John Lewis: Impact of Employee Partnership on Success

This research report investigates the impact of employee partnership on the business success of John Lewis, a prominent UK departmental store known for its employee-owned structure. The report begins with an introduction outlining the background, research problem, and aims of the study, followed by a literature review exploring the meaning of employee partnership within the context of John Lewis, its impact on the company's success, and steps to enhance it. The methodology section details the research approach, objectives, design, and data collection methods. The core of the report presents and discusses the findings, followed by conclusions, limitations, and recommendations. The study emphasizes the importance of employee involvement in decision-making and profit-sharing, highlighting how these factors contribute to employee engagement, customer loyalty, and overall business performance. The report underscores the significance of employee partnership for the success of companies like John Lewis, and offers insights for further research and practical application.

RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................2
Background:...........................................................................................................................2
Research problem:..................................................................................................................2
Structure of dissertation:.........................................................................................................3
Significance of the study:.......................................................................................................3
Aims of study:........................................................................................................................3
SECTION 2: LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................4
Introduction............................................................................................................................4
Meaning of employee partnership in context of John Lewis.................................................4
Impact of this partnership in success of company..................................................................5
Steps to improve employee partnership so that business could be successful.......................6
SECTION 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...............................................................................7
Research Approach:................................................................................................................7
Objectives:..............................................................................................................................7
Research Philosophy:.............................................................................................................7
Research design:.....................................................................................................................8
Data collection:.......................................................................................................................8
Data Analysis:........................................................................................................................8
SECTION 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS..............................................................................9
SECTION 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................17
Conclusions:.........................................................................................................................17
Limitations:...........................................................................................................................18
Recommendations:...............................................................................................................18
SECTION 6: REFERENCES........................................................................................................19
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................21

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The completion of this project could not be done without taking participation of many people.
Assistance and guidance of my mentor is very useful to develop my knowledge regarding this
project. Their contribution is really appreciated and gratefully acknowledged.
_____________, give me proper support and guidance to understand marketing concept.
In presentation, support is very helpful that determines to me in my whole project. I am thankful
to taking views and guidance from many people such relatives and friends. They supported me
through share sharing their ideas and opinion in my research.
Above all, I acknowledge for my project and support.
Thank you
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ABSTRACT
John Lewis is one of the largest chain of departmental stores across UK which was
founded in the year 1864. At present, the company is having about 50+ stores all over UK with
one of the leading brands in country and now, it is publicly owned company with having about
38000+ employees serving customers of UK. It is the company which is emerging as leading
organisation with having maximum employee engagement and their participation within decision
making process of company. As However, success of business is generally known in form of
profits, revenue, market share, brand value and growth within market. These allAll these things
could be combined to see and enjoy success of organisation with the involvement of employee.
They are essence of any part of business and help in making loyal customers and attracting more
and more client within organisation from market
Aim: Impact of employee partnership in success of business: A study on John Lewis.
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
Background:
In this present ear era of development, where everything is moving so muchvery fast that
as technology is getting better and more betterbetter. In this fast changing environment,
organisation is also moving forward and implementing same more good changes within its
management and working. There was a time when employees were only treated as workers who
came, take their compensation and after that left however at introduce time they are never again
what is called as workers of organization (Goffee and Scase, 2015). Nowadays, employees are
have been given partnershipgiven partnership within the organisation which means that they are
have been given with some amount from thefrom the profits of company i.e., share of company.
With this, they are getting to involve into company and its decision making as well . well. This
current report is has been based on impacton impact of this employee partnership into success of
business and company on which it will be focusing is John Lewis. This British departmental
store is has been regarded to as role model in market of UK with having all its employees as
partners within company.
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Research problem:
This would be analysing the impact of employee participation that on their success of
business as most of the employers would not be included then company would not be getting
benefits form this.
Structure of dissertation:
Chapter 1: Introduction- This part will be making outline of the topic impact of employee
partnership within success of business and also of John Lewis. This part will be including many
sub-parts like that of significance of study, background, research questions and aims or
objectives.
Chapter 2: Literature Review- This part will be including pros and cons of the employee
partnership within company with respect to several authors who have included this topic in their
articles or books.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology- This will be telling about various methodologies which
researcher will be applying in making out conclusion or recommendations about the topic.
Chapter 4: Results and discussion- It is the main part which will be including various data
collection and then analysis of those collected data. This part will be making a clear discussion
about the topic whether it is important to include employees and giving them partnership or not.
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation- This will be making final conclusion of whole
research which has been done and then giving recommendations about how this could be
improved.
Significance of the study:
As this would be founded on effect of worker association inside achievement of
organization so this will be particularly imperative for the organization on which study would be
founded on which is John Lewis. Its administration would have the capacity to comprehend that
it is particularly basic to have every one of the representatives as accomplices of firm who are
possessed the capacity to partake in basic leadership techniques. This report will also be essential
for doing further research by any other researcher who has been analysing effects of employee
Aims of study:
Aim: Impact of employee participation into success of business: A study on John Lewis
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partnership within profits sharing of business. This will also be significant for those students of
university who would be making their research proposal or dissertation on the same topic.
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SECTION 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Employees are known as essence and main portion of any organisation who are there are
helping company in making out best profits out of invested amount. SoTherefore, it is good
when company or management is has been dividing this these profits with all employees who are
working within the firm. This is known as employee partnership or giving them a particular part
of share of profits to them so that they are beengot involved more into company. John Lewis
which is a British departmental store is has been using and employing this theory of partnership
with employees so that they are possessed the capacity to get themselves engaged with basic
leadership methods and their execution in organization is additionally been made strides
(Involving employees in the business - John Lewis Partnership,. 2018).
Meaning of employee partnership in context of John Lewis.
As per Soomro, Shah and Ahmed, (2016) it is very much clear from name itself that what
is meant by employee partnership and why it is important at present times as well. This is
defined as that procedure which will be involving employees within organisation increasing their
participation and involvement as well. Partnership of employee would be meaning that all
employees are getting power and rights to get included in company with having their own
individual share of profits. As there was a time when management has been involved in
exploiting employee with not giving them equal rights and salaries so employee felt that they are
least important for them. But Lee, Shiue and Chen, (2016) mentioned that without proper
appreciation or involving workers no organisation could be able to perform goodwell in market.
They were not given chance to participate in management; they were not asked or their
viewpoints were not regarded within company. Due to these reasons, companies were losing
employees, as they were less interested in profits of company and more in their own salary.
SoHence, presentation of their support in type of representative association or different
laborers were offered opportunity to say something in regards to their issues and resolve them.
Then there were some companies who came up with more better options in this regard which is
known as employee partnership or giving them opportunity to make their own share into profits
of company. Almajali, Masa'deh and Tarhini, (2016) said that if company is has been involved in
this type of procedures which is governing and involving employees within share of company's
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profits. Although there are many problems which are have been associated with introduction of
policy where employees are also given chance otto get share of profit other than their salaries.
But applying this policy will also be helping company in higher amount of profits, stability in
working, increased in market share, retention of employees and more motivated employees.
According to Sirola and Pitesa, (2017) management of company should be involved in
putting employees in the foremost position which would be including them to lead company by
their own thoughts and innovation. Be that as it may, at that point just giving them offer of
benefits into organization would unquestionably b insufficient but rather they ought to be
likewise having opportunity to put down their perspectives and proposing administration about
what could be changes and distinction might they be able to make
Impact of this partnership in success of company.
Rangus and Slavec, (2017) said that involving employees and making them partners of
company is the best way which will be introduced by firm and thus, increasing profits. Impact of
this employee partnership would not always be resulting or guaranteeing success of company but
it is essential that policy which they are forming is the best of its kind. The strategy which
company is forming as per partnership that how will they be doing so and what could be the
success chance or growth rate, then it will be able to show some result. Company must be
engaging their employees and workers who are have been making their efforts in developing and
growing business of firm. This will be enabling employee to think for their company on more
personal level and then making more profits from their invested part in particular project (Jacobs,
Yu and Chavez, 2016).
It is not only the responsibility of employee to give their best in work but management
are is also having role to play which will be that of making happy happier and satisfying satisfied
employees. At exhibit era where organizations are increasing higher measure of benefits in
market could without much of a stretch give some part from that to their representatives which
implies that they are regarding them as workers as well as proprietors of firm. As In addition to
this, Wellin, (2016) said that if anyone is having a part in profits of firm, then they would easily
be an owner of that firm with share of profits.
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Steps to improve employee partnership so that business could be successful.
Employee partnership will be very much essential in making profits and success of
business as in John Lewis, this policy is employed so partners are the big key to success. This
company is has been regarded to as employee owned organisation with all its employees
involved in partnership. This now to be enhanced and approach is requiring a more noteworthy
feeling of changes and change also with the goal that organization can get a greater amount of
what is called development and addition in benefits. Motivation of employee will bbe required in
organisation which is known to be the best part of any organisation so they would also be very
happy in working with that particular organisation which is showing so much concern.
John Lewis is regarded to as a role model company in terms of getting employees as
partners. All the stores of company isare having their partners which include 35 stores and
272 supermarkets of John Lewis. The organisation is also known as largest employee owned
company of UK which is making it both commercial and democratic. Ward, (2016) said that
success growth of company business will always be laying in hands of employees as they are the
one who could be held responsible for success of company.
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SECTION 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Approach:
The way or technique which is been received by analyst in leading thesis or research
work that could be telling how might we build up a hypothesis or example of importance on
information gathered bases. This will be giving researcher more amount of flexibility in data
collection and analysis of that collected data is known as research approach (Andriof and
McIntosh, 2017). There are basically two types of approaches which are regularly used by
researchers that include inductive and deductive. In the present research which is based on
impact of employee partnership in success of business, scholar will be using inductive approach.
This implies social affair of information in more fitting measure of information on subjective sort
with the goal that information which is gathered is right and legitimate too. This inductive type
will be starting from data collection, observing them and theories; then at the end, coming out
with results and suggesting some major changes that could be done easily.
Objectives:
 To determine meaning of employee partnership at workplace.
 To ascertain effectiveness of employee partnership in John Lewis.
 To evaluate relationship between employee partnership and success of business in John
Lewis.
 To recommandrecommend various ways in which John Lewis could increase more
involvement of employees within decision making procedures.
Research Question:
1. What is the meaning of employee partnership within organisation?
2. How could this partnership of employee be helpful for success of business?
3. What could be done so that employee partnership and success of business is retained in
market?
Research Philosophy:
This incorporates all sort of substance about way which could be effortlessly purchased
up to assemble investigation and utilize the information. This will give more prominent and
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clearer feeling of gathering that information which could be then examining or mentioning out
outcomes from that objective facts.
Research design:
This will be including blueprint of whole research work as what should be done and how
this that should be done (Ashnai, Henneberg and Francescucci, 2016). This will be like a
framework of research project so the present task will have elucidating type which would
educate and having brief depiction regarding theme which will have adjust execution of all
legitimate way.
Data collection:
Most effective part of any research will be collecting of data which scholar would be
including within project into different label or sub-parts. Both primary and secondary data will
be included in this research so that is it becomes more and more easyeasier to make the project
understand. Primary data will that type of data which is has been collected from sources which
are new and as well as fresh and not been used in any research while secondary research typedata
is that which is obtained from sources that are secondary in nature (Cohen, 2017). Like that of
books, articles and journals which are been being written beforehand and uploaded in any form
whether offline or online is called to be secondary in nature and we are only explaining or taking
some sections from that book. For primary data, 10 employees of John Lewis would be
questioned so that they are giving us better result of employee partnership within business.
Data Analysis:
This is the last and important part of research work which includes analysis of collected
data so that final conclusions could be drawn out from that collectedgathered data. In this
following report, we would be using descriptive type of data analysis so that scholar could
describe topic which is impact of employee partnership within success of business.
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SECTION 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Theme 1: Employee in company's decision making procedures.
Particulars Respondents Frequency
Yes 7 70.00%
No 3 30.00%
Total 10 100.00%
Interpretation:
As in the above literature review, it was seen that John Lewis is the role model to all
firms in including all its employees within profits sharing of company. So, 10 employees were
asked the same question as do they agree with this point that company is including
themincluding them in decision making procedures. 7 out of 10 employees said that they agree
that they are getting equal and fair chance to be included within decision making procedures of
company as they have been asked with about their problems and then management need to try to
solve that problemissue. Thus, making them feel an integral part of organisation. But 3 out of 10
employees also felt that company is not generally regarding them within this procedure which is
called ot as decision making one.
Theme 2: Meaning of partnership of employee in John Lewis.
10
Yes
No