The relationship between leadership and employee empowerment for successful total quality management

The aim of this thesis is to assist industry leaders in Australia understand the nature of employee empowerment by identifying the characteristics of employee empowerment, the leadership strategies required to guide employee behaviour changes and the interaction between the two concepts. This thesis argues that in the 1990's the role of leadership needs to change in order to address the threat of increasing competition. The role of leadership needs to focus on employee development and enhancing their ability to adapt to change, be innovative, creative and committed to achieving the goals of the organisation. Effective leadership is therefore reflected in the behaviour of employees. A characteristic identified as employee empowerment. The research for this study had two components. First was the development of the model to investigate the relationship between leadership strategies and employee empowerment behaviour in a workplace setting. The second research component of the study was testing the model. Testing required the development of a multi-component workplace survey instrument. A range of validation methodologies supported the survey instrument. The case study site was a government organisation. Results provided answers to each of the research questions. Among other findings, it was found that factors other than leadership could also moderate empowerment behaviours. The results of the study, if replicated, have important significance to Australian industry. Serious questions are raised concerning the direction of previous leadership research. Furthermore a new focus is provided to explain why TQM fails in organisations. Another key point highlighted in the study was the importance of using practical models that can be tested in the workplace