Derek Jones, the Irma M. and Robert D. Morris Professor of Economics, Emeritus, was a discussant for two papers presented recently at Rutgers University in a Kelso workshop panel on case studies of worker cooperatives. Jones is a faculty fellow and mentor at Rutgers.
Jones is the co-author of a paper published in the International Review of Applied Economics. “The Productivity Effects of Worker Representation of the Board” was written with Associate Professor of Economics Jeff Pliskin. It examines how firm productivity is affected by worker representation on boards across three industries.
The study showed “a small and positive effect on firm productivity” in the printing industry, but not in other industries. Jones and Pliskin also found that profit sharing alone enhances organizational productivity in the clothing, printing, and footwear sectors, but that “the productivity effect of worker representation on the board is seldom enhanced by profit sharing.” The authors said these findings were consistent with their previous work in this area.
