ABSTRACT

This paper presents an, in-depth qualitative study of perceptions of ownership, governance, management and work in five employee-owned or cooperative companies in Scotland. Most research in this area addresses the economic and attitudinal effects, of co-ownership from a quantitative point of view. Few detailed qualitative studies such as this one have been done in this area, studies that seek to uncover worker-owners’ detailed, and nuanced understandings of joint ownership in relation to governance, management and a variety of work issues.

Existing research shows that the co-ownership can positively affect the attitudes, perceptions and behaviour of employee-owners, although effects are not automatic or universal. The literature also demonstrates that a wide range of different perceptions about co-ownership exists in worker-owned firms. The specific aims of this study are (1) to discover whether it is important for the participants to work for an employee-owned company and why, and (2) to explore any differences they identify between working for a conventional company and an employee-owned one. Our analysis shows that, although their responses are highly varied, ALL participants believe it is important to work for companies where the workers share in capital ownership, and that the aspects they most value are democracy and equality, a sense of ownership, power in decision making, a share of profits and a sense of community. Moreover, ALL identify differences between working in conventional and employee-owned companies, especially regarding power in decision making and a sense of community.

Implications for research and practice are discussed.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

-Bakan, I; Suseno, Y; et al; (2004). “The Influence of Financial Participation and Participation in Decision-Making on Employee Job Attitudes”. International Journal of Human Resource Management. 15, 3, 587-616

-Hockertin, C., & Harenstam, A. (2006). “The impact of ownership on psychosocial working conditions: A multi-level analysis of 60 workplaces”. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 27(2), 245-284.

-Klein, K. J. (1987). “Employee Stock Ownership and Employee Attitudes: A Test of Three models.” Journal of Applied Psychology Monograph 72(2): 319-332.

-Kruse, D. (2002) “Research Evidence on the Prevalence and Effects of Employee Ownership”. Testimony presented before the Subcommittee on Employer Employee Relations, U.S. House of Representatives 107th Cong., 2, Washington, D.C.

-Long, R. J. (1978). “The Relative Effects of Share Ownership vs Control on Job Attitudes in an Employee-Owned Company.” Human Relations 31: 753-763.

-_____. (1980). “Job Attitudes and Organizational Performance under Employee Ownership”. (Vol. 23, Nº 4, 726-737)

-Pendleton, A., Wilson, N. et al,. (1998). “The Perception and Effects of Share Ownership: Empirical Evidence From Employee Buy-Outs.” British Journal of Industrial Relations 36(1): 99-123.