Employee voice in the small firm

This research project project will investigate how individuals deal with work problems in the small workplace. The research will establish the degree to which workers pursue individuality or seek collective means of resolving issues. It will help fill a research gap: in what conditions do workers collectivise grievances in small employing organisations.

The following research questions will be addressed:

When do workers in small firms opt to use union voice to resolve individual problems through formal mechanisms?
When do they use individual voice, formally or informally, to resolve individual workplace problems?
What problems do they see as collective amongst the workforce?
What are the restraints to resolving problems collectively?

The research will analyse and compare two industry sectors dominated by small firms (0-50 employees): horseracing and veterinary practices. In order to this the following research activities will take place with stable staff and veterinary nurses:

Focus group interviews
Semi-structured interviews
An on-line questionnaire*
Key informant views from the National Association of Stable Staff (NASS) and British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA)

* Please follow this link to the online questionnaire

A full report on the research will be made to NASS at the end of the study in 2012. A copy of the report will be made available to any participant who wishes to receive one.

The research project is being carried out by Dr Janet Miller and with the support of NASS.

For more information please contact Janet Miller:

email: janet3.miller@uwe.ac.uk

Tel: (0117) 82 83734