The project focuses on a relatively unexplored alternative: extending democratic practices to working life through companies that are wholly or partly owned and controlled by employees. Since gainful employment is a central part of people’s lives, democratic influence in the workplace can potentially also influence citizens’ political engagement and views on democracy in society at large.
Previous research shows that staff in cooperatives are often more satisfied, stay longer, have lower sick leave and have higher trust in colleagues and managers than staff in other forms of organisation. There are also indications that democratic influence at work can strengthen political engagement, but the connection has not yet been systematically and empirically investigated.
The aim of the feasibility study is to develop a project application for a four-year research project that combines empirical and normative methods. The project will investigate whether and how different forms of cooperative companies can contribute to a stronger commitment to national democracy. The feasibility study includes workshops between researchers in normative theory and empirical social science as well as a literature review carried out by a research assistant.
