The determinants of financial participation schemes within multinational companies in Ireland

Abstract

Using a survey of multinational companies (MNCs), we investigate the factors that determine the use and scope of financial participation in MNCs operating in Ireland. We explore the impact of six factors – country of origin, age, employment size (Irish and worldwide employment size), ownership structure, trade union recognition and sector. Descriptive results find that financial participation schemes are quite common within MNCs in Ireland. Many of these schemes are only available to higher levels of staff. Multivariate analysis reveals that five out of the six factors (the exception was sector) had varying impacts on financial participation schemes.

Keywords:

• country of origin
• employee share ownership
• financial participation
• multinational companies
• profit-sharing
• share options

Acknowledgements

We thank guest editors Erik Poutsma, Joseph Blasi, Doug Kruse and anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and advice on earlier versions of this paper. We would also like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the University of Limerick Research Office and the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS).

Notes

1. Questions about financial participation schemes in relation to this category of employee are only asked of MNCs that recognise a key group. In our sample, 52% of all MNCs recognised a key group. Thus the n values are lower for questions on financial participation and the key group.