1. Evidence-Based (EB) Management: A focus on
Evidence Based-Human Resource
Management
Ioannis Nikolaou
Assistant Professor of Organizational Behaviour
Department of Management Science & Technology &
MSc in Human Resources Management
Athens University of Economics & Business
www.inikolaou.gr
http://eawopsgm.wordpress.com/

2. The “myths” of Management
• Is Management a profession?
• Is Management art or science?

3. What is Evidence-Based Management?
• The Scientific Aspects of Effective
Management (Latham, 2009)
• Evidence-based management means
translating principles based on best evidence
into organizational practices (Rousseau, 2006)

4. Why EBM Matters
• Results
– Informed decisions  Better outcomes
• Information Quality (Fact-Based)
– Builds on the Quality Movement
• Improved Implementation
It brings
– Better decision follow-through by learning what works
• Competence
– More systematic, valid managerial learning over time
• Organizational Legitimacy
– Culture of informed, responsible decision making
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5. The Science-Practice Gap
• Bringing scientists and practitioners together
– Managers are just too busy to keep up-to-date
with latest research
– The role of management consultants

6. EB HRM
The application of Evidence-Based Management
to Human Resources
Six simple examples of EB HRM practises
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7. Example 1: Inspiring employees to
execute strategy
What doesn’t work What works
• Lack of mission / strategy 1. Develop an Affective
and clear path Vision Statement
• Expect that employees 2. Set Smart Goals
will execute strategy 3. Align Metrics and
anyway Demonstrate Integrity
4. Stay Engaged
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8. Example 2: Hiring high-performing
employees
What doesn’t work What works
• The conventional- • Situational interviews
unstructured interview • Patterned behavioural
– Tell me about yourself description interviews
– Why are you interested in this
• Job simulations / work samples
job opening?
– How much do you know • Situational judgement tests
about our organization? • Cognitive ability & personality
tests
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9. Example 3: Developing and training a
high-performing team
What doesn’t work What works
• Traditional one-way • As an employee use:
teaching (i.e. lack of – functional self-talk
participation) – mental practice / visualization
• Assuming that everyone – self-management
learns the same way and/or • As a manager:
wants to learn – show the flag
– Mandatory participation in – maintain the organization’s culture
training
– encourage mistakes
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10. Example 4: Motivating to create high-
performers
What doesn’t work What works
• Hierarchy of needs • Setting high / specific goals
(Maslow) • Focusing on performance
• Motivators vs. Hygiene • Appropriate job / work
(Herzberg) design
• Money • Avoid de-motivation (e.g.
Lack of justice / fairness)
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11. Example 5: Instilling resilience in the
face of setbacks
What doesn’t work What works
• A climate of silence / • Linking actions and outcomes
pessimism (outcome expectancy)
• Building a can-do mind-set
• Learned helplessness (self-efficacy)
• Lack of positive / authentic – Small wins
leadership – Role models
– Energizing colleagues /
managers
– Develop learned optimism
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12. Example 6: Appraising and coaching to
create high performers
What doesn’t work What works
• Downward performance • Choose the right appraisal tool
– Based on observable,
appraisal behavioral criteria
• Trait-based measures • Be fair—minimize your biases
• Bottom-line measures (e.g. • Get feedback about an
employee from multiple
MBO) sources
• Electronic performance • Coach, coach, coach (don’t just
appraise)
monitoring (causes stress)
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13. Six Standards*
• Stop treating old ideas as if they were new
• Be suspicious of “breakthrough” ideas/studies
• Build a community of evidence-aware people, rather than
looking for gurus and fast fixes
• Acknowledge drawbacks as well as strengths
• Use success and failure stories as illustrations — not
evidence
• Adopt a neutral stance towards new practices and theories
*from Pfeffer and Sutton Hard Facts, Dangerous Half Truths and Total Nonsense: Profiting from Evidence-based Management ,2006. (Harvard Business School
Press)
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14. As an epilogue...
• EB HRM requires
– time and effort
– willingness and motivation
• Both from HR practitioners and HR scientists
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16. Thank you very much
Ioannis Nikolaou
Assistant Professor of Organizational Behaviour
Department of Management Science & Technology &
MSc in Human Resources Management
Athens University of Economics & Business
www.inikolaou.gr
http://eawopsgm.wordpress.com/