Managerial attitudes and perceived barriers regarding evidence-based practice: An international survey

Eric Barends*, Josh Villanueva, Denise M. Rousseau, Rob B. Briner, Denise M. Jepsen, Edward Houghton, Steven Ten Have

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0184594
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume12
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2017

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