Experimental Research and its Application in the Development of Knowledge in Management

The environment of business organizations and institutions is constantly fluctuating and changing, so it is unavoidable to employ new ways of creating and developing managerial knowledge. Experimental research methodology has been one of the important research methods for investigating and improving organizational issues; and its use in social and behavioral sciences such as sociology, psychology, economics, and management has grown significantly in recent years. Laboratory studies are one of the main types of experimental researches conducted in a controlled environment, to investigate the causal relationship and control the disturbing variables. Their application has led to the development of knowledge in various branches of management including organizational behavior, human resource management, advertising and consumer behavior, behavioral operations management, behavioral strategy, and behavioral economics. Despite the worldwide development of experimental research applications and knowledge accumulation in the international management literature, their recognition, and application in domestic research seems to have received less attention. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the related literature and identify the main concepts of this research method and its functions in management using the Delphi method. According to the research findings, 11 categories and over 30 related concepts have been identified. The main categories include experimental research nature and its types, manipulation of variables, control, repeatability, validity, and ethics in experimental research. The findings of this study can be exploited by researchers in different areas of management in order to identify and develop the applications of a new methodology in management knowledge creation.