English

To what extent do workers exert control within the workplace, and exercise voice in how the income generated by firms is distributed? And do they have ownership—not just in an affective sense, but in terms of share holdings or membership rights? The financial crisis opened up widespread discussion about prevailing modes of economic organization. But, for the most part, this discussion has been quite narrowly bounded, oscillating between two familiar poles. This paper tries to contribute to such a conversation by offering a macro-comparative backdrop.

This is a PowerPoint presentation delivered at the 2013 Beyster symposium in La Jolla, CA. It accompanies item 072, the conference paper of the same title.

This paper argues the conjecture that worker cooperatives (WCs) are rare because of competitive disadvantages relative to conventionally-owned firms (CFs) is not supported by existing research. It surveys research on the survival and failure of WCs and CFs and estimates the nonparametric hazard and survival functions for CFs in the US. Because the rarity of WCs cannot be attributed to performance it must result from a low formation rate.

This is a PowerPoint presentation delivered at the 2013 Beyster symposium in La Jolla, CA. It accompanies item 070, the conference paper of the same title.

The initial draft of this paper was written in response to a request for research on the relationship between self-direction in the workplace, employee ownership, and organizational outcomes. It outlines three aspects of shared decision-making: autonomy, participation, and influence. It then explores the relationship between two of those aspects (autonomy and participation) and a series of productivity-related cultural norms, including ownership identity.

This is the draft conference paper submitted by the same author as 037 for the 2013 UNRISD conference on the potential and limits of the Social and Solidarity Economy

A slide show presented at a 2013 UNRISD conference on the social and solidarity economy. The author presents the broad principles and concepts associated with the SSE (social/solidarity economy) as a response to five challenges: the green challenge, the inclusion challenge, the wellbeing challenge, the moral challenge, and the governance challenge

This report from UNESCO describes the underpinnings and prevalence of the solidarity economy, as well as the potential for its use as a tool of international development, poverty alleviation, and equitable sustainable development

The co-operative movement has always had uneasy relationship with Marxist philosophy and tradition that concentrated on state ownership. Yet co-operatives are socially owned and operated organizations that operate, theoretically at least, on a non-profit basis, driven by member needs and not capital. For instance, worker co-operatives would not accumulate the “surplus labour” in Marx’s labour theory of value, leaving them immune to accusations of exploitation and worker alienation.

This case study discusses a pathbreaking strategy in Cleveland, Ohio, that addressed the economic challenges facing the city by generating local wealth, economic opportunity, and jobs. The strategy involved the expansion of the University Hospitals, an important anchor institution. The study is based on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders.