In May we discussed the Broad Dissemination of Employee Ownership Teaching Materials. We discussed CASEPLACE.org, an Aspen Institute online resource that contains "up-to-date case studies, syllabi, and innovative teaching materials on business and sustainability — from corporate governance to sustainable development." The employee ownership topic contained 28 entries in May, and as I write this post, it now contains 226 entries.
A press release announces the creation of a Curriculum Library on Employee Ownership (CLEO) [which appears to be the same link that I shared in May]. It also provides a link to A Closer Look at Business Education: Employee Ownership, a faculty briefing paper on employee ownership:
The recent collapse of Bear Stearns and the class-action employee lawsuit filed against U.S. Sugar have drawn media attention to the potential negative consequences of employee ownership programs for stock-owning employees. For many companies, however, employee ownership remains a viable and rewarding strategy to share equity and profits with employees. According to the 2006 General Social Survey, between one third and one half of all employees participate directly in company performance through various combinations of employee ownership, stock options, profit sharing and gainsharing. Among the hundreds of highly successful public companies with some form of employee ownership are Apple, Google, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and Starbucks. Employee-owned companies also feature prominently on Fortune magazine's annual list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.
Here is the press release:
October 29, 2008 (Washington, DC) – The Employee Ownership Foundation (EOF), Aspen Institute Center for Business Education (Aspen CBE), the Foundation for Enterprise Development (FED) today announced their collaboration on the creation of a Curriculum Library on Employee Ownership (CLEO). CLEO will be housed on CasePlace.org, Aspen CBE's free online resource for up-to-date case studies, syllabi and other innovative teaching materials on business and sustainability. The site will now offer the largest collection of university teaching materials on employee ownership—including such areas as broad-based equity compensation and shared capitalism—available to business school faculty.
Aspen CBE has also created a new teaching module within the entrepreneurship discipline and a faculty briefing paper that specifically address the question of employee ownership in business today.
"CasePlace, which is the leading resource for business school teaching materials that incorporate social and environmental elements into mainstream business school discussion topics, is the perfect home for this new employee-ownership focused library," said Rich Leimsider, director of Aspen CBE. "In light of the turbulence and change businesses have recently been experiencing, employee ownership offers an interesting perspective into the role of business in society. It is important that the next generation of business leaders understand that a variety of business models exist and we are delighted to be working with FED and EOF on this project."
In addition to CLEO, the three organizations have announced the funding of a competitive dissertation proposal award for doctoral students who are conducting trailblazing research on employee ownership. Applications for this award will be accepted starting in Spring 2009. More information will be available at that time on the websites of these collaborating organizations.
"The relevance of ownership models for today's students is higher than ever before," said Mary Ann Beyster, FED president. "Now, for the first time, there is a place for collecting and disseminating university-based research and teaching materials on the principles and mechanisms of employee ownership. The FED and EOF share a common mission – to ensure a better understanding and awareness of where employee ownership can make a difference in individual wealth and well-being, competitiveness, national innovation and development. It is exciting to see very talented faculty and students engaged in this field. Working with Aspen CBE has helped place employee ownership into content for the 21st century organization."
"I am pleased the Employee Ownership Foundation is able to take part in this new collaborative initiative working with Aspen CBE and FED," said Joseph Cabral, chair of the EOF. "This tool will help business students and entrepreneurs build a solid understanding of employee ownership, the role it plays in the business world today, and gain an appreciation of its potential to positively impact the future."