Publications
EOA 2010 Manifesto 'Ownership Matters'
The Employee Ownership Association’s submission to the political Parties ahead of the 2010 General Election, ‘Ownership Matters’ explains the case for wider employee ownership and shows how Government can help encourage continued growth of this £25 billion sector of the UK economy. Author: Nigel Mason. Published: February 2010.
The employee ownership effect: a review of the evidence
An EOA report by research specialists Matrix Evidence and sponsored by the John Lewis Partnership and health company Circle. The report is a rigorous study of the available international evidence into how companies with significant employee ownership perform, on a range of key business indicators. On the basis of their study, the authors conclude that wider employee ownership could bring economic and social benefits in the UK’s private and public sectors. Author: Matrix Evidence. Published: March 2010.
Model Growth: Do employee-owned businesses deliver sustainable performance?
This research by Cass Business School, sponsored by The John Lewis Partnership, looks at how employee-owned businesses performed before and during the 2007-2009 recession. It is based on an in-depth survey of senior executives and analysis of the financial data of over 250 companies. The study finds that employee-owned firms: (i)create new jobs more quickly than conventionally structured businesses. They recruit more employees at a faster rate and reward employees with higher wages. (ii) are nevertheless as profitable as conventional businesses. (iii) are more resilient: their performance is more stable over business cycles, and they have outperformed the market during the downturn. (iv) are also more robust: employee-owned businesses have a lower risk of business failure. Authors: Professor Joseph Lampel, Dr Ajay Bhalla, Dr Pushkar Jha. Published: February 2010.
NHS Mutual
Funded and published by the Nuffield Trust, NHS Mutual is a study into the scope for engaging and motivating health service staff using employee ownership and other social ownership models. The report, on which EOA advised, concludes that employee ownership of the kind pioneered by Central Surrey Health has a valuable role to play but needs support from policy makers. Publisher: Nuffield Trust. Authors: Professor Chris Ham and Dr Jo Ellins. Published July 2009. The report can be viewed at: Click here
From Colleagues to Owners
‘From Colleagues to Owners’ is an Employee Ownership Association paper on how and why companies make the transition to employee ownership. Based on ten case studies, the report explains what motivated a highly diverse mix of businesses to consider employee ownership as a succession or start up route. Sponsored by co-owned Child Base, whose chief executive writes the report’s foreword, ‘From Colleagues to Owners’ received a Parliamentary launch sponsored by co-ownership advisers the Baxi Partnership. Author: Andrew Bibby. Published: April 2009.
Structuring employee ownership – a guide to trusts, shares and tax help for co-ownership
This guide is for co-owned companies and businesses considering a transfer to minority or majority employee ownership. It aims to help companies optimise their co-ownership structure. Designed to be clear and practical, the guide provides expert guidance on employee trusts, individual share schemes, combined trust and share schemes, share option plans and key tax advantages. Author: Robert Postlethwaite. Published March 2009.
Making employee ownership work: a benchmark guide
'Making employee ownership work’ is a new guide from the Employee Ownership Association and co-ownership advisers the Baxi Partnership, based on a survey of 25 EOA member companies including John Lewis, Unipart, Arup and Mott MacDonald. Designed for easy reference, the guide compares company practice under five headings: employee engagement, reward, governance, employee ownership culture, and social responsibility. Author: Sarah Silcox. Published: February 2009.
Innovation included: why co-owned businesses are good for public services
Written by internationally acclaimed business writer Charlie Leadbeater, Innovation Included makes the case for more public services to be provided by co-owned companies. Sponsored by eaga plc, the paper claims that employee owned companies offer public services a level of employee commitment and innovation that can transform the experience of service users. The author calls for a political initiative to build capacity, demand and awareness for more co-owned public service provision. Author: Charlie Leadbeater. Published: November 2008. Foreword: John Clough MBE.
Share Value: how employee ownership is changing the face of business
This report is published by the All Party Parliamentary Group on employee ownership, which EOA sponsors, and follows their inquiry into the contribution of the co-owned business sector to the economy. Based on 41 written submissions and three oral hearings, the report concludes that this £25 billion sector ‘offers enormous potential for the UK economy’. The report analyses how co-owned companies achieve exceptional performance and makes a wide range of policy recommendations for how Government and others can remove barriers to the sector’s growth.
Growing the employee owned business sector: how government can help
Author: Patrick Burns. Published February 2005.
Employee ownership as a solution to business succession
Jointly authored paper submitted to the DTI review of business transfer by the Employee Ownership Association, Co-operatives UK and the Delivering Employee Ownership network. Published: April 2005.
A stake in the post: making employees stakeholders in royal mail
A response to Royal Mail’s reported plans to introduce an employee share stake in Royal Mail, this paper is an expert analysis of how the company and Government could achieve a significant measure of employee ownership in the company. The paper addresses union concerns about co-ownership and looks at the mechanics and options for restructuring Royal Mail ownership. Authors: Maoiliosa O’Culachain, David Forfar. Published: October 2005.
Shared company: how employee ownership works
Launched at a reception with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, this report summarises the case for employee ownership and explains the mechanics of forming an employee owned company and employee buy-out. Includes a special survey by the Director of Birmingham University Business School of research evidence on the impact of co-ownership on business performance. Authors: Robert Postlethwaite, Jonathan Michie, Patrick Burns, Graeme Nuttall. Published: October 2005.
The tender trap: why employees’ bid to run the dartford crossing failed
A study of how and why the Highways Agency rejected a workforce bid for the contract to run the Thames river crossing at Dartford. The report analyses the lessons for public procurement from obstacles faced by the worker co-operative in preparing a bid, competing with other bidders, and getting their tender treated fairly by the Highways Agency. Study funded by Co-operative Action. Author: Anthony Jensen. Published December 2005.
Good business: the employee ownership experience
Based on a survey of co-owned businesses, this report reveals how these businesses view the advantages and disadvantages of employee ownership; the key problems they face and what would help resolve them; main sources of advice and information; and how customers react to co-ownership. Survey in association with Co-operatives UK. Author: Patrick Burns. Published: July 2006.
Jobs and fairness: the logic and experience of employee ownership
A major research study of employee owned companies worldwide, examining their formation, structures and performance. Author: Robert Oakeshott. Published 2000 by Michael Russell Publishing Ltd
Caring and Sharing: The co-owned route to better care
Launched at a reception at Newcastle's Centre for Life, this EOA paper by Dave Wheatcroft is the story of award winning employee owned Sunderland Home Care Associates and how founder Margaret Elliott and co-owners have built a family of enterprises lifting care standards in the North of England Author: Dave Wheatcroft. Published: September 2007. Foreword: Rt Hon Hilary Armstrong MP
Coco companies: work, happiness and employee ownership
A paper about how a dynamic combination of co-ownership and co-creation [‘CoCo’] helps employee owned businesses create exceptional performance while enhancing employee wellbeing. Launched at a Parliamentary reception with Environment Secretary David Miliband MP, the paper includes policy proposals designed to help Government and others harness the CoCo effect to benefit business and the economy. Author: Richard Reeves. Published: February 2007. Foreword: Sir Stuart Hampson.