Master's project

PROJECT REPORT
ON
“EMPLOYEE ENPOWERMENT OF GENRAL ISSU IN
ORGENIZATION”
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the
Award of the degree of
OMKARANANDA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to U.T. U; DEHRADUN)
Submitted to; Submitted by;
Mrs.CHARU KHURANA MASTER VIMAL SHARMA
Associate Professor MBA 4th Semester

CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION
I hereby certify that work which is being presented in the dissertation report, entitled
“Employee empowerment of general issue in orgenization .” for partial fulfillment of the
requirement for the award of the degree of “Master Of Business Administration” in
“H.R.” Submitted in Omkarananda Institute Of Management And Technology (OIMT),
of Uttrakhand Technical University is record of my own work, under the guidance of
Mrs.CHARU KHURANA , Asst. Professor in OIMT, RISHIKESH.
DATE: MASTER VIMAL SHARMA
MBA (H.R.)
This is to certify that the above statement made by the candidate is
correct to the best of our knowledge.
Dr. Aditya Gautam Mrs. Charu Khurana
Director, Associate Professor
OIMT, Rishikesh OIMT, Rishikesh

PREFACE
As an integral part of the curriculum, I student of M.B.A needed to get exposed to the actual
H.R. environment to get a better understanding of personal management by way of undergoing
practical training.
I consider myself fortunate enough that I had an opportunity to get practical training at the
O.I.M.T. for gaining substantial knowledge of performance management system. Where I get
the opportunity to do the real life project and enhance my knowledge as to deal with the real
environment (internal, external).

Acknowledgement
The satisfaction and euphoria that accompany a successful completion of any task would be
incomplete without mentioning the people who made it possible whose consistent guidance and
encouragement crowned the efforts with success.
I would like to thanks my internal faculty guide Mrs.Charu Khurana , OMKARANANDA
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY , ( RISHIKESH) for their guidance and
motivation, which is pivotal in completion of my dissertation report.
I cannot forget the contribution of my project mentor and guide for their able guidance and
support throughout the tenure of the report.
I would express my thanks to O.I.M.T., as I troubled them through my queries at every stage of
my work. I am really thankful for their patience with which they resolve my doubts amidst their
busy schedule. I express my sincere thanks to all of them.
Last but not least, I feel indebted to all those persons who have provided help directly or
indirectly in successful completion of this study.
Master vimal sharma

Introduction
Empowerment is the process of enabling or authorizing an individual to think, behave, take action,
and control work and decision making in autonomous ways. It is the state of feeling self-empowered
to take control of one's own destiny.
When thinking about empowerment in human relations terms, try to avoid thinking of it as something
that one individual does for another. This is one of the problems organizations have experienced with
the concept of empowerment. People think that someone, usually the manager, has to bestow
empowerment on the people who report to him.
Consequently, the reporting staff members wait for the bestowing of empowerment, and the manager
asks why people won't act in empowered ways. This led to a general unhappiness, mostly undeserved,
with the concept of empowerment in many organizations.
Think of empowerment, instead, as the process of an individual enabling himself to take action and
control work and decision making in autonomous ways. Empowerment comes from the individual.
The organization has the responsibility to create a work environment which helps foster the ability and
desire of employees to act in empowered ways. The work organization has the responsibility to
remove barriers that limit the ability of staff to act in empowered ways.

Empowerment Is Also Known As:
Employee involvement and participative management are often used to mean empowerment. They are
not really interchangeable.
The common dictionary definition of empowerment, "to give official authority to: delegate
legal power to: commission, authorize" (Grove, 1971, p. 744) is the one most understood by
most people. As an example, Gandz (1990) writes, "Empowerment means that management
vests decision-making or approval authority in employees where, traditionally, such authority
was a managerial prerogative." (p. 75) However, this is not the definition of what is usually
called employee empowerment. One author notes empowerment is, "easy to define in its
absence—alienation, powerless, helplessness—but difficult to define positively because it 'takes
on a different form in different people and contexts'" (Zimmerman, 1990, p.169). When most
people refer to employee empowerment they mean a great deal more than delegation. It is for
this reason that many authors provide their own definitions.
Some of these are vague, and meant to be so. Block (1987) describes empowerment as "a
state of mind as well as a result of position, policies, and practices." (p. 65) One has to read an
entire chapter to understand what he means when he says,
"To feel empowered means several things. We feel our survival is in our own hands. . . .We
have an underlying purpose. . . .We commit ourselves to achieving that purpose, now." (Block,
1987, p. 65). Other authors (Blanchard, Carlos & Randolph, 1996; Blanchard & Bowles, 1998)
use their entire book to define empowerment. Still others provide an excellent perspective of
effective empowerment without mentioning the word even once (Freedman, 1998).
Other author provided definitions are simplistic on the surface, but have far greater
implications than a first reading would suggest. For example, Caudron (1995) articulates
empowerment as, "when employees 'own' their jobs; when they are able to measure and
influence their individual success as well as the success of their departments and their
companies." (p.28) The casual reader may think that owning one's job is what the postal
worker's union seeks to provide their members. Most would agree, however, that job security is
not empowerment. Many employees must measure their jobs by submitting reports. Seeking
one's own individual success is what the American dream is all about. And knowing that one
makes a contribution to the success of the department and the company is a given in all but the

largest organizations. It is only when these ideas are taken together in one package that they
approach a definition of employee empowerment. Ettorre's (1997) definition of empowerment
as, "employees having autonomous decision-making capabilities and acting as partners in the
business, all with an eye to the bottom-line" (p.1) is more accessible to many readers. While
many employees understand their contribution to the work at hand, how many know their
contribution to the bottom line?
It is this essential ingredient, information with which to make decisions, from which
empowerment is created. Bowen and Lawler (1992) indicate, "We define empowerment as
sharing with front-line employees four organizational ingredients: [the first being] information
about the organization's performance. . . .[another is] knowledge that enables employees to
understand and contribute to organizational performance" (p. 32). The other two ingredients
Bowen and Lawler note are, "rewards based on the organization's performance [and] power to
make decisions that influence organizational direction and performance." In a later article these
authors conclude that, "research suggests that empowerment exists when companies implement
practices that distribute power, information, knowledge, and rewards throughout the
organization." (Bowen & Lawler, 1995, p. 73) The authors go on to note that, "if any of the four
elements is zero, nothing happens to redistribute that ingredient, and empowerment will be zero."
(Bowen & Lawler, 1995, p. 74)
Another author uses this type of combination of concepts to define empowerment. Spreitzer
(1995) indicates, "psychological empowerment is defined as a motivational construct manifested
in four cognitions: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Together these four
cognitions reflect an active, rather than a passive, orientation toward a work role." (p.
1442). Spreitzer notes, "the four dimensions are argued to combine additively to create an
overall construct of psychological empowerment. In other words, the lack of any single
dimension will deflate, though not completely eliminate, the overall degree of felt
empowerment." (p. 1442) This additive construct is distinct from Bowen & Lawler 's (1995)
construct noted above which is multiplicative, indicating that the absence of any one of their four
elements (power, information, knowledge, and rewards) will completely eliminate
empowerment.
Researchers tend to provide definitions of the concept of empowerment which reflect
observed end results or their research into concepts which are known and are or may be

precursors to empowerment. In his 1995 dissertation, Menon indicates, "the empowered state
was defined as a cognitive state of perceived control, perceived competence and goal
internalization. . . .The empirical results supported the view that empowerment is a construct
conceptually distinct from other constructs such as delegation, self-efficacy and intrinsic task
motivation.". In this case the constructs of delegation, self-efficacy and intrinsic task motivation
are known quantities, each with its own previously tested validity. Conger and Kanungo (1988)
note in their literature review that, "scholars have assumed that empowerment. . . .[is] the process
by which a leader or manager shares his or her power with subordinates. Power, in this context,
is interpreted as the possession of formal authority or control over organizational resources. . .
.This manner of treating the notion of empowerment from a management practice perspective is
so common that often employee participation is simply equated with empowerment." (p.
471). However, they also note, " We believe that this approach has serious flaws." (p.
471) Instead, the authors offer this definition, "empowerment is. . . a process of enhancing
feelings of self-efficacy among organizational members through the identification of conditions
that foster powerlessness and through their removal by both formal organizational practices and
informal techniques of providing efficacy information." (Conger & Kanungo, 1988, p.
474). Implied here are new roles for managers and supervisors, that is, removing conditions that
foster powerlessness and providing feedback about performance, in other words mentoring.
Other researchers have attempted to classify what has been written and practiced previously,
and found it lacking. Quinn and Spreitzer (1997) provide two such classifications. In the,
"mechanistic approach" (p. 38) managers and researchers "believed that empowerment was about
delegating decision making within a set of clear boundaries. . . . Delegate responsibility; and
Hold people accountable for results." (p. 37) In the, "organic approach to empowerment" (p. 37)
researchers and managers "believed that it [empowerment] was about risk taking, growth, and
change. . . .understanding the needs of the employees; model empowered behavior for the
employees; build teams to encourage cooperative behavior; encourage intelligent risk taking; and
trust people to perform." (p. 38) However, they found these two approaches lacking; some
combination of the two was needed. In the end, they indicate, "empowerment must be defined in
terms of fundamental beliefs and personal orientations. . . . Empowered people have a sense of
self-determination. . . .Empowered people have a sense of meaning. . . .Empowered people have
a sense of competence. . . . empowered people have a sense of impact." (Quinn & Spreitzer,

1997, p. 40)
The most comprehensive definition of empowerment in the literature can be found in Thomas
and Velthouse's 1990 article entitled "Cognitive elements of empowerment: An 'interpretive'
model of intrinsic task motivation". The definition they provide is:
To empower means to give power to. Power, however, has several meanings…authority, so that
empowerment can mean authorization. . . .capacity. . . .However, power also means
energy. Thus to empower also can mean to energize. This latter meaning best captures the
present motivational usage of the term. Our perception is that the word empowerment has
become popular because it provides a label for a nontraditional paradigm of motivation. . .
.change [has] forced a search for alternative forms of management that encourage commitment,
risk-taking, and innovation. . . .the newer paradigm involves relaxed (or broad) controls and an
emphasis on internalized commitment to the task itself. . . .We use the word empowerment to
refer to the motivational content of this newer paradigm of management. (p. 667)
In her excellent literature review of employee empowerment, Linda Honold indicates, "to be
successful, each organization must create and define it [empowerment] for itself. Empowerment
must address the needs and culture of each unique entity." (Honold, 1997, p. 202) It is in this
spirit that I offer my own definition of empowerment. I have drawn on several of the authors
noted above and below for concepts. I will provide credit in the appropriate sections below.
Apprenticeship Empowerment Defined
Employee empowerment is a process whereby: a culture of empowerment is developed;
information—in the form of a shared vision, clear goals, boundaries for decision making, and the
results of efforts and their impact on the whole—is shared; competency—in the form of training
and experience—is developed; resources, or the competency to obtain them when needed to be
effective in their jobs, are provided; and support—in the form of mentoring, cultural support, and
encouragement of risk-taking—is provided.
Every employer uses employee empowerment to some extent, though it is often thought of as
delegation. No organization of more than one person can survive without some employee

empowerment. When the owner of a Mail Boxes, Etc. hires someone to work the weekends, that
person is empowered. When a manager hires an accounting graduate to maintain the
departmental ledger, that person is empowered. When the director of advertising chooses which
slogan should go on the web banner, that person is empowered. In each of these instances the
empowered person has been provided with the training and experience they need to be effective
in their position. Each has the information to know how their decisions will impact the larger
whole. Each has access to the resources he or she needs to be effective. And the assumption is
that each will be supported in the decisions they make.
Empowerment is a process of becoming, not a task or end result in and of itself, Just as with
continuous improvement, no organization is ever done with its empowerment implementation;
no person is ever "completely empowered". Empowerment becomes part of the culture of the
organization. Empowering others becomes a transparent act, nobody within the organization
notices when an act of empowerment is exercised. It may be noticeable in the extreme to
outsiders, but, if the implementation effort has been successful, it will be second nature to those
accculturated within the organization.
Clearly, empowerment is not quick nor easy, except in the case of a newly formed
organization where the leaders understand it and have committed themselves and the
organization to it. Given that this is the case it becomes necessary to demonstrate the benefits
and provide an implementation strategy which builds upon a clear understanding of all that
employee empowerment entails.

Examples of Empowerment
These are examples of empowerment in action.
The manager of the Human Resources department added weeks to the process of hiring new
employees by requiring his supposedly empowered staff members to obtain his signature on
every document related to the hiring of a new employee. When the time problem was brought to
his attention, he fostered empowerment by telling employees they no longer needed his signature
unless the hire involved extraordinary circumstances.
John empowered himself to discuss the career objectives he wished to pursue with his supervisor.
He told his supervisor, frankly, that if the opportunities were not available in his current company,
he would move on to another company.
Mary took charge of her career by fueling her sense of empowerment when she developed a , met
with her manager to ask for her assistance to achieve it, and set goals for its accomplishment in
her performance development plan.
The company's management style involved sharing the goals, sharing each employee's
expectations and framework with the employee, and then, getting out of the way while employees
were empowered to set goals, accomplish their objectives, and determine how to do their jobs.
Empowerment is a desirable management and organizational style that enables employees to practice
autonomy, control their own jobs, and use their skills and abilities to benefit both their organization
and themselves.

Literature Review
This thesis examines the topic of employee empowerment and seeks to provide a model for its
implementation which addresses needs identified in the literature but insufficiently addressed
previously. Empowerment is defined as a process whereby: a culture of empowerment is
developed, information is shared, competency is developed, and resources and support are
provided. Each of the components of empowerment—culture, information sharing, competency
development, resource provision, and support—is examined in detail as addressed in the
literature. The benefits of employee empowerment are noted, and objections to it are
addressed. Theoretical foundations of employee empowerment are examined in an extensive
literature review.
A model for understanding and implementing employee empowerment is provided based
upon the precepts of apprenticeship. The apprenticeship model suggests that employees be
viewed first as apprentices while their skills and knowledge within a given task set are
developing, then as journeypersons through continued development, and finally as masters of
their craft. An assessment of organizational empowerment is provided and training responses
based upon this assessment are suggested.
“To feel empowered means several things. We feel our survival is in our own
hands. . . .We have an underlying purpose. . . .We commit ourselves to achieving
that purpose, now.”

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
An exploratory research has been carried out to study the behavior of employees. To meet the
research objective a research formats, to collect information from the respondents was made &
the information was collected through individual interaction with the researcher. The data was
collected using scientific method as per the questionnaire sample elements have been chosen by
observation techniques.
Research Design
Research was conducted to know the scope of employee empowerment, so it was designed as
Analytical.
1. Sample Design: Data for this study has been collected from primary sources. For the
collection of data CONVENIENCE SAMPLING has been used.
2. Sample Size: Sample size for the study was 40 for the universe of the urban area,
Dehradun.
Primary data: Primary data was collected with the help of:
1. Questionnaire
2. Personal Interviews

Employee Empowerment
Definition: Employee Empowerment
Empowerment is the process of enabling or authorizing an individual to think, behave, take
action, and control work and decision making in autonomous ways. It is the state of feeling self-
empowered to take control of one's own destiny.
When thinking about empowerment in human relations terms, try to avoid thinking of it as
something that one individual does for another. This is one of the problems organizations have
experienced with the concept of empowerment. People think that "someone," usually the
manager, has to bestow empowerment on the people who report to him.
Consequently, the reporting staff members "wait" for the bestowing of empowerment, and the
manager asks why people won't act in empowered ways. This led to a general unhappiness,
mostly undeserved, with the concept of empowerment in many organizations.
Think of empowerment, instead, as the process of an individual enabling himself to take action
and control work and decision making in autonomous ways. Empowerment comes from the
individual.
The organization has the responsibility to create a work environment which helps foster the
ability and desire of employees to act in empowered ways. The work organization has the
responsibility to remove barriers that limit the ability of staff to act in empowered ways.
[h3Also Known As:
Employee involvement and participative management are often used to mean empowerment.
They are not really interchangeable.

Examples
The manager of the Human Resources department added weeks to the process of hiring new
employees by requiring his supposedly "empowered" staff members to obtain his signature on
every document related to the hiring of a new employee.
John empowered himself to discuss the career objectives he wished to pursue with his
supervisor. He told his supervisor, frankly, that if the opportunities were not available in his
current company, he would move on to another company.

10 principales of empowerment
The Credo of an Empowering Manager
Looking for real management advice about people? Your goal is to create a work environment in
which people are empowered, productive, contributing, and happy. Don't hobble them by
limiting their tools or information. Trust them to do the right thing. Get out of their way and
watch them catch fire.
These are the ten most important principles for managing people in a way that reinforces
employee empowerment, accomplishment, and contribution. These management actions enable
both the people who work with you and the people who report to you to soar.
1. Demonstrate That You Value People
Pando Hall / Getty Images
Your regard for people shines through in all of your actions and words. Your facial expression,
your body language, and your words express what you are thinking about the people who report
to you. Your goal is to demonstrate your appreciation for each person's unique value. No matter
how an employee is performing on his or her current task, your value for the employee as a
human being should never falter and always be visible.
More about communication and value:
Listen With Your Eyes: Tips for Understanding Nonverbal
Communication
Interpersonal Communication Dynamics
You Can Make Their Day: Ten Tips for the Leader

2. Share Leadership Vision
Copyright Digital Vision / Getty Images
Help people feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves and their individual job.
Do this by making sure they know and have access to the organization's overall mission, vision,
and strategic plans.
More about vision:
Build a Strategic Framework: Mission Statement, Vision, Values ...
Leadership Vision
3. Share Goals and Direction
Jacob Wackerhausen
Share the most important goals and direction for your group. Where possible, either make
progress on goals measurable and observable, or ascertain that you have shared your picture of a
positive outcome with the people responsible for accomplishing the results. If you share a picture
and share meaning, you have agreed upon what constitutes a successful and acceptable
deliverable. Empowered employees can then chart their course without close supervision.
More about goals and direction:
Beyond Traditional Smart Goals
The Darker Side of Goal Setting: Why Goal Setting Fails ...

4. Trust People
Pinnacle Pictures / Getty Images
Trust the intentions of people to do the right thing, make the right decision, and make choices
that, while maybe not exactly what you would decide, still work. When employees receive clear
expectations from their manager, they relax and trust you. They focus their energy on
accomplishing, not on wondering, worrying, and second-guessing.
More about trust:
Trust Rules: The Most Important Secret About Trust
Top Five Ways to Destroy Trust
Top 10 Ways to Build Trust
Inspirational Quotes: Trust and Trustworthiness
5. Provide Information for Decision Making
Dean Sanderson
Make certain that you have given people, or made sure that they have access to, all of the
information they need to make thoughtful decisions.
More about decision making:

Preventing Predictable Decision Making Errors
How to Involve Employees in Decision Making
6. Delegate Authority and Impact Opportunities, Not Just More Work
Image Coypright Jacob Wackerhausen
Don't just delegate the drudge work; delegate some of the fun stuff, too. You know, delegate the
important meetings, the committee memberships that influence product development and
decision making, and the projects that people and customers notice. The employee will grow and
develop new skills. Your plate will be less full so you can concentrate on contribution. Your
reporting staff will gratefully shine - and so will you.
More about delegation:
How and When to Empower People
Tips for Effective Delegation
Why Employees Don't Do What You Want Them to Do
Play Well With Others: Develop Effective Work Relationships
7. Provide Frequent Feedback
Digital Vision / Getty Images
Provide frequent feedback so that people know how they are doing. Sometimes, the purpose of
feedback is reward and recognition as well as improvement coaching. People deserve your
constructive feedback, too, so they can continue to develop their knowledge and skills.
More about feedback:

How To Provide Feedback That Has an Impact
Performance Management: You Get What You Request and Reward
Coaching for Improved Performance
8. Solve Problems: Don't Pinpoint Problem People
Michael Blann / Getty Images
When a problem occurs, ask what is wrong with the work system that caused the people to fail,
not what is wrong with the people. Worst case response to problems? Seek to identify and punish
the guilty. (Thank you, Dr. Deming.)
More about problem solving:
Why Employees Don't Do What You Want Them to Do
Fight for What's Right: Ten Tips to Encourage Meaningful Conflict
.
9. Listen to Learn and Ask Questions to Provide Guidance
Steve Cole
Provide a space in which people will communicate by listening to them and asking them
questions. Guide by asking questions, not by telling grown up people what to do. People
generally know the right answers if they have the opportunity to produce them. When an
employee brings you a problem to solve, ask, "what do you think you should do to solve this
problem?" Or, ask, "what action steps do you recommend?" Employees can demonstrate what
they know and grow in the process. Eventually, you will feel comfortable telling the employee
that he or she need not ask you about similar situations. You trust their judgment.
More about listening and asking questions:

Communication Success Tips: Listen to Understand
Communication Success Tips: Listen With Full Attention
10. Help Employees Feel Rewarded and Recognized for Empowered Behavior
Copyright Lisa Gagne
When employees feel under-compensated, under-titled for the responsibilities they take on,
under-noticed, under-praised, and under-appreciated, don’t expect results from employee
empowerment. The basic needs of employees must feel met for employees to give you their
discretionary energy, that extra effort that people voluntarily invest in work. For successful
employee empowerment, recognition plays a significant role.
More about employee reward and recognition for empowerment:
The Power of Positive Employee Recognition
What Employees Want From Work: Employee Motivation
Employee Recognition Rocks
Goal of employee empowerment

primary goal of employee empowerment is to give workers a greater voice in decisions about
work-related matters. Their decision-making authority can range from offering suggestions to
exercising veto power over management decisions. Although the range of decisions that
employees may be involved in depends on the organization, possible areas include: how jobs are
to be performed, working conditions, company policies, work hours, peer review, and how
supervisors are evaluated.
Many experts believe that organizations can improve productivity through employee
empowerment. This occurs in one of two main ways. First, empowerment can strengthen
motivation by providing employees with the opportunity to attain intrinsic rewards from their
work, such as a greater sense of accomplishment and a feeling of importance. In some cases,
intrinsic rewards such as job satisfaction and a sense of purposeful work can be more powerful
than extrinsic rewards such as higher wages or bonuses. Motivated employees clearly tend to put
forth more effort than those who are less motivated. The second means by which employee
empowerment can increase productivity is through better decisions. Especially when decisions
require task-specific knowledge, those on the front line can often better identify problems.
Empowering employees to identify problems—combined with higher-level management
involvement in coordinating solutions across departmental boundaries within the firm—can
enhance the overall decision-making process and increase organizational learning. For example,
Toyota Motor Company empowers some of its employees to identify and help remedy problems
occurring during product assembly. An automobile coming off Toyota's assembly line with a
paint defect is seen as an opportunity to delve into the root cause of the defect, as opposed to
merely fixing the defect and passing it on to distributors for resale. Solutions resulting from
employee involvement tend to have more employee buy-in when it comes to implementation.
Because such solutions are generated from the front lines, this further enhances the potential for
productivity improvements by reducing the attitude that solutions are "passed down from above."
A number of different human resource management programs are available that grant employee
empowerment to some extent.

INFORMAL PARTICIPATIVE
DECISION-MAKING PROGRAMS
Informal participative decision-making programs involve managers and subordinates making
joint decisions on a daily basis. Employees do not enjoy blanket authority to make all work-
related decisions; managers decide just how much decision-making authority employees should
have in each instance. The amount of authority varies depending on such situational factors as
decision complexity and the importance of employee acceptance of the decision. While it may
seem obvious, one key to empowerment is choosing under what conditions to empower
employees. Employees should be empowered in situations where they can make decisions that
are as good as, or better than, those made by their managers.
One possible problem is that the interests of workers may not align with those of the
organization. For example, at one university a department head delegated the task of determining
job performance standards to the faculty. Because the faculty believed that it was not in their
own best interest to develop challenging standards, the standards they eventually developed were
easily attainable. The success of empowerment also often hinges on whether employees want to
participate in decision making. Some employees, for instance, have no desire to make work-
related decisions. Suggestions for increasing employee participation levels include work
situations where:
1. All possible solutions are equally effective. For example, consider employee vacation
schedules. If one solution is as good as another, employee groups can be empowered to
work out the scheduling.
2. Managers do not possess sufficient information or expertise to make a quality decision
without employee input. Managers should at least consult their employees before a
decision is reached to prevent overlooking solutions that may appear obvious to front-line
employees, but which may be more evasive for higher-level managers who are unfamiliar
with front-line practices.

3. Managers do not know exactly what information is needed or how to find it. Again,
managers should at least consult their employees before a decision is reached to
determine whether employees have the information required to make an effective
decision.
4. The group's acceptance of or commitment to effective implementation is crucial and the
group is unlikely to accept a manager's unilateral decision. If employees' acceptance is
crucial, participative decision-making should be used. As alluded to previously,
employees tend to accept decisions more willingly if they have had a voice in the
decision-making process. One caveat is that the participation should be genuine;
managers should not ask for employee input simply to give the appearance of
participation. Employees can usually recognize this ploy and, if they do, feelings of
distrust will likely develop.
5. Employees' goals are aligned with those of management. If employees do not share
management's goals, participative decision-making would be inappropriate, because the
two parties would be at odds.
Several studies have examined the effects of informal participative decision-making programs.
While the results have been mixed and thus cannot be considered definitive, most studies have
found that informal participative decision-making programs do, in fact, have a positive impact on
productivity.

JOB ENRICHMENT
Sometimes, employees are not motivated because of the way their jobs are designed. For
example, consider the job of an assembly-line worker who does nothing but place a screw in a
hole as the product passes by on the production line. Such a job provides little opportunity for
workers to gain intrinsic rewards. Job enrichment aims to redesign jobs to be more intrinsically
rewarding. Certain job characteristics help managers to build enrichment into jobs. These
characteristics (summarized in Exhibit 1) include:
Skill variety—The various skills needed to perform a given task, where increased skill
requirements are associated with increased motivation
Task identity—The degree to which employees perceive how their job impacts the
overall production of a product or service
Task significance—Whether the task is meaningful beyond the task itself
Autonomy—Employee discretion over how to perform a task
Feedback—Input from peers and supervisors regarding the quality of an employee's work

Job Characteristics That Enhance Intrinsic Motivation
1. Skill Variety: The degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities to carry
out the work. A job has high skill variety if it requires a number of different skills and
talents.
2. Task Identity: The degree to which a job requires completion of the whole and
identifiable piece of work. A job has high task identity, if the worker does the job from
the beginning to end with a visible outcome.
3. Task Significance: The degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives of
other people, whether these people are in the immediate organization or in the world at
large. A job has a task significance if people benefit greatly from results of the job.
4. Autonomy: The degree to which the job provides the workers with autonomy. A job has
high autonomy if workers are given substantial freedom, independence, and discretion in
scheduling the work and determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out.

5. Job Feedback: The degree to which the job provides the worker with knowledge of
results. A job has high job feedback if carrying out the work activities required by the job
provides the individual with direct and clear information about the effectiveness of his or
her performance.
When these characteristics are present in a job, employees tend to be more motivated than when
these characteristics are not present. However, there is not a "silver bullet" for motivating
employees through empowerment; there is considerable variation in the degree to which each of
these empowerment factors motivates individuals. On the other hand, it is a mistake to think that
because certain individuals do not respond equally to such job designs, overall productivity will
not increase as a result of empowerment through proper job design and enrichment. In general,
productivity tends to increase despite the inherent variation of specific effects.

Once a job has been identified as needing enrichment, the organization must redesign it to
incorporate these characteristics: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and
feedback. Some specific job enrichment techniques include:
Combining tasks. This involves assigning tasks performed by different workers to a
single individual. For example, in a furniture factory, rather than working on just one part
of the production process, each person could assemble, sand, and stain an entire table or
chair. This change would increase skill variety, as well as task identity, as each worker
would be responsible for the job from start to finish.
Establish client relationships. Client relationships could be established by putting the
worker in touch with customers. For example, an auto dealership service department
could allow its mechanics to discuss service problems directly with customers, rather
than going through the service manager. By establishing client relationships, skill variety
is increased because workers have a chance to develop interpersonal skills. It also
provides them with a chance to do a larger part of the job (task identity), to see how their
work impacts customers (task significance), and to have more decision-making authority
(autonomy).
Reduce direct supervision. Workers gain autonomy when they are given responsibility for
doing things previously done by supervisors. For instance, clerks could be allowed to
check for their own errors or be allowed to order supplies directly.

Many organizations have successfully enriched otherwise dull jobs, thereby empowering
employees to have greater control over their work and the decisions affecting them. In addition
to increased productivity, empowerment also may lead to improvements in product or service
quality, reduced absenteeism rates, and increased employee retention. In situations where
enriched jobs become less automated, however, production may become less efficient. Job
enrichment would thus be ill-advised in situations where the loss in efficiency cannot be offset
by productivity gains stemming from increased motivation. Moreover, employees preferring
highly automated, easy jobs are likely to oppose job enrichment efforts.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Companies adopting continuous improvement attempt to build quality into all phases of product
or service design, production, and delivery. Often referred to as total quality management, these
programs empower workers to trace product or service problems to their root causes and
redesign production processes to eliminate them using various problem-solving and statistical
techniques. In these situations, empowerment arises from the need to involve employees at
nearly all organizational levels in continuous improvement efforts. The use of continuous
improvement programs have grown rapidly, built on the successful experiences of numerous
companies. Xerox, for example, was able to decrease the number of customer complaints it
received by 38 percent after implementing continuous improvement methods, and Motorola
reduced the number of defects in its products by 80 percent. Proponents of self-managed work
teams claim they succeed because they are customer-focused and promote sound management
practices like team-work, continuous learning, and continuous improvement.

SELF-MANAGED WORK TEAMS
Self-managed work teams have the authority to manage themselves. Rather than having
managers control their work, self-managed work teams incorporate group norms to regulate
activities. They plan, organize, coordinate, and take corrective actions. Some can hire, fire, and
discipline team members with little intervention from higher levels of management. In short,
self-managed work teams are given responsibilities usually held by managers, but control comes
from the concertive influence of the team rather than from more formal means. Not surprisingly,
managers' jobs are minimized and group norms are maximized when self-managed work teams
are used. Self-managed work teams are not for all organizations; characteristic needed for
success include:
Technical skills. Cross-training, which allows team members to move from job to job
within the team, is essential. Thus, team members should receive training in the specific
skills that will broaden their personal contributions to the overall effort.
Interpersonal skills. Team members must communicate effectively, both one-on-one and
in groups. Cooperative decision-making within and among teams demands the skills of
group problem solving, influencing others, and resolving conflicts. Team members must
learn problem-solving skills that assist in zeroing in on problem areas, gathering facts,
analyzing causes, generating alternatives, selecting solutions, and other related facets.
Administrative skills. Self-managed work teams must perform tasks formerly handled by
supervisors. The team must learn how to keep records, report procedures, budget,
schedule, monitor, and appraise the performance of team members.

Research findings concerning self-managing teams have been largely positive. Proponents claim
that self-managed work teams are effective because they empower employees to make decisions
that affect their day-to-day business lives. Thus, these teams radically change the way that
employees value and think about their jobs. Other benefits associated with self-managed teams
include greater flexibility to respond to market changes and competitive pressures.
However, there are a number of drawbacks. As noted previously, self-managed teams are not for
every organization. Some may be better served by other ways of empowerment, rather than the
dramatic empowerment seen with self-managed teams. Drawbacks can include:
Rivalry within and across teams
A shortage of time and skills on the team to deal with conventional management concerns
like hiring, training, and resolving interpersonal disputes
Difficulty appraising employees in the absence of a traditional management figure
In addition to these concerns, one of the most difficult issues companies face with self-directed
work teams is deciding how to effectively implement them. A number of obstacles must be
overcome. Sometimes, managers are reluctant to relinquish control and employees are reluctant
to accept new responsibilities. To prepare team members for self-management, the organization
must provide a considerable amount of training. Without proper training, teams are likely to
become bogged down permanently in mid-process.

As the previous discussion suggests, empowerment is not a single event or process, but rather
takes a variety of forms. The degree of empowerment ranges from asking employees for input to
allowing total discretion. Informal participative decision-making programs, job enrichment,
continuous improvement, and self-managed work teams are some of the ways that organizations
empower employees, giving them more control, but at the same time increasing overall
organizational productivity
Employee Empowerment, is it a tool for organizational development or it is just a general
motivational factor, in this economy.
Employee empowerment has over the years been regarded as a general motivational toll,
however with the dawning of the global economy some organizations have taken the subect to
their advantage by embracing a holistic approach to empowerment and ensure the related
initiatives like;worker participation, training, information sharring , wellness mangement and
employee share empowerment schemes, would ensure organizational competitiveness is
mantained and that an organization would be flexible , considering the changing economy world-
wide

Why Employee Empowerment?
People are your firm's most underutilized resource. In the new knowledge economy,
independent entrepreneurship and initiative is needed throughout the ranks of your
organization. Involvement in an organization is no longer a one-way street. In today's
corporate environment a manager must work towards engaging organization forcefully enough
to achieve its objectives. Newknowledge-based enterprises are characterized by flat
hierarchical structures and multi-skilled workforce. Managers assume
more leadership and coaching tasks and work hard to provide employees with resources and
working conditions they need to accomplish the goals they've agreed to. In brief, managers
work for their staff, and not the reverse.
Empowerment is the oil that lubricates the exercise of learning. Talented and empowered
human capital is becoming the prime ingredient of organizational success. A critical feature of
successful teams, especially in knowledge-based enterprises, is that they are invested with a
significant degree of empowerment, or decision-making authority.
Equally important, employee empowerment changes the managers' mind-set and leaves them
with more time to engage in broad-based thinking, visioning, and nurturing. This intelligent
and productive division of duties between visionary leaders, focusing on
emerging opportunities, and empowered employees, running the business unit day to day (with
oversight on the leader's part) provides for a well-managed enterprise with strong growth
potential.

Benefits of Empowerment
That employee empowerment benefits the organizations which implement it effectively is
widely noted in the literature. The popular press accepts the belief of benefit almost without
question. Thomas Petzinger, in his column "The Front Lines" in the Wall Street Journal, is a big
advocate for empowerment. He writes, "As a society we know the best way to organize people
is freeing them to organize themselves. Why should it be any different in business?" (Petzinger,
1997a, p. B1). Also in the Wall Street Journal, Aeppel asks the rhetorical question, " What better
way to tap into workers' brains as well as their brawn than to encourage them to think on the job,
to bring to it a greater sense of professionalism and self-motivation and to feel committed to the
company's success?" (Aeppel, 1997, p. 1). Freeman (1998) writing in Inc. about applying
Marine Corps values in the growing corporate workplace advocates a form of empowerment
where training is key and, within clear missions, risk-taking is rewarded.
However, a bunch of business writers jumping on a bandwagon was not sufficient for me to
believe that empowerment is beneficial. I wanted evidence and I found it. A number of writers
cited Kanter (1979) as the source of information about the efficacy of employee
empowerment. Kanter writing about positional power indicates, "Organizational power can
grow, in part, by being shared. . . .By empowering others, a leader does not decrease his power;
instead he may increase it--especially if the whole organization performs better." (Kanter, 1979,
p. 73). Kanter then uses the logic that, "The productive capacity of nations, like organizations,
grows if the skill base is upgraded. People with the tools, information and support to make more
informed decisions and act more quickly can often accomplish more." (Kanter, 1979, p. 73).
Many authors cite, "anecdotal and case evidence…to show that empowerment does produce
more satisfied customers and employees." (Bowen & Lawler, 1995, p.75). However Bowen and
Lawler go beyond this and provide additional evidence, "considerable research on practices such
as gain sharing, communication programs, work teams, job enrichment, skill-based pay, and so
on has shown the results of these practices are consistent and positive." (p.75). They go on to
cite survey research conducted by,

The Center for Effective Organizations at the University of Southern California…to determine
the degree to which firms are adopting practices that redistribute power, information, knowledge,
and rewards, and the effects. . . . The… data…suggest that empowerment may have a positive
impact on a number of performance indicators. Respondents report that empowerment improves
worker satisfaction and quality of work life. Quality, service, and productivity are reportedly
improved as a result of employee involvement efforts in about two-thirds of the
companies. Approximately one-half of the companies also report that profitability and
competitiveness have improved; this is supported by the finding of a relationship between
empowerment and the firms' financial performance. (Bowen & Lawler, 1995, p. 75)
This is the hard evidence most skeptics are seeking.
For those of us seeking softer evidence, Bowen and Lawler (1992) indicate empowered
employees provide, "quicker on-line response to customer needs during service delivery;. . . .
quicker on-line responses to dissatisfied customers during service recovery;. . . . employees feel
better about their jobs and themselves;. . . . employees will interact with customers with more
warmth and enthusiasm. . . . when employees felt that management was looking after their needs,
they took better care of the customer;. . . . great word-of-mouth advertising and customer
retention" (pp. 33-34). Randolph (1995) indicates, "A more subtle, yet very powerful benefit" of
employee empowerment was increased "trust in the organization" (p. 22). When employees trust
that the company is not out to suck their blood and is providing a competitive produce or service
they will respond positively, "people who have information about current performance levels
will set challenging goals--and when they achieve those goals they will reset the goals at a higher
level." (Randolph, 1995, p. 23).

A number of authors also indicate that the increasing competitiveness of the global
marketplace calls for better service and the benefit of drawing upon the entire pool of employees
for creative ideas (Bowen & Lawler, 1992; Gandz, 1990). An example of this would be a
consumer products company looking to expand into less developed countries using custodial
staff who immigrated from those countries for marketing ideas and possible distribution
contacts. One never knows if someone has an uncle or aunt in his or her home country who
owns a chain of grocery stores, unless one asks. An empowered organization would think to ask,
or would at least encourage the employees to make helpful suggestions.

A Culture of Empowerment
An organization's culture is a complex thing, not easily described. Yet it is upon this
foundation that empowerment is built. The organizations which successfully implement
employee empowerment will have certain values at their core from which the process of
empowerment can flow. Among these values are respect and appreciation for individuals and
the value they bring to the organization. Values alone do not make up an organization's culture,
and respect for individuals is only one of the outward signs of an empowered culture.
Edgar Schein defines organizational culture as,
a pattern of basic assumptions—invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns
to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration—that has worked well
enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to
perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. (Schein, 1985, p. 9)
However coherent this definition seems, the concept is much more complex. Schein uses the
bulk of his book Organizational Culture and Leadership to provide a more complete
understanding of what culture really is. Such in depth study of this single concept is beyond the
scope of this paper and I would refer the reader to Schein's book for a deeper understanding.
Nonetheless, the culture of the organization must support the thrust of empowerment if there
is any chance for success. I am resolved to discuss the "'artifacts' and 'values' that are the
manifestations or surface levels of the culture" (Schein, 1985, p. 6-7) since that is within the
scope of this thesis. Other authors try to get at this essence that is organizational culture which
must be supportive for empowerment to succeed. By Schein's definition, they tend to focus on
the surface manifestations, though several try to imply the greater depth.
For example, Quinn and Spreitzer (1997) indicate, "empowerment must be defined in terms
of fundamental beliefs and personal orientations" (p. 40), which is an apt description of
organizational culture. Yet they go on to note the manifestations, "Empowered people have a
sense of self-determination. . . .Empowered people have a sense of meaning. . . .Empowered
people have a sense of competence. . . . Empowered people have a sense of impact." (Quinn &
Spreitzer, 1997, p. 40). Other manifestations these authors note in an earlier article include,
"actual barriers to change present …and the social support available to the manager from his/her

boss and peers." (Spreitzer & Quinn, 1996, p. 239), these barriers are aspects of culture. Another
example is provided by Gandz (1990), "A set of shared values is needed. . . .beliefs about the
way things should be done, the standards of behavior that are appropriate, the ethics of
organizational actions. . . .Such values compel and propel behavior" (p. 75)—significant cultural
artifacts which will lead to empowerment.
Ford and Fottler (1995) provide a model of how empowered an individual is on two scales,
job content and job context. The aspects of job context are manifestations of culture; they
indicate, "Job context is much broader. It is the reason the organization needs that job done and
includes both how it fits into the overall organizational mission, goals, and objectives and the
organizational setting within which that job is done. Organizational structure, rewards systems,
mission, goals, objectives and so forth make up the rich tapestry of job context." (p. 22-
23). Organizational structure and reward systems are often put into place with the unknowing
and unquestioned basic assumptions which are part of the culture of the organization. Shein's
position supports this view thusly, "If culture has developed in this sense, it will affect most of
the aspects of an organization—its strategy, its structure, its processes, its reward and control
systems, and its daily routines." (Schein, 1985, p. 244)
An organization seeking to implement empowerment is likely to examine its structure and
reward systems, however if the culture is not also examined by the change agents, replacement
structures and systems are likely to reflect the old assumptions. One such assumption is whether
individuals or groups (teams) should be rewarded for their efforts. Many organizations in the
United States hold that country's value of individualism. If, on the one hand, teams are being
promoted as a tool of empowerment, and on the other hand, individuals are being rewarded for
the work of the team, then employees will unconsciously (or consciously) pick-up on the cultural
norm and will be reluctant to dedicate themselves to the teaming concept where their work may
not be recognized and rewarded. In other words, empowered organizations put their money
where their mouth is.
Mallak and Kurstedt (1996), perhaps more articulately, express this sentiment when they
write, "Managers who understand how empowerment integrates with organizational culture are
motivated to lead employees…and help them internalize the values and traditions [of
empowerment]. These managers help create a work environment where employees take action
for intrinsic reasons more so than for extrinsic reasons." (p. 8). Mallak and Kurstedt provide a

four stage model for cultural integration, because they understand how important the
organization's culture is to the successful implementation of empowerment.
Shipper and Manz (1992), in their description of W. L. Gore and Associates, demonstrate
how committed to empowerment that company is by describing the cultural
manifestations. Some examples include: there are no position titles, all employees are called
Associates; every associate has one or more sponsors who provide training, act as coach or
mentor, and advocate with the compensation committee for the employee's pay increases; all
associates are encouraged to apply their creativity, even to the extent of finding their own job
within the organization after being hired. While these tactics far surpass what another
organization interested in empowering its employees is likely to do, they do reflect what has
been successful for Gore. The cultural values which brought about this unique organizational
culture are the result of the personal values of Gore's founder. Schein notes, "Founders usually
have a major impact on how the group defines and solves its external adaptation and internal
integration problems." (Schein, 1985, p. 210), these are essential components of the development
of culture.
Other authors provide less articulate, though no less powerful, demonstrations of the
importance of organizational culture to employee empowerment. Witness: Blanchard and
Bowles (1998), "It's the understanding, not the work. It's how the work helps others, not units
dealt with." (p. 170); Block (1987), "Creating a vision of greatness [is] the first step toward
empowerment" (p. 99); Ginnodo (1997) "Empowerment serves a purpose. It's not a feel-good
program. It's about accomplishing business objectives. It's a means to an end, not an end in
itself. Empowerment helps employees help the organization and themselves…." (p.12).
By now, it should be clear that the organization's culture is important to employee
empowerment. If an organization's culture does not already support empowerment it must be
changed, However, as Schein points out, "we may be suggesting something very drastic when
we say, 'Let's change the culture'" (Schein, 1985, p. 5). And you may be asking yourself, "How
would we go about changing the culture, should we decide we need to do so?". A very good
question indeed. Fortunately, Schein provides some insight into this. He notes, "Leaders create
culture, but cultures, in turn, create their next generation of leaders." (Schein, 1985, p. 313). If
the leader is acting in a growing organization, he or she needs, "both vision and the ability to
articulate it and enforce it." (Schein, 1985, p. 317). If, however, the organizational culture is

mature, "If it is to change its culture, it must be led by someone who can, in effect, break the
tyranny of the old culture." (Schein, 1985, p. 321). This is accomplished through replacement of
assumptions. "If an assumption is to be given up, it must be replaced or redefined in another
form, and it is the burden of leadership to make that happen." (Schein, 1985, p. 324) Schein
makes a distinction between leaders and managers. I make that distinction as well in the section
on the manager's role below. Schein also provides a useful table of organizational, "Growth
Stages, Functions of Culture, and Mechanisms of Change" (Schein, 1985, p. 271-272).

Management Role
In an empowered organization the managers and supervisors take on a different role than they
usually would in most organizations. The literature is unanimous on this point. It may be
obvious that one aspect of this role change is the sharing of power and authority. Yet, many
managers and supervisors already do this, either actively or passively, through delegation or
abdication, neither of which is empowering people.
Empowerment implies a great deal more. There is an active role for managers and
supervisors rather than the passive one of abdication. There are stages an employee must go
through before he or she should have authority delegated to him or her. There should also be a
recognition that while the employee may be ready to have one aspect of the job delegated to her
or him, she or he may not be ready for delegation in other functional aspects of the job
(Blanchard, Zigarmi & Zigarmi,1985). Managers and supervisors must reframe their perception
of their roles because, "The primary task of supervision is to help people." (Block, 1987, p.
63). Block (1987) also tells us, "As managers we become more powerful as we nurture the
power of those below us." (p. 64).
So what are these new, active roles for managers? First we must understand that, "Managers
and supervisors need to be empowered, too" (Ginnodo, 1997, p. 12). One use of manager's new
found empowerment should be to allow them to remove barriers to employee
empowerment. Conger and Kanungo (1988) describe this as, "providing autonomy from
bureaucratic constraint" (p.478). Harari (1997) asks us to, "imagine that your job is to create an
environment where your people take on the responsibility to work productively in self-managed,
self-starting teams that identify and solve complex problems on their own." Ginnodo (1997) tells
us this, "involves articulating a vision, values, strategies and goals; aligning policies, practices
and business plans; improving processes; organizing, communicating and 'walking the talk' of
total quality. . . .and removing barriers that prevent outstanding performance"[italics are mine]
(p. 8). Gandz (1990) indicates, "Managers need to be willing and capable of changing their roles
from supervisors and work directors to visionaries and coaches." (p. 77)
This new role of coach is also nearly universal in the literature. Coaching is defined as,
"teaching and practice focused on taking action, with celebration when things go well and

supportive redirection when things go wrong, while all the time creating excitement and
challenge for those being coached" ( Blanchard & Bowles, 1998, p.159). Ward (1996) indicates
of coaching, "The objective is to keep giving employees responsibilities which move them along
the capability continuum, eventually reaching 'fully capable of the task'. Naturally, the manager
must be careful to keep adjusting his or her leadership style as the employee becomes more
capable." (p. 22) "Managers also have to learn how to nurture and reward good ideas." (Caudron,
1995, p. 30)
Conger and Kanungo (1988) discuss the importance of the employee's sense of their own
abilities as a factor in their empowerment. These coaching, or, "empowerment strategies…[are]
aimed not only at removing some of the external conditions responsible for powerlessness, but
also (and more important) at providing subordinates with self-efficacy information" (p.
478). Among the coaching strategies noted are, "(a) expressing confidence in subordinates
accompanied by high performance expectations, (b) fostering opportunities for subordinates to
participate in decision making, (c) providing autonomy from bureaucratic constraint, and (d)
setting inspirational and/or meaningful goals."(p. 478). Thomas and Velthouse (1990) indicate
events such as, "inputs from supervisors, staff peers, and subordinates, for example, performance
evaluations, charismatic appeals, training sessions, mentoring advice, and general discussions of
ongoing projects…provides data on which to base task assessments." (p. 671). Task assessments
are those perceptions by the employee of his or her ability to perform, or interest in, the
task. That is, management can change the environment to make completion of the tasks
rewarding intrinsically (for example, through praise and recognition or increased opportunities),
or management can work as a mentor to help the employee perceive his or her contribution as
valuable.
Mallak and Kurstedt (1996) echo this mentoring approach for employees, "and help them
internalize the values and traditions [of the organization]. These managers help create a work
environment where employees take action for intrinsic reasons more so than for extrinsic
reasons." (p. 10). Another aspect of mentoring is role modeling. Block (1987) indicates, "One
way we nurture those below us is by becoming a role model for how we want them to function."
(p. 64). Other authors use a sports analogy to get this same point across. "By setting the key
goals and values, you define the playing field and the rules of the game. You decide who plays
what position. Then you have to get off the field and let the players move the ball." ( Blanchard

& Bowles, 1998, p.79)
If a manager does not perceive her or his role is to help those she or he supervises to grow, then
any empowerment implementation effort will not be successful. A change in role perception is
called for in this instance when implementing employee empowerment. The supervisor must see
potential in the employee and work to bring that potential out. The process is best described as
mentoring or coaching and it entails:
determining the skill level of the employee
sharing information about the goal to be achieved and why it is important to the
organization as a whole
providing for employee training as needed
depending upon the employee's skill level, providing appropriate supervisory support
a directing style for those tasks for which the employee has a low skill level
coaching for those tasks with which the employee has some skills but is lacking
experience or motivation
a supporting style for those tasks where the employee knows what to do but is still
lacking confidence in their abilities
a delegating style for those tasks where the employee is motivated and fully capable.
(Blanchard, Zigarmi & Zigarmi,1985)
ensuring that the employee is consistently growing in skill by providing new
responsibilities for which a higher level of supervision is needed
mentoring the employee such that they absorb both the organizational culture and the
value of empowerment
removing barriers to empowerment present in the organizational structure
ensuring that appropriate resources are available for the employee, or ensuring that the
employee has the appropriate skills to obtain needed resources
providing support for the continued empowerment of the employee
and sharing information about the employee's and the organization's effectiveness.

conclusion
This thesis examines the topic of employee empowerment and seeks to provide a
model for its implementation which addresses needs identified in the literature but
insufficiently addressed previously. Empowerment is defined as a process
whereby: a culture of empowerment is developed, information is shared, competency
is developed, and resources and support are provided. Each of the components of
empowerment—culture, information sharing, competency development, resource
provision, and support—is examined in detail as addressed in the literature. The
benefits of employee empowerment are noted, and objections to it are
addressed. Theoretical foundations of employee empowerment are examined in an
extensive literature review.
A model for understanding and implementing employee empowerment is provided
based upon the precepts of apprenticeship. The apprenticeship model suggests that
employees be viewed first as apprentices while their skills and knowledge within a
given task set are developing, then as journeypersons through continued development,
and finally as masters of their craft. An assessment of organizational empowerment is
provided and training responses based upon this assessment are suggested.

1.Can a consensus be reached by any group of organizational members as to the
definition of empowerment?
YES NO DON'T KNOW
2. What perquisites become available as climbs up in the organizational hierarchy?
NONE FEW MANY DON'T KNOW
3. Who are your mentors within the organization?
MANY FEW NONE
4. In the course of a week, how may times does a low-level, front-line employee need to seek
approval for an action she or he believes is the correct one?
NONE FEW MANY
5. Can any given employee accurately answer the question, "How is the organization doing"?
YES NO DON'T KNOW
6. What is the vision of the organization?
EASILY ANSWERED DON'T KNOW
7. In what aspects of your job have you reached master status?
SEVERAL FEW NONE—NEW TO ORG. NONE—NO EFFORT
8. Are you providing training to anyone within the organization?

YES NO
9. In what aspects of your job do you continue to grow?
SEVERAL FEW NONE
10. When was the last time a project or work effort was delayed due to lack of resources?
LONG TIME AGO RECENTLY ALL THE TIME
11. If your supervisor was away and a customer or another department asked you to complete
a project for which you knew there was capacity to complete, would you be able to agree to
complete the project and access the needed resources?
YES YES, AFTER SEEKING APPROVAL NO
12. If the above request slightly exceeded the known capacity to complete, what would be
your supervisor's boss's response if you decided to accept the project anyway?
PRAISE DON'T KNOW ANGER
13. How would such a decision affect the organization?
POSITIVELY NEGATIVELY DON'T KNOW
14. What would you do if another member of your department disagreed with you about the
decision to accept the project?
DISCUSS TO RESOLUTION GO OVER HIS/HER HEAD
15. Who are your friends in the organization?
MANY FEW NONE DON'T KNOW

Master's project

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (12)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (6)

Similar to Master's project

Similar to Master's project (20)

More from Rana Ratnakar

More from Rana Ratnakar (8)

Master's project