The investor behind the Simon & Schuster deal explains what he’s really up to. : When the private equity firm KKR agreed to buy the publishing house Simon & Schuster from Paramount for $1.62 billion on Aug. 7, one element of the deal raised eyebrows in the book world. “Employees will receive an ownership stake in the company, part of a program KKR developed to improve engagement among those who work in the companies it buys,” the New York Times reported.