Summary information

Study title

Employee Participation in the British Steel Corporation, 1970

Creator

White, P., University of Bradford, Department of Social Sciences
Brannen, P., University of Bradford, Department of Social Sciences
Fatchett, E., University of Bradford, Department of Social Sciences
Batstone, E., University of Bradford, Department of Social Sciences

Study number / PID

1228 (UKDA)

10.5255/UKDA-SN-1228-1 (DOI)

Data access

Restricted

Series

Not available

Abstract

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The aim of this study was to provide an account of the employee/director experiment in the nationalised steel industry.Main Topics:Attitudinal/Behavioural a) Attitude towards work: most liked/disliked aspects of place of work; importance of working in a team; amount of flexibility and scope for personal innovation; whether work is interesting; amount of responsbility called for; attitude to employee participation in work organisation. b) Perception of firm: intention to stay in present works/steel industry; rating of firm (Likert scale); assessment of management's treatment of employees; assessment of decision-making process; perception of amount of influence held by employees. Anticipated and actual changes as a result of nationalisation. c) Trade unions: whether a member; opinion of union power held in BSC. If union member: which union; reasons for membership; offices held; whether meetings are held and personal attendance; opinion on power of own union in relation to others. Whether unions should be concerned with employee participation or solely with wages and conditions, whether respondent votes in union elections or discusses work problems with union representative. Whether respondent is satisfied that union acts in accordance with members' interests. d) Joint consultation: whether works has joint consultative committees; whether respondent has been a member and attitude towards; perception of extent of influence of employees on committees. e) Participation: attitude towards employee participation; if in favour, most important reason (fixed choice). f) Employee directors: knowledge of activities of a board of directors in BSC; knowledge of and attitude towards employee director scheme; assessment of extent of power and usefulness of employee directors and appropriate areas of involvement. Amount of influence over management decisions of joint consultantive schemes/collective...
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Methodology

Data collection period

01/10/1970 - 01/12/1970

Country

Great Britain

Time dimension

Cross-sectional (one-time) study

Analysis unit

Individuals
Groups
Institutions/organisations
Subnational
Employees
Steel workers

Universe

British Steel Corporation employees

Sampling procedure

One-stage stratified or systematic random sample
9 plants of BSC, each employing at least 2000, with at least 2 from each steel-making division, spread through all main steel-making regions, mirroring a range of technology. 5% of all manual workers in each works and 10% of workers in foreman, clerical and technical categories

Kind of data

Not available

Data collection mode

Face-to-face interview

Access

Publisher

UK Data Service

Publication year

1981

Terms of data access

The Data Collection is available to UK Data Service registered users subject to the End User Licence Agreement.

Commercial use of the data requires approval from the data owner or their nominee. The UK Data Service will contact you.

Related publications

  • Brennen, P. (1976) The Worker Directors: a sociology of participation: Hutchinson.