Testing middle range theories in realist evaluation : a case of a participatory organisational intervention

Purpose - Realist evaluation seeks to answer the question of ‘what works for whom in which circumstances?’ through developing and testing Middle Range Theories (MRTs). MRTs are programme theories that outline how certain mechanisms of an intervention work in a specific context to bring about certain outcomes. In this paper, we tested an initial MRT about the mechanism of participation. We used evidence from a participatory organisational intervention in five worksites of a large multi-national organisation in the US food service industry.

Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative data from 89 process tracking documents and 24 post-intervention, semi-structured interviews with intervention stakeholders were analysed using template analysis.

Findings – The operationalised mechanism was partial worksite managers’ engagement with the research team. Six contextual factors (e.g., high workload) impaired participation, and one contextual factor (i.e., existing participatory practices) facilitated participation. Worksite managers’ participation resulted in limited improvement in their awareness of how working conditions can impact on their employees’ safety, health, and wellbeing. Based on these findings, we modified the initial MRT into an empirical MRT.

Originality/value – This paper contributes to the understanding of ‘what works for whom in which circumstances’ regarding participation in organisational interventions.