The Problem “Further Research is Needed”

A favorite phrase of researchers from all fields is “further research is needed.”

But no where is this phrase more prevalent than in the social sciences. Entrepreneurship researchers lean particularly hard on this phrase because the cost of getting data and conducting experiments is so high. In the same time period, and with a lot less sweat and tears, a researcher could publish several theoretical papers.

However, this doesn’t help the research of entrepreneurship, nor other social sciences for that matter, evolve. Instead, we’re stuck in a quagmire of untested theories built upon other untested theories. The incentives to change this are not there.

Here are some things that could be done to change this scenario:

1) Journals should put a super premium on experiments and projects that create new databases.Even better, a certain portion should be specifically set aside for these kinds of papers.

2) Universities should reward professors that create data and conduct experiments (either new or replications of past experiments).

3) Donors to universities should insist that funds be made to conduct non-theoretical research. Which is by its nature costly and time consuming.

These suggestions would not eliminate theoretical research, in fact, they would greatly strengthen it. They would also bring the much needed balance between theory and empirical research which is ultimately necessary for good science to advance.