On 8 November at 12:00 there will be an ODA/CIBP seminar by Robin Schimmelphennig (University of Lausanne) entitled:

The "WEIRDest" managers in the world? Assessing the lack of sample diversity in organizational research

Abstract
The study of organizations is a social science. Much of the field’s knowledge is based on studying data from organizations and people within those organizations. Yet, the empirical foundation of fields across social science may be compromised due to biased sampling practices. This bias poses major challenges, most notably impeding the generalizability of research findings. Organizational researchers, however, have been surprisingly silent on this topic. Here we propose to examine sample diversity in organizational research, conducting a systematic review of articles published between 2018-2022 in six top- tier, empirically-focused management journals (k = 2000). First, we draw on a poly-contextual approach to conceptualize and assess sample diversity across cultural, political, social, economic, and organizational contexts. Preliminary findings (k = 400) suggest a bias toward samples from ‘WEIRD’ (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) contexts. For example, 80% of reviewed articles use samples originating from the US or Europe - regions that together represent under 15% of the world's population. Second, our review discusses how this sample bias limits the generalizability, practical applicability, and innovation potential of organizational research. Third, informed by the review’s results and the synthesis of best-practices across the social sciences, we offer concrete guidelines for authors, editors, and reviewers, to enhance sample diversity in future research. This review promises novel contributions to organizational researchers and practitioners by delivering a comprehensive framework for conceptualizing and measuring sample diversity, illuminating the implications of sample bias, and offering guidelines to alleviate the diagnosed lack of sample diversity in the field.

Everyone is welcome!

You're welcome to bring your lunch!