Appendix A: Research Methods
Part One of the research was desk-based and involved a review of academic and non-academic peer-reviewed articles, policy and research reports and evaluations, and working papers. We conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) of the literatures (in English) on levers around Fair Work and its dimensions (effective voice, opportunity, fulfilment, respect and security). The REA had two main elements. First, to identify and review the literatures on levers (and/or incentives) to gain an informed understanding about how these are (or may be) applied in relation to Fair Work and by extension in the hospitality sector in Scotland. Secondly, to critically evaluate, any evidence that could be found about how effective these levers were in generating their intended outcome(s). This allows us to identify (using the available evidence) a set of levers that could be taken forward into Part Two of the research and a consultation with hospitality stakeholders. Table 1 in Appendix A summarises the research framework and provides further information about the general search parameters and key databases used.
In November 2021 we conducted a comprehensive robust evidence-led overview of the gender equality literature and recent sources for and evidence of interventions. We carried out a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) with the search limited to peer-reviewed academic publications in English and readily accessible online. As part of the process we utilised a very general PICO research framework (Table 1). It made practical sense to focus primarily on UK-based studies since this provides a consistent context on issues such as the legal basis for equalities, however studies from other regions were also included in order to gain an overall understanding of the topics in question. Initial searches were focused on articles from 2010 onwards to incorporate the most relevant critical reviews, however subsequent searches found some key contributions made in the area before 2010. Qualitative and quantitative studies were included as were original research studies and meta-analyses.
In terms of the first of our aims above, there were a number of key contextual issues accounted for by the REA. Firstly, that any potentially levers may apply to Fair Work in general, or to one or more of its components. Secondly, that our levers have to be applied in non-regulatory settings since SG is unable to legislate in a number of key areas such as pay and employment law. These issues made the REA wide-ranging, nuanced and complex. An additional strand of our work involved an assessment of the powers of SG with a focus on what potentially could work in the absence of any statutory power to legislate on, for example, Fair Work in general or aspects of contractual security or voice.
Our initial expectation was that there would be a relatively small volume of literature on the efficacy of levers in general or specific dimensions of Fair Work. This required a structured approach to the REA that would cover both how these dimensions are defined and used, what practical interventions were taken and how they have been applied/measured. The REA was sensitive to this process along with those between the academic and practitioner (or ‘grey’) literatures. We employed a multi-strand search strategy that looked specifically at these latter differences in each of topic areas that underlie fair work.
For the identification of the academic literature we undertook a wide-ranging and general electronic search using existing academic databases and applying Boolean principles (and operators) to identify how fair work (and its dimensions) dignity have been defined, used and measured within the Social Science, organisational and policy literatures. Academic databases are multidisciplinary and provide electronic access to a range of academic peer-reviewed journal articles, primary sources and books in the social sciences, organisational and workplace literatures. We expected that this would generate a small range of articles (both conceptual and applied) from which we would filter and concentrate on those that lie within our stated areas of interest (identified above) using Boolean principles (and operators).
We targeted both conceptual and applied articles with priority given to any of the most recent relevant published literature. We also prioritised publications that allow us to look at these issues over a range of sub-populations and contexts. We also expected that any formal structured search strategy – irrespective of the terms being used as part of this exercise – would inevitably generate a lot of irrelevant information To overcome this issue, we used references as a means to further develop, build and refine our database organically (using ‘pearl grown’ or ‘snowball’ techniques).
As a package, our approach ensured that the literature review element of the work had as current and as comprehensive a depth and range as possible.
When considering the research included in this review, it was apparent that there are limitations in the research base, both in the quantity and quality of evidence. In particular, it was difficult to find quantitative studies which evaluated specific campaign initiatives such as Working Hours and Zero Hours.
| Framework | |
|---|---|
| Population Impact Control (context) Outcome Context | Workers Workplace interventions to improve fair work All relevant Lever of fair work Workplace & Organisations |
| Search Terms | |
| Population | General: Worker or employee Contractual security or insecurity or Working hours or Zero hours Gender or female or sex or pay-gap Career or Job or fulfillment or Development or progression |
| Impact | Lever or Interven* or organisation* or polic* or facilitator* or improv* or embed or practice or or initiative or practice or change or regulat* |
| Control | Barrier* or inhibit* or bias or inequality or “work insecurity” or employment insecurity or “long working hours” or “zero hours” or “platform work” or “sex inequal*” or “gender inequal*” or “sex equal*” “gender equal* |
| Outcome | Progress* or develop* or improv* or change or advance or implement or “fair work” or “fair pay” or “fair contract” or success or “more job security* or “better practice*” or better regulation” polic* or “improve policy” or evaluat* or “occupational mobility” or “occupational achievement” or “equalities, diversity and inclusion” or “career opportunities” |
| Context | Workplace or Work or job or employment |
| Boolean Operators | (All in Title or Abstract) Population and Impact and Control and Outcome and context |
| Restrictions | |
| Geography | None |
| Language | English |
| Time | 2010-2022 |
| Databases | Potentially: Proquest’s Social Science Premium Collection, EBSCOhost Business Source, Psycinfo and the Web of Science core collection. |
| Additional Comments | |
| Search supplemented by ‘pearl-growing technique’, including following up on the references of key texts, and papers subsequently referencing them. | |