Configurational comparative methods in working life studies

Abstract

Work environment issues arise within a complex system of organizational and labour market related conditions. This makes it challenging to conduct and evaluate preventive initiatives, not least because the relations examined are multi-causal and interrelated. Consequently, there is a need for research that can inform practitioners and decision-makers on when and why such initiatives work and how they can be improved to bring about the desired effects. Configurational comparative methods represent an approach that can contribute to accommodating these needs. The objective of this paper is to introduce configurational comparative methods into the working life research and to discuss their possibilities and challenges. This is done through an example, in which these methods have been applied to an evaluation of the Danish work environment authorities’ new method for work inspections. We conclude that configurational comparative methods (CCM) are useful to investigate the effects of work environment initiatives in working life research, and that some of the advantages of the methods are that they can illuminate possible causal relations across several conditions and outcomes and that they are applicable on few cases. The methods demand systematics and transparency in the methodological choices. We hope with the article to create interest in the methods from practitioners and researchers who want to contribute to continued development in qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods within working life studies.