5. CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
5.2. Empowerment Construct
5.2.2. Organisational Empowerment (OE)
5.2.2.2. Empowered Organisation
This type of organisations is well structured, competent, meeting targets, and continuously enhance effectiveness with or without individual empowerment (Zimmerman 2000). He also
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added, organisations with a network management style efficiently compete for acquisition of resources, and leverage of policy are considered empowered organisation. The focus in this type of organisation is the system of governance and multi hierarchical process for operating and resolving conflicts where individuals are a vital broker in the policy-decision process. Skilled and competent employees are playing a significant role in this type of organisation which requires a better understanding of their backgrounds. According to Riger (1984), the conflict between the ideology and the decision-making process leading to demising the organisation, so the understanding of ideological conflict in politically oriented organisations may enhance their empowerment potential. Strategy expansion, creating underpopulated setting, clear organisation structure and governance, and mobilising resources are considered ways for encouraging individual involvement (Zimmerman et al. 1991). This type of involvement is controlled by the organisational system and policies, along with a hierarchical process for process approval.
On the other hand, organised groups are influencing social policies and ensure their needs are met through planning, appeal, data collection, public meeting, and alliance with other organisations to support them achieve their goals (Chekoway 1982). Organisations with a strong social network outside the organisation have better opportunities to grew and expanded faster (Snow et al. 1980). By considering organisations as individuals, they have a better chance of becoming empowered if they have a networking style that connects them with other groups which facilitate resources optimisation towards fostering development (Zimmerman 2000). This type of empowerment forms strong relations between empowered individuals within a group and effective political action that generate a structure for pressure groups through social movement (Glenn 2017).
140 5.2.3. Community Empowerment (CE)
The community is the outer ring that includes individuals and organisations, and based on this understanding; community empowerment will be defined in this section. Scholars like Iscoe (1974) has defined the competent community in which its skilled individuals have the desire and resources to engage in activities aiming to enhance community life as a competent community.
This Iscoe definition is providing the empowered individual dimension and its influence on the community empowerment. On the other hand, when communities interdependently work collaboratively to identify the community needs, develop related strategies, and perform actions to meet these identified needs, such activities are used to describe a competent community (Cotterll 1983). This Cotterll definition provides the empowered organisational dimension and its influence on community empowerment. Hence, competent communities, as suggested by Minkler (1990) are those communities where leadership and its development is shared with the community.
An open governmental system that has strong leadership is seeking advice and support from the citizen, and at the same time takes citizens attitudes and concerns seriously is considered as an example of community process empowering (Zimmerman 2000). This type of process empowerment is providing another dimension for community empowerment participatory. As a result, the empowered community is a platform that initiates the efforts to improve the community, creates involvement opportunities to the citizens, comprises well-connected empowered and empowering organisations, responds to threats to maintain quality life, and facilitates resource accessibility to all citizens, (Zimmerman 2000).
141 5.2.3.1. Social and Structural Empowerment
Social and structural empowerment is related to social theories like social change and social power (Uzunbacak 2015). Social and structural features (socio-structural) and elements of empowerment have a significant influence on the employee empowerment (Spreitzer 1995).
According to Samad (2007), there are two types of socio-structural features; the first one is related to the employee empowerment like leaders performance, work environment, and organisational culture. The second socio-structural features are related to managerial effectiveness and innovation like information sharing, control, and rewarding. These two types of empowerment are based on notions and values of democracy that organisations practice through their effective leadership.
Based on Kanter’s four lines of structural power, organisations who are seeking social and structural empowerment should provide their employees from all levels with opportunities for career and professional development, socio-political support, minimising organisational hierarchy, facilitate accessing resources, and encourage employees participation to facilitate information access (Mendoza-Sierra et al. 2014). According to Uzunbacak (2015), for social and structural empowerment influence, it is essential for an organisation to increase employees participation in the decision-making process and through transferring the responsibilities to the subaltern. He also stated that “the sharing of authority and responsibility provides more space for the management to improve the organisation and to ponder creative and innovative ideas”.
The focus of social and structural empowerment is on the organisation's capabilities and efforts to eliminating obstacles at organisational, institutional, political, economic, social, and
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cultural grounds that might lead to weakening the employees (Spreitzer 1996). Spreitzer explained that these efforts should be through facilitating role clarity, so employees are aware of their responsibilities and how to do them in addition to the access to the required resources. Also, organisations should restructure power when required to make sure that managers are more efficient. Furthermore, when employees make a decision, the organisation through socio-political support will make it possible to acknowledge such decisions. Finally, it is crucial for an organisation to establish a healthy working environment and create an atmosphere that promotes participation and access to the opportunities, support, resources, and information (Kanter’s four lines of structural power).