The State as a socially responsible customer

The aim of this interdisciplinary research project was to investigate the design and implementation of public procurement contracts, the influence of formal and informal notions of social responsibility and their combined effects on employment conditions in publicly contracted companies in the UK.

The project was designed to respond to significant gaps in knowledge and in policy and practice.

empty chairs and boardroom table

The research focused in particular on decision-making processes, the negotiation of conflicting interests (e.g. local authority budget targets, legal restrictions, social responsibility norms, profit interests and employee concerns) and interactions with regulatory and organisational policy and practice as well as their combined effects on employment conditions in publicly contracted companies.

This project was funded by the Alliance MBS funding scheme 2017-2019.

Project team members

  • Mathew Johnson
  • Aristea Koukiadaki
  • Stephen Mustchin