EMPOWERED MANAGERS AND EMPOWERED WORKERS - THE EFFECTS OF MANAGERIAL SUPPORT AND MANAGERIAL PERCEIVED CONTROL ON WORKERS SENSE OF CONTROL OVER DECISION-MAKING

In this study, we sought to identify conditions under which workers co uld experience empowered managers as empowering. Within an organizatio nal context, we defined empowerment as the belief that one has control over decision making. Specifically, we proposed that when workers bel ieve that their managers both have a high level of control over decisi on making and are supportive, workers will report that they themselves are empowered. We reasoned that managers who exercise power in a supp ortive manner will be an empowering force for their workers. In suppor t of these hypotheses, we found that it is possible for both workers a nd supportive managers to enjoy relatively high levels of perceived co ntrol over organizational decisions.