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Organization Management Journal Linking Theory & Practice: EAM White Papers Series 2006 Vol. 3, No. 3, 210-231 © 2006 Eastern Academy of Management ISSN 1541-6518 www.omj-online.org

Effective Empowerment in Organizations
GARY A. YUKL University at Albany WENDY S. BECKER University at Albany
Psychological empowerment is the perception that workers can help determine their own work roles, accomplish meaningful work, and influence important decisions. Empowerment has been studied from different perspectives, including employee perceptions, leadership behaviors, and management programs. Despite positive rhetoric, programs designed to increase empowerment seldom achieve the benefits promised. Inconclusive and seemingly contradictory outcomes stem from the fact that few companies give employees significant control and access to management information. A half century of research suggests that empowerment strategies can offer real benefits. We outline facilitating conditions for effective empowerment, including characteristics of organizations, leaders, employees, and the work itself. Keywords: Empowerment, Leadership, Teams, Power Sharing

Effective Empowerment in Organizations Psychological empowerment in organizations is the perception by members that they have the opportunity to help determine work roles, accomplish meaningful work, and influence important decisions. Over the past several decades an interest in empowerment can be seen in many subject areas within psychology and management, including motivation, leadership, group processes, decision making, and organizational design. Many studies have examined aspects of leadership behavior or management programs that can increase empowerment, and a much smaller number of studies have examined the effects of such determinants on the perceptions of employees and on outcomes such as unit performance. Since a program

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