waitrose

"Power to the people" Are the Conservatives talking real ownership?

The Conservative Party launched its manifesto yesterday pledging to devolve power to the citizens of the UK,  David Cameron stated "Collective power will overpower our problems".  Underlying the manifesto, appears a sincere recognition that people closest to the services (employees and service users) are the best placed to own these services.  5% of the local population can call a referendum, and co-ops and mutual ownership will be used to increase efficiency and "drive revenues" in the public sector.

It

Employee owned businesses deserve great leaders

Baxendale are delighted to announce the launch of a leadership programme, specifically designed for leaders in employee owned businesses.  This is very much a joint venture with Kellogg College's Centre for Mutual and Employee Owned Business based at Oxford University.  Details of the programme can be found here

Leadership is tremendously important in companies owned by their employees.  Indeed, if you look around the employee-owned community, there is a wealth of excellent leaders; Ali Parsa at Circle Health, Chris Parr at Tullis Russell,

Employee owned businesses: at least as good if not better. The evidence.

Yesterday, John Lewis Partnership, the UK's largest employee owned firm, published a report based on research by CASS Business School.  The report looks at whether employee owned businesses deliver sustainable performance.  The research presents considerable evidence to support the claim that employee owned businesses are better for individual employees, do better business, and make a more valuable contribution to society.  You can read the report in full

Why employee owned businesses are better equipped to cope with recession

I attended a very interesting and stimulating event today which was arranged jointly by the Employee Ownership Association and John Lewis Partnership.  The line up of speakers was impressive - Will Davies (Reinventing the Firm), Richard Wilkinson (Spirit Level)  , Philip Blond (Respublica), Charlie Mayfield (Chairman John Lewis) Prof Joseph Lampel (CASS business school) and John Kay (Financial Times).  The purpose of the event was the launch of a new report by CASS Business School which examined the growth of employee owned firms.  More of that later when I get a chance to digest the report an

The people's manifesto - a humourous look from Mark Thomas

As the expenses scandal grinds on, confidence in our politicians is at an all time low.   There seems to be a gaping chasm between our elected representatives and those they represent.  Is it time for the citizens to have a voice?

Loch Fyne Oysters, owned by its employees, true to its ethics

I've just spent a very inspirational day with the employees of Loch Fyne Oysters.  This is a company that moved into employee ownership in 2004 and as a result have managed to sustain a very successful business in one of the most beautiful locations on earth.  Had the company been sold to a trade buyer, it would almost certainly have been relocated to somewhere more central.  This would have devastated the local community. 

Sad news - was there no alternative ending for Cadbury?

I wrote an earlier blog post congratulating Cadbury on shrugging off the approach from Kraft and preserving their independence.  How sad then to read in today's Times that everything does indeed have a price and that independence has been bought.

It doesn't seem right that the future of this solid British company was in the hands of external shareholders who were eventually seduced when the money was right for them

Transport Consultancy choose employee ownership

John Lewis Partnership is the best known example of employee ownership in the UK.  It's a great example of how well the model works.  The customers love the business, the employees are happier and stay longer than in similar companies, and suppliers enjoy dealing with a company that takes the idea of partnership right through its commercial relationships.  And even in times of recession, the company is pursuing an expansion plan.

Sometimes this success leads people to think that employee ownership is a big company model.  This is not the case - indeed John Lewis Partnership is one of a few

Real employee ownership, not empty employee engagement

Much has been written about "employee engagement", and getting "discretionary effort" out of employees. Managers want employees to demonstrate "ownership". Why should they when the enterprise is often owned by faceless shareholders interested mainly in their return on investment?