The Handbook of Behavioral Operations

4Behavioral Empirics and Field Experiments

Maria R. Ibanez¹ and Bradley R. Staats²

¹ Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

² Kenan‐Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina‐Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

4.1 Going to the Field to Study Behavioral Operations

Management researchers seek not only to develop and test rigorous theories but also to tackle and answer questions that are relevant to the individuals and organizations under study. While this dual purpose requires effort, building a fundamental understanding (rigor) and considering the application of that understanding (relevance) do not have to be at odds with one another, but instead can be complementary (Stokes 1997; Tushman and O'Reilly 2007). As the study of behavioral operations has deepened our understanding of how human behavior alters the idealized state of rational decision‐making and operational processes more broadly, a growing number of researchers are turning to the field¹ to find the answers to further relevant behavioral questions.

Why go to the field? More specifically, how does going to the field enhance what we do in the lab or with analytical models? At its core, field work presents the opportunity for researchers to situate their work clearly in the context in which it actually occurs. This not only creates the potential for additional insight but also helps to overcome methodological challenges, even though it may add a different set of considerations. ...