Is evidence-based practice a plank in the bridge between research and practice?

Abstract

This paper explores the phenomenon of Evidence- Based Practise (EBP), especially regarding its potential for the Information Systems (IS) discipline. It reviews the implementation of EBP within the established contexts of the health and medical disciplines, as well as some early stage disciplines such as Librarianship and Software Engineering (SE). In doing so, the necessary EBP infrastructure is noted, especially where it may present a resource or cultural challenge. The early work already done in IS is also reviewed. The authors hope that by flagging some of the early findings in this research that it will foster a constructive debate, that will assist in determining the real potential of EBP to bring the academic and practitioner wings of the IS discipline closer together, accompanied by an increase in research relevance.