The effects of privatization of the tobacco company in the opinion of employees

Abstract

The change of an enterprise owner often takes place along with privatization, during which the harmony existing in the company is strongly disturbed, and the ongoing changes affect the working conditions, sense of security and the relationships between employees. The aim of the research was to examine opinions of employees about changes introduced in the company after takeover by a foreign investor. The diagnostic survey method was used on a poll of 100 employees. In the research sample, the structure of employment by job positions was deliberatively taken into account. The results of the survey indicate that the majority of the respondents stated that the impact of foreign capital on the Polish economy (64 %) and on company itself was positive (70 %). For the respondents, foreign capital was associated positively with enterprise development, improvement of the economic condition of the enterprise, creation of new jobs, reduction of unemployment, implementation of new technologies, rather than negatively with such issues as: corruption, dismissal of employees and liquidation of enterprises. The results indicate that, the processes of implementing changes in enterprises are an inherent element of management. In case of change of the investor, the managers should ensure proper communication of the change to the stakeholders in order to minimize the employees' anxiety due to changes related to possible dismissal from work, liquidation of the enterprise or deterioration of remuneration conditions, and, consequently, their own subjectively assessed financial situation.