But partnership can pay great dividends. Which is why, as you have seen from the case studies today, many leading edge companies now recognise the value of a partnership approach. My Department has commissioned independent research which will be available for publication in the near future which focuses on 15 case studies to demonstrate the benefits of partnership. This reflects the seriousness with which we take this subject and our commitment to the development of partnership best-practice. Take the retail sector.
All retailers increasingly recognise that their people are key to their business.
They are all concerned about high levels of staff turnover and increasingly invest in training. But there will be a whole host of other businesses that could benefit from taking a more enlightened approach to partnership. In the utilities sector, Scottish Power, Welsh Water and others have shown how partnership can be the key to the successful handling of organisational change. Small and medium sized businesses also benefit as partnership strengthens the development and commitment of their workforce and there are plenty of existing examples to prove it. I want the Government to act as a catalyst to help companies overcome the barriers to partnership.