Empowerment: power, culture and leadership – a strategy or fad for the millennium?

Abstract

Since 1990, the number of empirical and applied research dealing with employee empowerment has proliferated. This article will examine four dimensions of power: various resources to influence the outcome of decision‐making; controlling access to those processes; through hegemonic process to legitimize power through culture and norms; and determining the limits of power. A critical perspective from other behavioral sciences will present various designs. Foucauldian Theory will challenge the devolution of power via prior research attempts. Contemporary research on organization culture and structure will be examined via the validation of six hypotheses. Organizational characteristics facilitating empowerment such as vision, openness and teamwork, discipline and control, support and security will be discussed, along with the impact of leadership on an empowered workforce. Psychological dimensions of empowerment: choice, competence, meaningfulness and progress are examined in addition to trust issues. Some conclusions and recommendations will integrate the diverse theories.

Citation

Appelbaum, S.H., Hébert, D. and Leroux, S. (1999), "Empowerment: power, culture and leadership – a strategy or fad for the millennium?", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 11 No. 7, pp. 233-254. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665629910291929