Empowerment Practices Research Articles

What determines the adoption of employee empowerment practices by MNE subsidiaries in China?

PurposeThis paper aims to explore how institutional factors determine the adoption of employee empowerment practices by multinational enterprises (MNEs) subsidiaries in China.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the effects of MNE subsidiaries’ external and internal institutional factors on the degree of employee empowerment practices adopted by these subsidiaries. Using hierarchical regression analysis, hypotheses were tested with a sample of 99 MNE subsidiaries operating in China.FindingsThe results show that both the informal institutions of the host country and the subsidiary’s characteristics play an important role in shaping the degree of empowerment practices adopted by MNE subsidiaries in China.Originality/valueEmployee empowerment practices have been increasingly used by MNEs to leverage human resources for organizational competitive advantage. Although a large body of work has studied a bundle of HRM practices as a whole adopted in MNE subsidiaries, there is a paucity of research on the specific empowerment practices in MNE subsidiaries. This research fills this important gap in the literature by investigating the institutional forces that influence the empowerment practices in MNE subsidiaries in China.

Multiple precarity and intimate family life among African-Chinese families in Guangzhou

ABSTRACT Formal ties between China and several African states have intensified in recent years. Alongside growing economic and trade cooperation, the international mobility of people between China and African states is increasing. Recent studies have shown that African migrants face institutional barriers to integration in Chinese society, however, and the personal and social consequences of these barriers remain under-researched, especially the dynamics of intimate family life. Drawing upon concepts of precarity and ‘low-end globalisation’, this study examines how African-Chinese families navigate everyday life, including work, family and children’s education. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork comprising observations and in-depth interviews with African-Chinese families and one community leader (n = 19). These reveal how families confront the pervasiveness of legal, economic and social precarization in multiple overlapping domains. These social forces have intergenerational repercussions, with adverse impacts on family life, interpersonal relationships and sense of belonging to the local community. Yet precarity offers conditions for practices of empowerment. We conclude with implications for migration studies.

The role and scope of occupational therapy in Africa

Purpose Occupational therapy (OT) is a global health profession that promotes participation in meaningful occupations to enhance well-being, particularly for persons with disabilities. Occupational therapy is relatively new in many African countries and there is limited research regarding the role of OT in this region. Thus, this study aims to understand the role and scope of OT in Africa by exploring its unique contribution to healthcare and cultural considerations for practicing OT in various African contexts. Methods We conducted an exploratory qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured interviews with 15 occupational therapists from 11 African countries. Interview questions focused on participants’ work activities, rewards and challenges of their work, and perceived contribution to healthcare. We audio-recorded and transcribed interviews followed by inductive thematic analysis. Results All participants described maintaining multiple roles. Four main themes (with sub-themes) emerged: advocacy (clients and the profession), collaboration (multi-disciplinary team, professional support, and internationally), maintaining core OT principles (occupation, function, participation, empowerment, and holistic practice), and contextual considerations (community-based services, practice approaches, sustainability, cultural norms, and spirituality). Conclusions Occupational therapists working in African contexts have a unique and challenging role involving advocacy and collaboration. They need to maintain core OT values whilst addressing contextual considerations to ensure culturally relevant practice. Implications for Rehabilitation Occupational therapists have an important role in promoting health and well-being; however, practice is influenced by the cultural context. Occupational therapists in Africa maintain multiple roles, including advocacy for their clients and the profession, and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, for professional support and internationally. African occupational therapists need to be rooted in core OT principles whilst considering their unique context to ensure culturally relevant practice.

Leadership, Staff Empowerment, and the Retention of Nursing Assistants: Findings From a Survey of U.S. Nursing Homes

ObjectivesWe examined the relationship between nursing assistant (NA) retention and a measure capturing nursing home leadership and staff empowerment. DesignCross-sectional study using nationally representative survey data. Setting and ParticipantsData from the Nursing Home Culture Change 2016-2017 Survey with nursing home administrator respondents (N = 1386) were merged with facility-level indicators. MethodsThe leadership and staff empowerment practice score is an index derived from responses to 23 survey items and categorized as low, medium, and high. Multinomial logistic regression weighted for sample design and to address culture-change selection bias identified factors associated with 4 categories of 1-year NA retention: 0% to 50%, 51% to 75%, 76% to 90%, and 91% to 100%. ResultsIn an adjusted model, greater leadership and staff empowerment levels were consistently associated with high (76%-90% and 91%-100%) relative to low (0%-50%) NA retention. Occupancy rate, chain status, licensed practical nurse and certified nursing assistant hours per day per resident, nursing home administrator turnover, and the presence of a union were also significantly associated with higher categories of retention (vs low retention). Conclusions and ImplicationsModifiable leadership and staff empowerment practices are associated with NA retention. Associations are most significant when examining the highest practice scores and retention categories. Nursing homes seeking to improve NA retention might look to leadership and staff empowerment practice changes common to culture change.

Effect of Employee Motivation on Job Performance: In Case of Fiche General Hospital

This study had a major objective to investigate the effect of employee motivation on their job performance Fiche General hospital. It also intended to evaluate employee level of motivational and their level of job performance. In order to meet this objective the researcher has used simple random sampling techniques; in which data were collected from 179 participants out of 351, using likert scale questionnaires. Data has been analyzed in descriptive statistics to describe the level of the respective dependent and independent variable under considerations; and also correlation analysis and multiple regressions has been used to evaluate the effect of employee motivation on job performance in Fiche General Hospital. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlation and regression). The result of the descriptive statistics finding showed that the employee job performance has been under practiced in Fiche General Hospital. The results of inferential statistics have revealed that all motivational factors under study are positively related to employee job performance .According to this findings the employee empowerment practices is more significantly associated and impactful on employee job performance than all motivational factors under study. Therefore, the Fiche General Hospital has been suggested that more empowering their employee will better improve employee job performance. Hence, managers of Fiche General Hospital as advised to more empower their employee in the work place as motivational tool in order to enhance their job performance. Keywords: Empowerment, Job performance, Motivation, Fiche General Hospital DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-7-06 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

A review of arabic text steganography: past and present

<span>Steganography is a strategy for hiding secret information in a cover document in order to avoid attacker from predict about hidden information. Steganography exploit cover message, for instance text, audio, picture and video to hide the secret message. Before this, linguistic text steganographic techniques are implemented just for the English language. But nowadays different languages are used to hide the data like Arabic language. This language is still new in the steganography and still need practices for empowerment. This paper will present the text steganographic method for Arabic language, scholar paper within 5 year will be analyze and compared. The main objective of this paper is to give the comparative analysis in the Arabic steganography method that has been applied by previous researchers. Finally, the disadvantage and advantage of the method also will be presented in this paper.</span>

Strategi Komunikasi untuk Program Corporate Social Responsibility dalam Pemberdayaan Masyarakat

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a company's commitment not only to increase financial benefits, but also to develop a holistic, institutional and sustainable social, economic and regional development (Suharto, 2008). In practice, CSR is often regarded as corporate giving, corporate philanthropy, and corporate community relations. CSR cannot be separated from the practice of community empowerment or often referred to as community development. What is the relationship between CSR and community empowerment and how is the communication strategy for the CSR program in an effort to empower the community? The methodology in this study is of literature review type. The technique of data collection is done by secondary data techniques obtained through searching relevant books, research results related to the topic of writing, mass media news, and relevant journals. The data obtained are then analyzed and completed with qualitative techniques by describing the data obtained to answer the existing debate. The results of the study found that CSR programs cannot be separated from community empowerment. One of the objectives of CSR is to create empowered communities, especially those around the company. In carrying out CSR activities for community empowerment, the role of a communication strategy is expected. The relevant communication strategies include mass communication and intercultural communication. By using these two communication strategies, it is expected that CSR programs for community empowerment will be more effective and efficient.

The Impact of Leadership Communication and Empowerment on Job Motivation Amongst Public Sector Employees in Malaysia

This paper describes a research project that investigated the influence of leadership communication and staff empowerment on job motivation among civil servants. The aim was to fill a gap in the management literature, especially in the Malaysian perspective under the dynamic context of the recent civil servant empowerment practices between state and federal agency departments. Three dimensions on leadership communication had been examined, namely, initiating structure, consideration, and communication orientation, and their link with empowerment and job motivation. A face-to-face survey was performed on 198 respondents from five state agency departments and five federal agency departments using a stratified random sampling technique. As well as the importance of literature contribution, some of the conclusions from this study can give an important insight for the Malaysian practitioners in public sector management. Part of the conclusion suggests that the consideration dimension is proven to be able to encourage empowerment practice and consequently would increase staff motivation. Another finding is that leadership communication based on the three dimensions above is better practised in the federal agencies than the state agencies. The study also proved that leadership communication, empowerment, and forecast factors would contribute toward the increase of motivation among workers.

정신건강사회복지사의 임파워먼트 실천에 관한 질적 연구: 이론과 실천의 딜레마를 중심으로

본 연구는 연구참여자들이 정신건강사회복지사로서 임파워먼트 이론을 실천에 적용하면서 무엇을 경험하고, 이론과 실천 간에서 어떠한 어려움을 경험하는지를 확인하고자 한 연구이다. 이를 위해 일반적 질적 연구 방법으로 정신건강사회복지사 4명을 심층면접 하여 6개의 주제, 26개의 하위주제, 49개의 의미단위를 도출하였다. 연구결과는 6개의 주제와 관련이 있는데, 첫째, 참여자들은 임파워먼트 이론을 실천하면서, ‘임파워먼트 실천을 위한 원칙’, ‘임파워먼트 실천과정에서의 자각’, ‘임파워먼트 실천과정을 통한 성장’ 등을 경험하였다. 둘째, 참여자들은 임파워먼트 이론을 실천하는 과정에서 ‘임파워먼트 실천과정에서의 딜레마’, ‘임파워먼트 실천과정에서 경험하는 개인적 어려움’, ‘소진의 경험과 대처’ 와 같은 어려움을 경험하였다. 본 연구의 결과를 토대로, 임파워먼트의 이론과 실천과정에서의 괴리를 최소화하려는 노력, 정신건강사회복지사의 소진예방을 위한 시도와 역량 강화를 통한 성취감 제고를 위한 제도적인 시도를 제언하였다.

Empowerment and organizational identification

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanism through which perceived empowerment practices in a firm influence employees’ organizational identification. Specifically, the authors posit the mediating role of leader‒member exchange (LMX) and the moderating role of leader trustworthiness in the relationship.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through survey from 236 white-collar employees working in 20 private companies in Turkey. The authors tested the model using hierarchical regression and conditional process analysis.FindingsFindings of this study are as follows: first, LMX mediates the relationship between empowerment practices and organizational identification, second, leader integrity, a dimension of trustworthiness, moderates the relationship between empowerment practices and LMX and the relationship between LMX and organizational identification and, third, leader integrity moderates the indirect effect of empowerment practices on organizational identification via LMX. These direct and indirect effects are stronger when leaders have higher integrity than when they have lower integrity.Originality/valueThis study enhances the understanding of the mechanism through which empowerment practices influence employees’ organizational identification.

ONE-TWO PUNCH OF HIGH WAGES AND EMPOWERING PRACTICES FOR MAINTAINING CARE NETWORKS IN NURSING HOMES

Stabilizing certified nursing assistant (CNA) employment is necessary for maintaining care networks and providing high quality of care for nursing home (NH) residents. This study’s objective was to examine the relationship of high wages and empowerment practices on CNA retention. We used the 2015 Ohio Biennial Survey to construct a facility-level dataset of 547 NHs and estimated multivariable linear regressions. NHs that provided both high wages and high empowerment were associated with a 12.95 percentage-point improvement in the CNA retention rate (SE = 4.53, t-value = 2.86, p = 0.0045). High wages and a high empowerment score did not have significant effects individually (p > .05). Retention rates were similar between NHs that lacked high wages and scored low on the empowerment scale, and NHs that provided one at a high level but not the other. Implications for better retaining CNAs require multiple empowerment practices combined with high hourly wages.

A NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NURSING HOME CULTURE CHANGE AND RESIDENT OUTCOMES

Literature is mixed regarding the relationship between Nursing Home (NH) culture change and resident outcomes, and the majority of studies are limited to small samples. We evaluated this relationship separately for five unique domains of NH culture change (physical environment, resident care, staff empowerment, leadership, and family and community involvement practices) using a 2016/2017 survey administered to a stratified-random national sample of NHs; 74% of NH administrators responded (n=1,583). We assessed the relationship between each culture change domain and 8 outcomes (calculated with MDS 3.0 and Medicare claims data) using resident-level multivariable logistic regression models, that accounted for resident and NH characteristics, and were weighted by facility-level inverse probability weights (to address NH Selection). We found the relationship between NH culture change and resident outcomes varied by culture change domain. High scores on leadership practices (i.e., two-way communication, staff involvement, education/training, respect for workers, and coaching) were most strongly associated with outcomes. Compared to the lowest quartile, performance in the highest quartile (most implementation of practices) on the leadership domain was associated with 13% lower odds (OR: 0.87, 95%CI: 0.78, 0.96) of urinary tract infections, 15% lower odds (OR: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.80, 0.91) of worsened locomotion, and 41% lower odds (OR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.42, 0.83) of physical restraint use. For the other domains the estimates (and statistical significance) of the relationship with outcomes varied more than observed for leadership. Our findings emphasize the importance of high-quality NH leadership. Investments in improved leadership practices may result in higher-quality resident outcomes.

AN EMPIRICAL TYPOLOGY OF CULTURE CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION IN NURSING HOMES

The implementation of culture change (CC) practices has been increasing in U.S. nursing homes (NHs) with varying success. No study has examined the typology of CC implementation across NHs using empirical data. This study aimed to identify an empirical typology of CC implementation and to examine NH organizational characteristics associated with types of CC implementation. An online CC survey using a validated instrument was sent to administrators of 363 NHs in Minnesota and 78 administrators completed the survey. No significant difference in NH characteristics was found between participants and non-participants. Using a hierarchical cluster analysis based on scores of five CC domains, this study identified three distinctive clusters. Overall, NHs most frequently engaged in resident-centered care and environment transformation and least frequently implemented family/community engagement practices. While NHs in cluster 1 (20.8%) performed best in all CC domains, they were distinguished from others by more frequency of family/community engagement, staff empowerment and staff leadership practices. NHs in cluster 3 (41.7%) were distinguished by overall lower engagement of CC practices in all domains. While NHs in cluster 2 (37.5%) and cluster 1 were comparable in environment transformation and resident-centered care, NHs in cluster 2 and cluster 3 were similar in their low family/community engagement. NHs in cluster 3 had significantly lower registered nurse retention, and lower mental health and social service staffing compared to NHs in cluster 2. This typology provides insight into the variations in implementing CC practices across NHs and pragmatic implications for promoting deep and extensive CC.

NURSING HOME CULTURE CHANGE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH DEFICIENCIES: NATIONWIDE PANEL STUDY

Transforming nursing home (NH) cultures—from impersonal institutions to enriching communities where residents and employees thrive—requires multifaceted change. NHs deploy an array of culture change (CC) practices, in three core domains: resident-centered care, staff empowerment, and physical environment. This study uses novel data on CC practice from a nationally representative panel of NHs (N=1,585) surveyed in 2009/2010 and 2016/2017. To understand how changes in practice adoption may relate to quality changes we linked longitudinal data on the CC practice domain scores for resident-centered care, staff empowerment, and physical environment and on NH deficiencies relating to health and quality of life (QoL) and combined these with Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting baseline data. Multinomial logistic regressions incorporating survey weights and inverse probability of weight (to address CC selection) estimated the relative risk ratios (RRR) of increased CC practice corresponding with NHs having fewer or no change in deficiencies, versus increased deficiencies. NHs with much increase in staff empowerment scores had a higher likelihood of no change (compared to an increase) in health deficiencies (RRR 2.0; 95% CI 1.15, 3.61) and severe health deficiencies (RRR 2.03; 95% CI 1.05, 3.93). With a RRR of 1.63, NHs with any improvement in resident-centered care scores appeared to have a higher likelihood of no change (compared to an increase) in QoL deficiencies but statistical significance was not reached (p=0.11). This study provides some support for the benefits of CC practices, and in particular, supports the importance of staff empowerment practices in NHs.

Empowering People—Democratising the Food System? Exploring the Democratic Potential of Food-Related Empowerment Forms

The current food system, characterised by considerable concentrations of economic and political power, is widely regarded as undemocratic and in many respects unsustainable in its outcomes. To address the democratic deficits in the food system, empowerment has become a central claim and point of reference for actors seeking to transform the system. In fact, numerous venues and practices have emerged in recent years to develop people’s capacities to engage with food issues. These range from local food initiatives and health-food movements to food policy councils and government education policies. This article takes a closer look at the theory and practice of democratic empowerment in the food system. It explores whether and how different forms of food-related empowerment have the potential to improve the democratic quality of the food system. Based on a broad analytical understanding of empowerment that is combined with a notion of power-based complex democracy, it is argued that different forms of food-related empowerment promote the development of different types of power, which in turn are constitutive for different functions of the democratic process. From this perspective, the challenge of democratising the food system lies in linking different complementary empowerment practices into functioning configurations of complex democratic governance.

Diversity in Indian Infrastructure Organizations and the Maze of Empowerment

This paper attempts to examine women empowerment practices and the drivers of successful women empowerment initiatives in Indian infrastructure organizations, so as to aid readers in understanding how these initiatives and practices may be optimized for the benefit of better performance management and employee engagement. We have based this paper on a systematic review of literature which seeks to examine the modern thought process and evidence. Emphasis is drawn specifically on reviewing the HR practices of current employers to empower the women in the workforce. Our paper concludes that ensuring that an initiative is crafted to an organization’s and its employees’ needs makes for efficient empowerment initiatives that leave a sustainable impact on the performance, productivity and engagement levels of its beneficiaries and the organization as a whole

Are NGOs Bridging the Gaps? Analyzing Opportunities for Gender and Political Empowerment in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Gender and development approach gained attention during the 1990s, since then government and nongovernmental organizations adopted these approaches for gender and political empowerment in Pakistan. This paper analyzes the contribution of NGO towards gender and political empowerment in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This study explored how NGOs interventions created opportunities for gender and political empowerment. This study presents an analysis of NGO policies and practices for gender and political empowerment in the research area. Qualitative research methods including semi-structured interviews and participant observations were used to conduct this study. The study revealed that NGOs created spaces for political awareness and participation of men and women community members, councilors and policymakers. This study argues that NGOs interventions can create opportunities and effectively contribute to gender and political empowerment goals if contextually planned and implemented in the research area.

Being alert: bridging theory and practice in public sector entrepreneurship

PurposeStudies on entrepreneurship in public agencies suggest that managing for innovation may increase organizational performance. These studies, however, do not take into consideration the processes of opportunity identification. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to, first, situate the concept of opportunity identification within the broader research on public sector entrepreneurship, and second, to explore the relationship between managerial empowerment practices and employee alertness to new opportunities.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses aggregated data from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey – an annual survey of the US Federal employees – to examine the relationship between managerial empowerment practices and employee alertness. The analysis employs a fixed-effects regression to model each panel of the US Federal agencies, from 2011 to 2017.FindingsThe results indicate that managerial empowerment practices have a clear correlation to employee alertness and are substantively different from empowerment practice’s relationship to “innovation” – an outcome of entrepreneurship. These findings suggest that scholarship should include opportunity identification as a moderating variable in future studies on public sector entrepreneurship.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical analysis should be viewed as a novel approach to alertness in order to demonstrate the need to include opportunity identification processes in studies on managing for public sector entrepreneurship. Consequently, the results are not generalizable to all public agencies.Originality/valueThis paper highlights processes of entrepreneurial opportunity identification concerning management practices in the public sector, which scholarship has traditionally ignored.

Filantropi dan Strategi Dakwah terhadap Mualaf: Kolaborasi Mualaf Center Yogyakarta, Dompet Dhuafa, dan Rumah Zakat di Yogyakarta

Existing studies have explored philanthropy as fund management practices for economic empowerment of the poor, or building infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and Islamic boarding schools. This paper portrays another aspect, the role and strategy of Islamic philanthropy organisations in dakwah movement among newly-converted (muallaf) in Yogyakarta. Dakwah activities are normally conducted by dai in mosques through regular sermons. However, that method was considered as less effective as the task of dai is seen to be accomplished when the muallaf recite shahadat. The data here is drawn from a fieldwork at Mualaf Center Yogyakarta (MCY), and its collaboration with Dompet Dhuafa and Rumah Zakat. This research aimed to explore new forms of action by philanthropic organisations in their use of public fund. Through a qualitative approach and a case study method at MCY, this research found that MCY was in partnership with Dompet Dhuafa dan Rumah Zakat in their work. MCY was in charge in supporting spiritual and psychological aspect of muallaf, while Dompet Dhuafa and Rumah Zakat were in charge in empowering the economic and welfare of muallaf. Before receiving such support, the muallaf faced difficulties in conducting Islamic teachings such as praying, fasting, and ablution. After receiving the support, they found easier in fulfilling those.

Investigating the Relationship between Teacher Quality and Students’ Academic Performance with Empowerment as a Mediator

Empowerment is the delegation of power to teachers for sustainability of education system. When teachers are empowered, students’ academic performance will improve. The study investigated the relationship between teacher quality and students’ academic performance with empowerment as a mediator. About 379 teachers were selected randomly from public secondary schools, Kwara state, Nigeria. Structural equation model was utilized to test the hypothesized model. Based on the result of the study, teacher quality was positively related to students’ academic performance which meant that quality of teachers determine the success of students. Insignificant relationship was found between teacher quality and principal empowerment practices which showed that the relationship did not exist. Also, the relationship between principal empowerment practices and students’ academic performance was tested of which the results revealed as insignificant. Lastly, the mediating role of principal empowerment practices was tested on the relationship between teacher quality and students’ academic performance which accounted for partial mediator. To be more specific, the empowerment process should be internalized to complement the qualities of teachers in the schools. Synergy should exist between school heads and teachers for the purpose of students achieving educational objectives.