In Search of Evidence

Chapter 7
Research Questions
The present study addresses the aforementioned gap in management research
by gathering evidence about the attitudes of managers towards the use of scientific
evidence. Moreover, we collate evidence on the sources of evidence that managers
say they consult. To help determine this, we surveyed more than 1,500
management practitioners in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United States.
Our research questions mirror those raised in other domains to investigate
practitioners’ attitudes and perceived barriers to evidence-based practice.
RQ 1: What evidence sources do managers report they consult in their daily
practice?
RQ 2: What are managers’ attitudes towards the relevance and applicability of
research findings?
RQ 3:
What are managers’ attitudes towards evidence-based management?
RQ 4: What do managers perceive to be personal and contextual barriers to the
use of research findings?
While recognizing the specific attitudes and perceived barriers to evidencebased
management can help to promote new behavior in the workplace, having a
better understanding of the factors that predict these attitudes helps to identify