Organisational background   The subject of this case study is a brewery and hotel operator, which is a major local employer in a small town in the east of England. Although the company has been in operation for many years, over the last five years it has undergone a sustained period of expansion, following major capital investment programmes. The company has a strong community presence and is viewed as an employer of choice in the area.

  Organisational background   The insurance group ‘Die Continentale’ has its headquarters in Dortmund and is a company rich in tradition. At present, the company comprises seven insurance companies and offers insurance and investment products. It is led by two mutual benefit societies, one offering health insurance – Continentale Krankenversicherung a.G. – and one offering life insurance – Continentale Lebensversicherung a.G.

  Organisational background   Pikolin, a family enterprise, is Spain’s market leader in the production and marketing of sleep products, such as mattresses and bed-frames, maintaining a 35% dominant share of the market. Based in Zaragoza, capital of the Aragon province in north-east Spain, it represents an important company for the region. The Zaragoza plant, measuring 180,000 square metres, is the largest warehouse in Europe for this type of production. In 2005, its annual turnover reached €183 million.

  Organisational background   The Pia School of Catalonia (Escola Pia de Catalunya), in Barcelona, Spain, is a relatively large, non-profit Catholic teaching institution for children and adults of both sexes up to the age of 23 years. Currently, there are 18 of these schools throughout the region of Catalonia. The organisation offers three different categories of education in accordance with current educational legislation: