an approach originating in the United States, according to which management decisions should be made through the explicit use of the best available scientific methods and empirical findings.
Evidence-based management is based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, which has been internationally established for approximately 30 years. Evidence-based medicine is defined by the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of the best currently available external evidence to guide medical and therapeutic decisions. In practice, this means integrating individual expertise with the best available external evidence from scientific research.
Unlike in medicine, evidence-based management (EBM) can currently be described, at best, as “hypothetical”: Both managers and management educators typically use the methods and empirical findings from the social and behavioral sciences—which are relevant to management issues—only to a very limited extent, if at all, as a basis for decision-making. In many cases, however, this is not due to a lack of interest or a reluctance to learn—it is often simply difficult not only to identify relevant research findings but also to evaluate them in terms of their applicability to the management context and their general validity. Decisions are therefore typically made based on personal experience or advice from colleagues.
Evidence-based management aims, much like evidence-based medicine, to integrate both foundations for making the best possible decisions: The individual expertise of those involved and the best available scientific evidence. An important proponent of this approach is Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford University.
That is why we have launched this portal, which provides scientific evidence in the form of short articles (exclusively available in German) addressing frequently asked questions from management practice and making corresponding recommendations for action. Our articles are intended to illustrate the concrete application of empirical findings in practice and to offer suggestions on how to develop solutions for one's own practical questions based on scientific insights.