Exploring the Role of Employee Empowerment in Enhancing Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction
Keywords:
Employee Empowerment, Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, Qualitative Research, Psychological Empowerment, Leadership, Tehran, NVivoAbstract
This study aimed to explore how employee empowerment contributes to organizational commitment and job satisfaction among employees in public and private organizations in Tehran. Using a qualitative research design, this study employed semi-structured interviews with 24 employees from various organizations in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure relevant professional experience with empowerment-related practices. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo software, following the six-phase framework proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006). Trustworthiness was enhanced through member checking, peer debriefing, and audit trails. Thematic analysis revealed three major themes: (1) Dimensions of Employee Empowerment, (2) Organizational Commitment Outcomes, and (3) Impact on Job Satisfaction. Subthemes under empowerment included participative decision-making, access to resources, communication transparency, and supportive leadership. Empowerment was found to significantly enhance affective and normative organizational commitment by fostering emotional attachment, value alignment, and interpersonal trust. Job satisfaction was positively linked to empowerment via autonomy, meaningful work, growth opportunities, and improved work-life balance. Participant quotations illustrated how empowered environments create a sense of ownership, recognition, and psychological safety. These findings were consistent with existing empowerment and motivation theories, such as those by Spreitzer (1995) and Deci & Ryan (2000). Employee empowerment functions as a multifaceted mechanism that promotes deeper commitment and satisfaction by addressing both structural and psychological needs. The findings underscore the need for organizations to embed empowerment practices into leadership behaviors, HR policies, and organizational culture, particularly in hierarchical or bureaucratic contexts like Iran. This study contributes to the global empowerment literature by offering culturally specific insights and practical guidance for fostering employee engagement and retention.
Downloads
References
Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. (1996). Affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the organization: An examination of construct validity. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 49(3), 252–276. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1996.0043
Chi, C. G., & Pan, S. Y. (2012). A meta-analysis of the relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover intention in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(1), 130–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2011.06.003
Conger, J. A., & Kanungo, R. N. (1988). The empowerment process: Integrating theory and practice. Academy of Management Review, 13(3), 471–482. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1988.4306983
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1987). The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024–1037. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.6.1024
Farazmand, A. (2004). Innovation in strategic human resource management: Building capacity in the age of globalization. Public Organization Review, 4(1), 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PORJ.0000015643.56861.56
Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Kanter, R. M. (1993). Men and women of the corporation. Basic Books.
Khademfar, M., & Amiri, R. (2013). The relationship between ethical leadership and organizational performance (Small Review on Malaysian Studies). International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(1), 34–41.
Laschinger, H. K. S., Finegan, J., Shamian, J., & Wilk, P. (2001). Impact of structural and psychological empowerment on job strain in nursing work settings: Expanding Kanter’s model. Journal of Nursing Administration, 31(5), 260–272. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005110-200105000-00006
Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. J., & Sparrowe, R. T. (2000). An examination of the mediating role of psychological empowerment on the relations between the job, interpersonal relationships, and work outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(3), 407–416. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.85.3.407
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Locke, E. A. (1976). The nature and causes of job satisfaction. In M. D. Dunnette (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 1297–1349). Rand McNally.
Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1991). A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment. Human Resource Management Review, 1(1), 61–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/1053-4822(91)90011-Z
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Seibert, S. E., Wang, G., & Courtright, S. H. (2011). Antecedents and consequences of psychological and team empowerment in organizations: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(5), 981–1003. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022676
Spreitzer, G. M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 38(5), 1442–1465. https://doi.org/10.5465/256865
Thomas, K. W., & Velthouse, B. A. (1990). Cognitive elements of empowerment: An “interpretive” model of intrinsic task motivation. Academy of Management Review, 15(4), 666–681. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1990.4310926
Zhang, X., & Bartol, K. M. (2010). Linking empowering leadership and employee creativity: The influence of psychological empowerment, intrinsic motivation, and creative process engagement. Academy of Management Journal, 53(1), 107–128. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.48037118
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
