Participation in product and service quality: recent survey evidence from the European Community

Abstract

In 1987–88, a large attitudinal survey covering all 12 member states of the EC was carried out by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in Dublin which focused on various aspects of participation by employee representatives in new information technology. This paper presents evidence on one important aspect of technological change—that of participation in product and service quality. After outlining the survey method used, the paper sets out an explanatory framework which is based on much of the literature, surveys and case study evidence on the impact of new technology on work and employment. The explanatory factors are used to explain the wide diversity in the levels of participation in product and service quality across the EC which emanated from the survey. Despite the wide variations from one country to another, the survey results suggest that participation levels are likely to increase throughout the EC in the future.