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Article
Publication date: 27 February 2020

Muhammad Qamar Zia, Muhammad Naveed, Muhammad Adnan Bashir and Aamir Feroz Shamsi

Organizations are facing pressure to reduce costs of training and enhancing the role of self-development that is self-driven and contextual in nature as a means to supplement…

Abstract

Purpose

Organizations are facing pressure to reduce costs of training and enhancing the role of self-development that is self-driven and contextual in nature as a means to supplement employee development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of individual and situational factors on self-development as well as the moderating role of situational factors. Individual factors are referred to personal characteristics, i.e. learning goal orientation and proactive personality, while situational factors are environmental conditions, including job autonomy and empowering environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered from 280 middle managers of the banking sector. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was conducted to validate the model.

Findings

The study findings revealed a significant direct relationship of individual (learning goal orientation and proactive personality) and situational (empowering environment and job autonomy) factors with self-development. The study also found only a significant moderating effect of empowering environment in relation to learning goal orientation and self-development, correspondingly job autonomy moderates the relationship of proactive personality and self-development.

Practical implications

The study concludes with offering some implication for organization to focus on self-development activities by providing an empowering environment and job autonomy to its employees, which will result to minimize the overall cost of training. Organizations should also identify the individual factors that lead to self-development like proactive personality and learning goal orientation.

Originality/value

This study gives new insight on the predictors of self-development and their interaction. This study may be a pioneer to empirically validate a theoretical model about the interaction of situational factors between individual factors and self-development. Furthermore, it contributes and advances our knowledge by demonstrating how individual and situational factors are influencing middle mangers’ self-development in workplace.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 44 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1992

Robert E. Ripley and Marie J. Ripley

Quality empowering management is to the future of renewed worldwidecompetitiveness what quality control, participative managementprogrammes and zero defects were to quality…

1172

Abstract

Quality empowering management is to the future of renewed worldwide competitiveness what quality control, participative management programmes and zero defects were to quality improvement. Empowerment holds that promoting employee involvement empowers workers to perform as whole, thinking human beings. Empowerment is the glue by which the elements of customer focus, quality process and products, continuous improvements, self‐managing teams, quality measurement, and utilization of the total workforce abilities are held together. Self‐managing teams are one of the major keys in the innovative organization to solving complex problems, increasing productivity, and heightening creativity. For most organizations and managers, quality empowering management is a new responsibility and a radical change in style of management and change in culture requiring new methods and systems.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 30 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 May 2018

Martin Morgan Tuuli

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of project settings on empowerment experiences of individuals and teams by examining the effects of specific project…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of project settings on empowerment experiences of individuals and teams by examining the effects of specific project characteristics on facets of the empowerment concept (i.e. the structural and psychological perspectives).

Design/methodology/approach

A parallel questionnaire survey of client, consultant and contractor organisations was conducted in Hong Kong to test hypotheses relating three facets of the empowerment concept and five project-level antecedents. Hierarchical linear modelling and ordinary least square regression were employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The analyses show that dynamic project environments, high project team integration and high interdependence of project tasks lead to high individual psychological empowerment, while public-client projects (compared with private-client projects), a hostile project environment and high client integration lead to a low individual psychological empowerment. Uncertainty in project technology also leads to high team psychological empowerment, while hostile project environments lead to low team psychological empowerment. Further, dynamic project environments lead to more empowering work climate, while hostile project environments lead to less empowering work climate. However, project team integration, project complexity, project lifecycle and quasi-public-client projects (compared with private-client projects) have no significant association with the empowerment of individuals and teams.

Originality/value

This study examined task-related factors (i.e. project in this case) which traditionally have not been the focus of studies examining the antecedents of empowerment. Further, project-level antecedents and their link to an integrated perspective of empowerment comprising a sociostructural perspective, a psychological perspective and a team-based perspective are examined, which is a significant departure from the unitary perspective of empowerment taken in most previous studies.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 1997

Naftaly Glasman

This article extends previous theoretical work done in the area of empowerment in learning to empowerment in managerial training in education. The focus is on learning environment

761

Abstract

This article extends previous theoretical work done in the area of empowerment in learning to empowerment in managerial training in education. The focus is on learning environment which are developed and within which empowerment occurs. Two such cases are described. The description includes that of the subject matter learned, the teaching methodology used and the learning outcomes. Outcomes appear to be valuable regardless of the empowering environment so long as the latter is designed to enhance learning by having trainees exposed to practice. What is most exciting about this effort is that not only skills are acquired effectively but also new knowledge is generated as part of the empowered training outcomes.

Details

Empowerment in Organizations, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4891

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 April 2019

Wei-Tsong Wang, Yi-Shun Wang and Wan-Ting Chang

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different forms of interpersonal conflicts and employees’ psychological empowerment may affect knowledge sharing intentions…

3250

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different forms of interpersonal conflicts and employees’ psychological empowerment may affect knowledge sharing intentions directly or indirectly via interpersonal trust in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data collected from 249 employees of 37 of the top 500 corporations in the manufacturing industry in Taiwan were used for the data analysis. The research model was analyzed using the component-based structural equation modeling technique, namely, the partial least squares (PLS) approach.

Findings

The results indicate that both relationship and task conflicts have significant indirect effects on employees’ knowledge sharing intentions via psychological empowerment and trust. Additionally, psychological empowerment significantly influences employees’ knowledge sharing intentions both directly and indirectly via trust.

Research limitations/implications

The primary theoretical implication is an advancement in the understanding of the critical antecedents of and their different effects on employees’ knowledge sharing intentions from the perspectives of conflict management and individual psychological empowerment. Future research may concentrate on investigating the bidirectional interactions among trust, relationship conflicts and task conflicts in different knowledge-sharing contexts.

Practical implications

This study provides practical insights into conflict resolution intended to facilitate psychological empowerment and interpersonal trust that encourage knowledge sharing in the workplace.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first knowledge sharing study that empirically examines how task and relationship conflicts affect employees’ knowledge sharing intentions differently via the mediation of their perceived psychological empowerment and interpersonal trust in one another in the workplace.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 23 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1998

Steven H. Appelbaum and Karen Honeggar

Examines empowerment as an on‐going and perceptual organizational process yielding a new vision for subordinates. Claims that current attempts to empower employees have met with…

4250

Abstract

Examines empowerment as an on‐going and perceptual organizational process yielding a new vision for subordinates. Claims that current attempts to empower employees have met with varying degrees of success as there is a significant gap between the perception of empowerment held by managers and the reality as viewed by employees. Suggests that current research depicts empowerment efforts as myths and not an effective intervention. Examines a five stage model with some empirical results. Explores the relationship of empowerment to organizational variables as well as relationships to supervisory style/managerial behaviors; reward systems; job design; individual and personality factors and finally structural power. Presents a special case study of empowerment in nursing as well as a case incident of empowerment practiced within a manufacturing firm. Concludes with strategies of how to build feelings of choice, competence, meaningfulness and progress ‐ all critical elements in the conceptual model of empowerment. Presents these strategies with both individual actions and team actions.

Details

Empowerment in Organizations, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4891

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 November 2019

Sumi Jha

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between psychological safety (PS) and employee retention (ER) when psychological empowerment (PE) is a mediator variable…

2063

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between psychological safety (PS) and employee retention (ER) when psychological empowerment (PE) is a mediator variable and abusive leadership is a moderating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted by receiving responses from managers and supervisors of the telecom industry. The sample size was 337. Standard questionnaires were used to collect data. Moderated mediation analysis was conducted to capture the differences on the effect of ER because of the presence of abusive leadership.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that the abusive leadership moderates the relationship between employees PS and PE. The mediation effect of PE between PS and ER relationship was found to be significant. The relationship got weaker in the presence of high abusive leadership and stronger in the presence of low abusive leadership.

Practical implications

The paper discusses the drawbacks of abusive leadership on ER. Abusive leadership may bring immediate results. Employees may respond out of fear but would leave the organization as soon as they will get the opportunity.

Originality/value

The study on the abusive leadership is relatively less. The moderating role of abusive leadership on ER would add to the subject knowledge.

Details

Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 51 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0019-7858

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2015

Carla Maria Freitas da Costa Freire and Ricardo Manuel Machado Azevedo

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of workplace empowerment and staff nurses’ perceptions of trustworthiness in their supervisor as determinators of organizational…

2083

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of workplace empowerment and staff nurses’ perceptions of trustworthiness in their supervisor as determinators of organizational commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 189 nurses working at Portuguese public hospitals.

Findings

Results indicate that an empowering work context was significantly predictive of nurses’ affective commitment and on the perceptions of trustworthiness of the supervisor. The employees who understand that they have access to factors of empowerment (formal power, informal power, resources, opportunity, support and information), and feel that they can influence the organization where they work, are in a better position to establish affective connections with the organization, as well as to perceive their supervisor as trustworthy.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation relates to the generalization of the study’s findings outside the national context.

Practical implications

Organizations must meet the conditions that contribute to increasing the organizational commitment of healthcare professionals when developing policies for human resources since the emotional bond with the organization seems to provide the strength to withstand moments of great difficulties.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the understanding of how fostering empowering and trustful leadership will generate positive effects on job attitudes, even in a particularly difficult context of austerity.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 44 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2005

Davina Kay Brazier

To extend understanding of the influence of contextual factors on: power and influence; creativity and innovation; and leadership behaviour.

6111

Abstract

Purpose

To extend understanding of the influence of contextual factors on: power and influence; creativity and innovation; and leadership behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The review has been compiled following a search of seven electronic databases from 1999 to 2004. The author also uses her experience as a physiotherapy manager within a children's hospital NHS Trust to reflect on some of the theories in the workplace.

Findings

While the literature is contradictory in places, some trends do emerge. Bureaucratic organizations can inhibit an empowering environment, as can those that are poor at disseminating information or communicating a vision. Hierarchical structures, high staff turnover and lack of resources are likely to stifle creativity and innovation. Organic structures tend to facilitate a more transformational leadership style, whereas bureaucratic structures encourage a more transactional style. The quality of leader‐member exchange is thought to be related to work group size, work group cohesiveness and organizational climate.

Research limitations/implications

Care is needed in applying these findings to the National Health Service as theory that is developed in one organisation or culture may not be transferable to another. The author suggests that an empirical investigation should be undertaken in different National Health Service units.

Originality/value

This paper explores an aspect of leadership that is often neglected. Organizations that wish to nurture and develop their leaders and managers will need to be mindful of the environmental context within which this takes place.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 September 2008

Michael Pitt and James Bennett

Technological innovations and continuing IT developments, together with the now widespread use of innovative space planning techniques, such as hot‐desking have been hailed as the…

2886

Abstract

Purpose

Technological innovations and continuing IT developments, together with the now widespread use of innovative space planning techniques, such as hot‐desking have been hailed as the remedy for the demand for a more intensive and efficient use of space in offices. Although most organisations have attempted to simultaneously provide for human needs and requirements, most, if not all have fallen short. This paper aims to investigate whether an optimum balance can be struck between commercial requirements of flexibility, in terms of office design, while at the same time ensuring that the human needs of privacy, identity, status and personal control are not compromised.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper considers current thought and provides a literature review in the area. The paper aims to establish that new work methods can have a potentially negative effect on employee performance in companies as the implementation of new ways of working does not always take into account the importance of employee satisfaction and empowerment. New work methods and innovative space planning techniques are compared and contrasted to case study observations at the offices of Drivers Jonas LLP, Chartered Surveyors, in Manchester.

Findings

Innovative space planning concepts and recent technological innovations are examined including how they impact on the employee, in terms of behaviour and work satisfaction. A case study identifies how the unique culture of openness and sharing that is present at Drivers Jonas LLP can successfully integrate human requirements with physical requirements so that optimal employee performance and satisfaction is achieved.

Originality/value

The paper establishes that the culture of an organisation is the most important element in determining whether a workforce can own their own space in a space sharing environment. In terms of increasing workplace satisfaction which is directly linked to “better business performance”, the paper will identify that all innovative space planning techniques and methods will fall at the first hurdle, if an organisation does not have the right culture to support its ideas.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

Keywords

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