1 In a randomized controlled trial, participants are assigned to treatment conditions at random (i.e., they have an equal probability of being assigned to any group).  Procedures are controlled to ensure that all participants in all study groups are treated the same except for the factor that is unique to their group.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) An Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, is a qualified retirement program in which employees receive shares of the business rather than stock. ESOPs are said to be qualified because they qualify for federal income tax deferral until the stock is turned into cash at retirement.
In public companies, which account for about 5% of the plans and about 40% of the plan participants, ESOPs are often used in conjunction with employee savings plans. Rather than matching employee savings with cash, the company will match them with stock from an ESOP, often at a higher matching level.