Evidence-Based Management and Organizational Reality: Reducing Knowledge/Action Tensions through Reflection

This chapter deals with the concept of evidence-based management (EBM), with a focus on the tension between scientific knowledge and organizational reality, which underlies this managerial practice. It first describes the philosophical roots of EBM and shed light on the multiple sources of knowledge that can and should inform action in organizations. It then discusses why abstract scientific knowledge and managerial acumen often appear incompatible in the context of organizational practice, especially in times of urgency and uncertainty. The chapter concludes by offering ways to reduce this tension by making knowledge actionable and turning action into knowledge. The presented advice regarding the future of EBM may help scholars contribute to more scholarship-informed practice and help practitioners to better balance scientific knowledge and reflective practice for more effective decisions and action.