By Jeffrey Pfeffer & Robert I. Sutton

About the Authors:Jeffrey Pfeffer

Professor Stanford University - Graduate School of BusinessRecipient of the Robert I. Irwin Award for scholarly contributions

to management

Robert I. SuttonProfessor Stanford University – Management Science and

EngineeringInductee into the Academy of Management

Journal's Hall of Fame

Pfeffer & Sutton (2006)Stanford Graduate School of Business (2012)

Purpose of Book

Help people become smarter and wiser by showing them a

new way to think about the information they use to make

business and management decisions.

Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006, p. 42 & 52.

A Dangerous Half-TruthThis notion carries

a lot of weight because it is not based on facts, but on statements that people have accepted as true.

4Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006, p. 25

Half –truths are tough to process. The truth may apply in some settings, but not others. When it is used incorrectly and out of context, it can also be dangerous for the organization.

5Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006, p. 25

Audience

The Decision Making Errors“Mindless imitation”Cookie Cutter ApproachFollowing deep rooted ideologies – based on

gut feelings

Pfeffer & Sutton (2006)

What is Evidence-Based Management?Facing the hard facts about what works and

what doesn’t

Understanding the dangerous half-truths that constitute so much conventional wisdom about management,

Rejecting the total nonsense that too often passes for sound advice.

8(Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006, p. 13)

Where is the evidence?Research LiteratureFactsTested assumptions (if no facts or research is available)

9Pfeffer & Sutton (2006)

Obstacles to Implementing EBM

Aver

sion

to T

ruth

Data

(information

) is Power Confusio

n &

Conflictin

g

Sources

Pfeffer & Sutton, 2007, p. 30-34

11(Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006, p. 37)

Half-Truths the authors confront

Is work fundamentally different from the rest of life?

If we don’t Change or

Innovate will we survive?

Is Strategy Is Destiny?

Do The Best

Organizations

Have the Best

People?

Do financial incentives

drive company

performance?

Are Great Leaders are

in control of their

companies, and ought

they be?

Strengths and Weaknesses

ConclusionThe Authors did a very good job pointing out defective

decision making practices as it relates to the half-truths they confront. They provided guidelines to aid in sorting thru information and remove barriers

This book is a valuable resource. These guidelines have unlimited applications. I recommend this book to anyone in a management or leadership position looking to make decisions based on evidence.

ReferencesStanford Graduate School of Business. (2012,

March 27). Retrieved from https://gsbapps.stanford.edu/facultyprofiles/biomain.asp?id=38680009

Stanford Graduate School of Business. (2012, March 27). Retrieved from http://faculty-gsb.stanford.edu/pfeffer/

Pfeffer, J., Sutton, R. I. (2006). Hard Facts: Dangerous Half-Truths & Total Nonsense. Profiting from Evidence-Based Management.