5 . Evidence-based management: Step 2: Search for the best available evidence

1. 5. Evidence-based management: Step 2: Search for the best available evidence

2. 5-step approach EBMgt is a 5-step approach Formulate an answerable question (PICOC) Search for the best available evidence Critical appraise the quality of the found evidence Integrate the evidence with managerial expertise and organizational concerns and apply Monitor and evaluate the results

3. Searching evidence What do we search?

4. Company Annual Reports, Datastream, Factiva.com, Amadeus Wall street Journal, Financial Times, Business week, Financieel Dagblad ABI/INFORM, Business Source Premier, Emerald, PsychInfo, Science Direct Current Information Overview of a subject General background Academic Information Statistical Information Theories about a subject Company information CBS Statline, Eurostat Textbooks and encyclopedias Textbooks and popular books Encyclopedias, yearbooks & book reviews Information sources Type of Information Source

5. Searching evidence Where do we search?

6. Articles in peer reviewed journals

7. Searching evidence How do we search? Search Strategy

8. Building blocks method Snowball method Search strategy Two types of search strategies

9. Snowball method Starting from one book or article, you search for other literature on the same topic. • Snowballing to older publications by finding out which publications were used by the author (see bibliography of book or article). • Snowballing to more recent publications by finding out how often that book or article has been cited by other authors (see Web of Knowledge or Google Scholar).

10. Snowball method

11. Synonyms or related terms • …. • …. • …. • …. • Synonyms or related terms • …. • …. • …. • …. • Synonyms or related terms • …. • …. • …. • …. • Synonyms or related terms • …. • …. • …. • …. AND AND AND OR OR OR Keyword 1 Keyword 2 Keyword 3 Keyword 4 Building blocks method

12. Answerable question: PICOC P= back office employees I = merger, integration, back office C= status quo O = economy of scale C = healthcare, different organizational culture, unequal • Underline the keywords • Number the order of importance from 1-4

13. Answerable question: PICOC P= back office employees I = 1. merger, 3. integration, back office C= status quo O = 4. economy of scale C = 5. healthcare, different 2. organizational culture, unequal • Underline the keywords • Number the order of importance

14. Search terms Operationalise your Pico elements! O= long term profitability?

15. Select keywords The keywords of your PICOC may be enough. If not, select more words by using: • synonyms • alternate spelling, translations • related terms / words / subjects • narrower or broader terms corporate culture: organizational behavior/character, corporate identity merger: acquisition, take-over, fusion, combination, unification profitability: profit, advantage, return on investment, shareholder value

16. Search in the following order Thesaurus (SU) Title (TI) Abstract (AB) Alternate spellings, synonyms

17. Subject / Thesaurus terms The advantages of ‘subjects’ or ‘thesaurus terms’ • One single term for variations in spelling or synonyms (organization, organization, company, corporation) • The term is relevant (therefore, so is the article) • Automatic “Explode” function (narrower terms are automatically included) • Extra search options (subheadings, major topics, etc.)

18. Subject / Thesaurus terms The disadvantages of ‘subjects’ or ‘thesaurus terms’ • Recent articles not yet indexed • “Index errors” • Sometimes there are no suitable subjects or thesaurus terms (new concept, specific term) Therefore use also words in the title or abstract!

19. Search Query • Search with #1 PICOC term (incl. alternative terms, synonyms, alternate spellings, truncations, etc.) in the thesaurus, title or abstract • Combine the results with OR (use the history function!) • Search with #2 PICOC term (incl. synonyms, etc.) • Combine the results with OR • Combine the results of step 2 and 4 with AND

20. Boolean operators • AND = both terms (apples AND oranges) • OR = either one of these terms (apples OR oranges) • NOT = without this term (fruit NOT oranges) • NEAR = near this term (apples NEAR oranges) • * = replaces 0,1 or more characters (apple*= apple, apples, applejack, applejuice, applepie, etc.) • ?= replaces 1 character (organi?ation= organisation, organization)

21. oranges oranges apples apples Boolean operators apples AND oranges apples OR oranges

22. Merger • Fusion • Combination • Take over • Acquisition • Unification • … • Corporate culture • Organizational behavior • Organizational character • Corporate identity • Core beliefs • Shared values • Healthcare organization • Non profit • Not for profit AND AND 2. Corporateculture OR OR OR 3. Integration 1. Merger 4. Health care organization Search Query: an example I I O C • Integration

23. Databases

24. Comparing databases

25. Start up

26. Start up

27. Always search for indexed topics or thesaurus terms

28. thesaurus terms

29. Combining results Use the history function to combine results

30. Combining results Use the history function to combine results

31. Narrow your results

32. Narrow your results

33. Save your results

34. If an article is not available in ABI/ Inform or BSE: try Google (advanced search)

35. Summary Formulate a focused question and break it down into keywords (PICOC), Underline the 2 to 4 most relevant keywords, Start with the most relevant keyword: is it listed in the thesaurus? If not: search in the title or abstract. Repeat your search with alternative terms, synonyms or alternate spellings. Combine the outcome of step 4 (thesaurus), 5 (title or abstract) and 6 (alternative terms) with OR (use the history function!) Repeat above steps for keyword 2 Combine the outcome of your search with keyword 1 and 2 with AND (use the history function!) Filter the articles with “studies” (subject > studies) Read the titles and abstracts of your results, select the relevant articles and safe them. No full text available in ABI/Inform or BS Elite? Try Google Advanced.

36. Learning through play ! • Try all buttons • Make lots of mistakes • Have fun !