Gaining Collaborative Advantages: The Changing Role of Employers' Organisations in the British Economy

英国经常被描述为一个自由的市场经济，经济活动主要由市场来协调。公司之间在市场上的竞争被认为是英国经济的精髓。然而，这种对英国模式的描述忽略了一个事实，即雇主之间以重要的方式相互合作，为他们的企业获得合作优势。这个项目的重点是英国企业在Eos方面的合作。这些平等机会侧重于企业作为雇主的作用，他们关注与工作和雇佣关系有关的各种方面。这些雇佣组织包括传统的雇主协会，也包括过去十年出现的新类型的雇佣组织，如雇主论坛和专注于培训和企业社会责任的集体雇主团体。尽管可以观察到广泛的EO活动，但几乎没有任何关于英国EO在当代的作用的研究。该项目旨在解决这一研究差距。该项目将分析环境观测组织的各种作用和活动。这些机构提供服务，并代表其成员的利益，包括提供法律援助、协调和组织联合培训活动、游说政府、进行集体谈判、协助执行政府政策和起草行为准则。环境组织的这些活动为其成员提供协作优势，例如，环境组织以高成本效益为其成员提供服务或协调培训方案。对于没有单独的人力资源管理或法律部门的小公司来说，这尤其有利。EOS帮助公司避免商业风险，例如违反平等和多样性法律。与环境保护组织合作有效执行立法有助于建立可持续的企业。此外，EOS自我监管并为企业制定行为准则，以避免政府的监管。除了审查环境保护组织的各项活动外，该项目还将评估环境保护组织的工作对雇员、工会和政府等社会利益攸关方的更广泛影响。为了全面了解英国的EOS，该项目将采用定量和定性相结合的方法进行深入的实证研究。该项目旨在发现英国所有的EO，编制一个全面的数据库，并收集关于每个EO的关键信息(例如，活动、职能、成员、治理和服务)。该项目还将确定不同类型的就业机会，其中可能包括雇主论坛、传统雇主协会、公共部门就业机会和侧重于培训的集体雇主机构。将对每种类型的环境事务办公室进行案例研究，以便更深入地了解它们的工作和运作。此外，该项目将对主要EOS的成员进行调查，并分析EOS与其成员企业之间的关系。该项目将与EOS建立密切合作。EOS的研究成果和良好做法将通过从业者杂志和学术期刊上的出版物、一本编辑过的书、对Eos本身的介绍以及2015年在加的夫商学院举行的国际从业者-学术会议来广泛传播。此外，该项目将创建第一个以EOS为重点的网页。该网页将向所有感兴趣的利益攸关方提供有用的信息和研究成果，包括企业、平等机会组织的工作人员、雇员、政治家和更广泛的公众。

The UK is often described as a liberal market economy, in which economic activities are primarily coordinated by markets. The competition between companies in markets is regarded as the quintessential element of the British economy. However, this depiction of the British model overlooks the fact that employers cooperate in important ways with each other to gain collaborative advantages for their businesses. This project focuses on the collaboration of British businesses in EOs. These EOs focus on the role of businesses as employers and they are concerned with a variety of aspects related to work and employment relations. These EOs include traditional employers' associations, but also new types of EO that have emerged over the last decade such as employers' forums and collective employer bodies that focus on training and corporate social responsibility. Even though a wide range of EO activities can be observed, there has been barely any research on the contemporary role of British EOs. This project aims to address this research gap. The project will analyse the various role and activities of EOs. These offer services and represent the interests of their members, which includes providing legal assistance, coordinating and organising joint training initiatives, lobbying government, conducting collective bargaining, providing assistance in implementing government policies and drafting up codes of conduct. These activities of EOs provide collaborative advantages for their members For example, EOs provide services or coordinate training programme cost-effectively for their members. This is particularly advantageous for smaller companies that do not have separate HRM or legal departments. EOs help companies avoid business risks, e.g. the infringement of equality and diversity laws. Effective implementation of legislation in cooperation with EOs contributes to building sustainable businesses. In addition, EOs self-regulate and develop code of conducts for businesses in order to avoid regulation by the government. Beyond examining the various activities of EOs, the project will also assess the wider impact of the work of EOs for stakeholders in society such as employees, labour unions and the government. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of EOs in the UK, the project will conduct in-depth empirical research using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The project seeks to discover all EOs in the UK, compile a comprehensive database and collect key information on each EO (e.g. activities, function, members, governance and services). The project will also identify different types of EOs, which might include employers' forums, traditional employer associations, public sector EOs and collective employer bodies focusing on training. Case studies will be carried out on each type of EO, in order to achieve a more fine-grained understanding of their work and functioning. Additionally, the project will conduct surveys of members of key EOs and analyse the relationship between EOS and their member businesses. The project will establish a close collaboration with EOs. Research findings and good practices of EOs will be widely disseminated through publications in practitioner magazines and academic journals, an edited book, presentations to EOs themselves and an international practitioner-academic conference at Cardiff Business School in 2015. In addition, the project will create the first web page with a focus on EOs. The web page will provide useful information and research outcomes to all interested stakeholders, including businesses, staff of EOs, employees, politicians and the wider public.