Papenfuß, Ulf/ Klenk, Tanja (2026): “Evidence-Based Practices in Public Administrations and Government-Owned Enterprises: Comparative Findings and Perspectives for Research, Organizations, and Policy-Making”, Zeitschrift für Gemeinwirtschaft und Gemeinwohl 49(3): 408–18. doi:10.5771/2701-4193-2026-3-408.
Abstract Evidence-use has become a central concept in public sector modernization. It integrates scientific evidence with professional expertise and contextual knowledge to improve decision quality, effectiveness, accountability, and long-term outcomes. However, little is known about how evidence-use differs across organizational types within the public sector, and pertinent literature calls for internationally comparable findings. Drawing on survey data from Germany, including responses from of 1,855 top executives of federal ministries, state-ministries and government-owned enterprises this paper compares evidence-based practices in different organizational types. Top executives of government-owned enterprises report substantially stronger evidence-based practices than ministerial administrations. The paper provides perspectives for future research, organizations, and policy-making.