Work

Cooperatives—saviours or gravediggers of capitalism? Critical performativity and the John Lewis Partnership

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: The structures of ownership and governance at John Lewis, a major UK employee-owned retailer, have been commended by those who wish to recuperate capitalism and by those who seek to transform it. From a perspective of ‘critical performativity’, John Lewis is of special interest since it is celebrated as a successful organization and heralded as an alternative to more typical forms of capitalist enterprise. By examining the cooperative elements of the John Lewis structures of ownership and governance, we illuminate a number of issues faced in realizing the principles ascribed to employee-owned cooperatives—notably, with regard to ‘democratic member control’, ‘member economic participation’ and ‘autonomy and independence’.

Source: Organization

DOI: 10.1177/1350508414537622

Authors: Bernard Paranque, Hugh Willmott

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Laboratoire d'Economie et de Sociologie du Travail, Kedge Business School, Cardiff University

Language: English

Topic: Cooperative Studies and Economics

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2137732113

FWCI: 28.77

Cites: 34

Cited by: 114

Related to: 20