Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
This study analyses the sociological significance of privatisation in Britian through a case study of the privatisiation of the water industry. It considers how consumers experienced the change, and the effects of share purchase on the political attitudes and cultural values of those who bought. (A separate survey - not included - also analyses how the change affected employees). Changes were documented between 1989 (before privatisation) and 1991 through repeat interviews with 828 members of the public.
Main Topics:
- Socio-economic characterisitics of residents (age, gender, marital status, occupation, union membership, housing tenure, size of household, income, employment sector). 2. Political attitudes (voting intention, attitudes on income distribution and role of state versus private sector,attitudes to privatisation in general and water privatisation in particular). 3. Evaluation of water delivery service (satisfaction with quality, knowledge of complaints procedures, views on metering, views on water charges, expectations/experience of how privatisation affects prices, water quality, service to the public and environmental protection). 4. Share-ownership profile (shares bought/sold before 1989, share purchases 1989-1991, 1989 intentions to purchase water shares, reasons for buying shares, details of water shares purchased and sold, satisfaction with performance of shares, indicators of active shareholder involvement.
Quota sample
Face-to-face interview
