Table 1
Number of publications.
| Year | Number of publications |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 7 |
Table 2
Sampling and study method in the studies reviewed.
| Studies (order by publication date) | Main research topic | Countries Sample | Design Data Collection/Sample Analysis Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmed, 2003 | Relationship between decent work and human development | Transnational (38 countries) | Cross-sectional: Correlational Composite index of decent work deficit; Human Development Index Regression analysis |
| Bescond et al., 2003 | Indicators to measure decent work | Transnational (40 countries) | Cross-sectional: Descriptive Data from national labour force surveys Data analysis |
| Kantor, Rani and Unni, 2006 | Decent work deficit among male and female | India | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Questionnaire: 814 households and individual workers (407 males and 407 females) Descriptive analysis |
| Kelkar and Yunxian, 2007 | Gender-specific features of labour market | China and India | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Available literature and policy discourse and reports produced by labour organisations and women’s organisations in China and India, such as the All China Women’s Federation (ACWF), China Women’s News, the Chinese Working Women’s Network (CWNN), Self-Employed Women’s Association Literature and (SEWA), with attention to the clothing industry Documental analysis |
| Lawrence, Gil, Fluckiger, Lambert and Werna, 2008 | Promoting decent work | Transnational (4 countries) | Case study; Descriptive Documentary sources: Local authority staff, representatives of employers’ associations and workers’ unions Documental analysis |
| Gil, Lawrence, Fluckiger, Lambert and Werna, 2008 | Decent work, local employment | Brazil | Case study; Mixed-methods; Descriptive Data about employment conditions from official statistics at both the national and local levels; Structured interviews: Local authority staff, representatives of employers’ associations and workers’ unions Data analysis; Content analysis |
| Saha, 2009 | Decent work, working conditions | India (Mumbai) | Cross-sectional; Mixed-methods; Exploratory; Descriptive Semi-structured questionnaire; Street vendors: 200 personal interviews with: 5 group sessions; 10–15 vendors per group session; Key respondents: 5 in-depth interviews Descriptive analysis |
| Tangian, 2009 | Indexing working conditions | Transnational (31 countries) | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Data from the Fourth European Working Conditions Survey: 23788 persons selected HBS (Hans Böckler Foundation) method |
| Thore and Tarverdyan, 2009 | Quantify ILO objectives and identify policies conducive to DW | Transnational (61 countries) | Cross-sectional; Descriptive World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files; International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, among others Data envelopment analysis (DEA) - instrument of performance management |
| Adhikari, Hirasava, Takakubo and Pandey, 2012 | Decent work and quality of work life | Nepal | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Literature survey of national policy documents, National Planning Commission, labour legislations, International Labour Organization (ILO) and other relevant literature Documental analysis |
| Pedraza et al., 2012 | Immigrants’ employment situation | Spain | Cross-sectional; Correlational Data from Muestra Continua de Vidas Laborales: 650,000 workers Logistic regressions |
| Bletsas and Charlesworth, 2013 | Gender equality and decent work | Australia | Cross-sectional; Descriptive ParlInfo database: 87 parliamentary documents Qualitative discourse analysis |
| De Beer, Rogerson and Rogerson, 2014 | Working conditions | South Africa | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Literature Survey; Interviews: 60 tourist guides; 5 leading South African tour companies; 3 smaller tour enterprises Thematic analysis; Content analysis |
| Edralin, 2014 | Precarious work, decent work | Philippines | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Literature survey; Structured questionnaire: 93 workers from 12 unionized hotels; 8 interviews; government publications Content analysis; Descriptive Analysis |
| Di Ruggiero et al., 2014 | Decent work agenda | Global institutions | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Semi-structured interviews: 16 representatives from three global institutions Content analysis |
| Charlesworth and Macdonald, 2015 | Decent work agenda and gender equality | Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and the UK | Cross-sectional; Descriptive; Mixed-methods In-depth interviews: 73 representatives from government, employment and human rights organisations, employer and business bodies, unions and civil society organisations; documents produced by stakeholder organisations Content analysis; Documental analysis |
| Di Ruggiero et al., 2015 | Conceptualizations of decent work, health, equity | Global institutions | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Policy discourses: 10 policy texts by ILO, WHO, WB Critical discourse analysis techniques (CDA) |
| Mehta, 2015 | Women’s work and working conditions | India | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Semi-structured questionnaire: 220 female ICT employees Statistical analysis (ratios, averages and percentages) |
| Sehnbruch et al., 2015 | Human development and decent work | Global Institutions | Cross-sectional; Descriptive; Mixed-methods Qualitative interviews: 50 interviews with United Nations officials (25 from ILO; 25 from United Nations Development Programme, other United Nations institutions, policy makers, EU officials and academic experts) Content analysis |
| Webster et al., 2015 | Diagnostic tool for the realization of decent work | South Africa | Cross-sectional; Descriptive; Mixed-methods Interviews and questionnaire: 3 industries – private security, agriculture, and hospitality Content analysis; Statistical analysis |
| Di Fabio and Bucci, 2016 | Green positive guidance and green positive life counselling | Italy | Cross-sectional; Descriptive-correlational Questionnaires: 144 high school students Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s r correlations, and hierarchical regressions |
| Di Fabio and Kenny, 2016 | Decent life and positive self and relational management | Italy | Cross-sectional; Descriptive-correlational Questionnaire: 184 university students Descriptive statistics; Pearson’s r correlations |
| Edralin, 2016 | Good work through decent work practices | Philippines | Cross-sectional; Descriptive-exploratory Survey interview, focused group discussion (FGD), and participant observation: 140 workers from 16 unionized firms Content analysis |
| Ferraro et al., 2016d | Development of the Decent Work Questionnaire | Brazil and Portugal | Cross-sectional; Descriptive; Mixed-Methods 25 semi-structured interviews: experts; Decent Work Questionnaire: Knowledge workers: 636 PT and 1039 Brazil Content analysis; Exploratory factor analysis |
| Islam, Cojocaru, Rahman, Siti-Hajar and Arnakim, 2016 | Decent work practice | Singapore and Italy | Cross-sectional; Descriptive National and international reports and documents including reports published by ILO, IOM, Human Rights Watch, and Human rights organizations Documental analysis |
| Sandhu, 2016 | National culture and decent work | UAE | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Participant observation method, semi-structured interviews and narrative method: migrant construction labourers: 18 Indian/12 Pakistani/11 Bangladeshi groups or individuals Cross-cultural analysis |
| Lavagnini and Mennella, 2016 | Decent work and human development, capability approach | Italy | Cross-sectional; Case study; Descriptive Data of ISTAT, INPS, EUROSTAT, OECD, ISFOL Empirical analysis |
| Pouyaud, 2016 | Psychosocial approach to decent work | France | Cross-sectional; Case study Interview: 1 social worker Thematic analysis |
| Ribeiro et al., 2016 | Decent work and social constructionism | Brazil and Portugal | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Thematic autobiographical narrative: 20 urban workers Content analysis |
| Simonova et al., 2016 | Decent work principles | Russia | Longitudinal; Descriptive Data of Federal State Statistics Service and data from Social and Labor Rights Center Data Analysis |
| Wicaksono and Priyadi, 2016 | Decent work in global production network | Indonesia | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Data of Sakernas (National Labour Survey), BPS Data analysis |
| Cruz, Hardy and Sanders, 2017 | Decent work, self-employment, working conditions | UK | Cross-sectional; Descriptive; Mixed-methods Interviewer-administered survey: 197 dancers; Interviews: N = 35 dancers, N = 20 people who worked in the industry and owners, N = 20, N = 15 people involved in regulation with roles. Statistical analysis; Content analysis |
| Douglass et al., 2017 | Discrimination, decent work | EUA | Cross-sectional; Descriptive-correlational Decent work scale: 218 employed sexual minority adults Structural equation modelling |
| Duffy et al., 2017 | Decent Work Questionnaire, psychology of working | EUA | Cross-sectional; Descriptive-correlational Decent work scale: 864 employed adults Exploratory factor analysis |
| Ferraro et al., 2017 | Work motivation and psychological capital | Brazil and Portugal | Cross-sectional; Descriptive-correlational Decent work questionnaire: 3004 knowledge workers Structural Equation Modelling analyses |
| Jawando and Adenugba, 2017 | Gender differences and decent work | Nigeria (Lagos) | Cross-sectional; Mixed-methods; Descriptive Questionnaire: 550 workers from the food and beverage industry; Interviews: 16 interviews (5 female workers, 3 male workers, 4 management staff and 4 Union executives) Descriptive analysis; Content analysis |
| Singh, 2017 | Decent work agenda | India | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Data of ASI Data analysis |
| Yao, Parker, Arrowsmith and Carr, 2017 | Decent work and life and quality of working life | New Zealand | Cross-sectional; Descriptive Narratives: 606 employees Content analysis |
Table 3
Decent work as variable.
| Decent Work | Studies |
|---|---|
| Independent variable | Ferraro et al., 2017 |
| Dependent variable | Douglass et al., 2017 |
| Descriptive variable | Adhikari et al., 2012; Bescond et al., 2003; Bletsas and Charlesworth, 2013; Charlesworth and Macdonald, 2015; Cruz et al., 2017; De Beer et al., 2014; Di Ruggiero et al., 2014; Di Ruggiero et al., 2015; Edralin, 2014; Edralin, 2016; Islam et al., 2016; Jawando and Adenugba, 2017; Kantor et al., 2006; Kelkar and Yunxian, 2007; Sandhu, 2016; Lavagnini and Mennella, 2016; Mehta, 2015; Ribeiro et al., 2016; Saha, 2009; Sehnbruch et al., 2015; Simonova et al., 2016; Singh, 2017; Tangian, 2009; Thore and Tarverdyan, 2009; Wicaksono and Priyadi, 2016; Yao et al., 2017 |
| Variable related to others | Ahmed, 2003; Di Fabbio and Bucci, 2016; Di Fabio and Kenny, 2016; Pedraza et al., 2012 |
| Other | Duffy et al., 2017; Ferraro et al., 2016d; Gil et al., 2008; Lawrence et al., 2008; Pouyaud, 2016 |
Table 4
Indicators used by countries.
| Studies | Countries | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Bescond et al., 2003 | 40 countries | Low hourly pay; excessive hours of work; youth unemployment; male-female gap in labour force participation; old age without pension; unemployment; child labour |
| Kantor et al., 2006 | India | Labour market security; employment security; work security; skill reproduction security; income security; representation security; job security |
| Gil et al., 2008 | Brazil | Child labour; inequality in the workplace; employment opportunities; paid employment; conditions of work; social security insurance; old-age pensions; union density coverage; collective bargaining coverage; forced labour; inequality in the workplace |
| Lawrence et al., 2008 | Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Brazil, Ecuador | |
| Tangian, 2009 | 31 countries | Qualifications and development possibilities; creativity; career opportunities; possibilities for influence; communications and transparency; quality of management/leadership; industrial culture; collegiality; meaningfulness of work; time arrangements; work intensity/stress; physical strain; emotional strain; job stability and job security; income |
| Thore and Tarverdyan, 2009 | 61 countries | Exports of goods and services; foreign direct investment; subsidies and other transfers; taxes on international trade; unemployment; non-poverty headcount; women in paid employment |
| Adhikari et al., 2012 | Nepal | Employment opportunities; income; job security; poverty |
| Lavagnini and Mennella, 2016 | Italy | Working hours deficit; physical safety deficit; legality of jobs deficit; unemployment rate pressure |
| Singh, 2017 | India | Output; employment; productivity; profits and investment; wages and distribution of income |
| Yao et al., 2017 | New Zealand | Wage effectiveness |
Table 5
Indicators used by sector of activity.
| Studies | Sector of Activity | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Saha, 2009 | Street vendors | Level of income; accessibility of finance; security of work; safety in the workplace; working hours |
| De Beer et al., 2014 | Tourist guides | Job security; income; benefits |
| Edralin, 2014 | Unionized hotel workers | Precarious work |
| Mehta, 2015 | Female ICT sector employees | Employment opportunity; working conditions; social security; social dialogue |
| Edralin, 2016 | Unionized firm workers | Productive work; opportunities for work; equity in work; security at work; representation at work |
| Islam et al., 2016 | Migrant domestic workers | Working hours; annual leave; maternity protection; minimum wage |
| Sandhu, 2016 | Migrant construction labourers | Migration debt; extended family; overwork; no religious rights; homesickness; no entertainment; abuse at work; no proper food; absenteeism; injury at work; no social security; family issues at home |
| Wicaksono and Priyadi, 2016 | Automotive industry | Employment opportunity; productive work; adequate earnings |
| Cruz et al., 2017 | Strippers | Self-employment |
| Jawando, 2017 | Workers in the food and beverage industry | Gender differences |
Table 6
Gaps in the existing DW empirical research.
| Gaps | Suggestions | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of integration of research on different subjects that are components of DW | Integrative research is suggested to bring together research on different DW components. | Joining together previous research on DW components allows a deeper understanding of labour-related phenomena. |
| Assumption that if a country reports DW deficit that country has a problem | Take into account the interdependence brought by globalization and always approach DW deficits as world problems. | DW deficit, whenever it occurs, is a world DW deficit. |
| The extant psychological measures of DW were applied in a small number of countries and in a narrow span of worker diversity. | Validate these instruments in diverse samples (from several countries and including worker diversity). | The psychological measurement of DW is useful for knowledge development and practical improvements in the labour field. |
| Absence of the effects of different determinants on DW | Examine the determinants in relation to DW namely in terms of psychological variables more closely. | The study of the nomological network of the DW concept is relevant for knowledge development and practical improvements in the labour field (DW as criterion variable). |
| Absence of research on different impacts of DW | Develop studies on the DW impact. | The study of the nomological network of the DW concept is relevant for knowledge development and practical improvements in the labour field (DW as predictor variable). |
| Countries’ diversity is under-researched so far | Expand empirical research to different countries worldwide. | DW has some cultural diversity in the way it is expressed, which is relevant to study both for knowledge development and practical improvements. |