PARTICIPATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: Experience from Greek utilities

ABSTRACT * : This paper attempts to evaluate employee and social-group participation in the management of public sector enterprises, using evidence from a scheme introduced in seven public utilities in Greece, 1983-8. It describes the institutional background and the formal directives through which this participation scheme was implemented and assesses its effects. Difficulties arising from the wider political and administrative environment are discussed. Reasons for the observed disfunctioning of the scheme are given. These refer to the structure of the scheme itself, negligence of existing experience and tradition within the enterprises, and failure to associate participation with modernization. Suggestions are provided for the implementation of more effective participative management in future .