Reflections of Teaching Evidence-Based Management - Center for ...

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than we otherwise are when we make decisions or act without aids. Askingstudents to describe all the information and decision aids they use in their lives(from shopping lists to goals on posted notes) introduces the broad utility ofinformation and decision aids. This sets the stage for subsequent discussions ofhow scientific findings can be organized into procedures, checklists, and otherartifacts that eases their practical use (e.g., Yates & Potwoworski, this volume).EBMgt instructors may also wish to consider presenting ideas like theattitude of wisdom (Pfeffer & Sutton, 2007) and the set of steps to becoming anevidence-based manager (Rousseau & Barends, 2011) as part of creating basicawareness. Together those sources encourage managers to think about decisionsexplicitly, ask for and seek out evidence, and use the best available knowledge.Note that the best available knowledge at a given point in time may be incompleteand is prone to obsolescence. Thus, evidence-based managers must be open tolearn and adapt management practices in light of better evidence (Pfeffer &Sutton, 2007). Revisiting explicitly the four facets of EBMgt outlined byRousseau (this volume) is another way to reinforce the dynamic nature of EBMgt– it is a decision-making process in which evidence from formal research isconsidered in conjunction with evidence from the local context, stakeholderperspectives and preferences, and practitioner judgment and expertise. Thisoverview material can be presented as a stand-alone, in a brief workshop atorientation or a lunch discussion, to get students thinking about EBMgt’s fourfacets. Consider having students ask questions about a management problem byusing each EBMgt element as a perspective to consider.1012
Asking the Right QuestionsTo use evidence, a person must be aware of the decisions he or she is making(including decisions to take no action). The EBMgt process starts with theproblem, question, or issue facing a manager or other practitioner (Briner et al.,2009). One way to emphasize the point that EBMgt is an inquiry-based approachis to engage students early in their education in developing a questioning mindset.For example, during EMBA orientation we have used an exercise in whichstudents are asked to diagnose an attendance problem using the four elements ofEBMgt, building on Briner and Rousseau’s scenario (2011, Table 1). Thescenario presented is brief: “Senior managers in your large firm believe theorganization has high absenteeism and want something done to fix it.” Students’task is to think of questions from each of the four EBMgt sources that could proverelevant to understanding the problem and what, if anything, should be done to fixit. Students are given time (e.g., 5 min) to work on the task individually beforediscussing it in small groups (e.g., 15 min). A plenary discussion of students’work precedes consideration of questions adapted from Briner and Rousseau’sTable 1. EMBA students seem to do quite well on this exercise, collectively. Themain objective of this Absenteeism Diagnosis exercise is to jumpstart students’integrative thinking about the types of questions and evidence that may bebrought to bear on a problem. The problem used, allegedly high absenteeism, isone any organization may encounter. Importantly, this exercise highlights that allfour EBMgt elements deserve consideration. The present version of the exerciseis focused at the question development stage. It can be amended to be a more1013
Page 1 and 2: Reflections of Teaching Evidence-Ba
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Page 49 and 50: specific skills the class intended
Page 51 and 52: ReferencesAdprin.com. (2011). Adver
Page 53 and 54: Coomarasamy, A., & Khan, K. S. (200
Page 55 and 56: Hadley, J. A., Davis, J., & Khan, K
Page 57 and 58: Pedhazur, E. J., & Schmelkin, L. (1
Page 59 and 60: Rynes, S. L., Brown, K. G., Colbert

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