When do Entrepreneurs Benefit from Acting Like Scientists? A Field Experiment in the UK

Prior research suggests that firms in entrepreneurial settings benefit from a scientific approach to decision making that combines cognitive and evidence-based components. But to what extent and under what conditions is the scientific approach to decision-making associated with superior performance? To address this question, a field experiment with 261 UK entrepreneurs is conducted at different stages of business development, training half of them on a scientific approach to decision making. The results show that firms make the most of scientific decision-making when they are at a more advanced stage of development, as they generate higher revenues and productivity.

Policy implications 
In the short run, more established firms seem to benefit more from the training on how to use a scientific approach to decision making.
Reference 
Novelli, E., & Spina, C. , 2021. When do Entrepreneurs Benefit from Acting Like Scientists? A Field Experiment in the UK.