This study examines the mediating effect of teacher empowerment on the relationship between teachers’ participation in decision making and their professional commitment. The data were collected through quantitative questionnaires from a sample of 983 teachers in 25 junior high schools and 27 high schools in Israel. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that teacher empowerment mediated the effect of teachers’ participation in decision making (technical domain) on teacher commitment, thus demonstrating the critical role of empowerment in enhancing teacher commitment. The teachers’ sense of empowerment is also related to their desire to be leaders. Implications are drawn regarding the important role that principals and other school administrators need to play in enhancing the teachers’ sense of empowerment.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AranyaN., & FerrisK. R. (1984). A re-examination of accountants’ organizational-professional conflict. Accounting Review, 59, 1–15.
2.
ArmenakisA. A., HarrisS. G., & MossholderK. W. (1993). Creating readiness for organizational change. Human Relations, 46, 681–703.
3.
AronsteinL. W., MarlowM., & DesiletsB. (1990). Detours on the road to site-based management. Educational Leadership, 407(7), 61–63.
4.
BacharachS. B., BambergerP., ConleyS. C., & BauerS. (1990). The dimensionality of decision participation in educational organization: The value of multi-domain evaluative approach. Educational Administration Quarterly, 26, 126–167.
5.
BaronR. M., & KennyD. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.
BiziorekM. K. (1999). School-based decision making: The relationship between teachers’ decision involvement and their job satisfaction. Dissertation Abstracts International, Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 60(3-A), 0654.
8.
BlaseJ., & BlaseJ. R. (1994). Empowering teachers: What successful principals do.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
9.
BlauG. J., & BoalK. B. (1989). Using job involvement and organizational commitment interactively to predict turnover. Journal of Management, 15, 115–127.
10.
BoglerR. (2001). The influence of leadership style on teacher job satisfaction. Educational Administration Quarterly, 37(5), 662–683.
11.
BredesonF. V. (1989). Redefining leadership and the roles of schools: Responses to changes in the professional work-life of teachers. High School Journal, 23, 9–20.
12.
BuchananB. (1974). Building organizational commitment: The socialization of managers in work organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 19, 533–546.
13.
ClementM., & VandenbergheV. (2000). Teacher's professional development: A solitary or collegial (ad)venture?Teaching and Teacher Education, 16, 81–101.
14.
CohenJ. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
15.
ColadarciT. (1992). Teachers’ sense of efficacy and commitment to teaching. Journal of Experimental Education, 60(4), 323–337.
16.
CongerJ. A., & KanungoR. N. (1988). The empowerment process: Integrating theory and practice. Academy of Management, 13(3), 471–482.
17.
DeciE. L., & RyanR. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior.New York: Plenum.
18.
DeeJ. R., HenkinA. B., & DuemerL. (2003). Structural antecedents and psychological correlates of teacher empowerment. Journal of Educational Administration, 41(3), 257–277.
19.
DukeD. L., & GansnederB. (1990). Teacher empowerment: The view from the classroom. Educational Policy, 4, 145–160.
20.
DukeD. L., ShowersB. K., & ImberM. (1980). Teachers and shared decision making: The costs and benefits of involvement. Educational Administration Quarterly, 16, 93–106.
21.
EnderleM. D. (1999). Decision making involvement and job satisfaction of accelerated schools’ elementary teachers. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 59(7-A), 2264.
22.
EtzioniA. (1961). A comparative analysis of complex organization on power, involvement and their correlates.New York: Free Press.
23.
EvansE. D., & TribbleM. (1986). Perceived teaching problems, self-efficacy and commitment to teaching among preservice teachers. Journal of Educational Research, 80(2), 81–85.
24.
EversC. W. (1990). Schooling, organizational learning and efficiency in the growth of knowledge. In ChapmanJ. (Ed.), School-based decision making and management (pp. 55–70). London: Falmer
25.
FarberB. (1984). Stress and burnout in suburban teachers. Journal of Educational Research, 77, 325–331.
26.
FirestoneW. A., & PenneIlJ. R. (1993). Teacher commitment, working conditions and differential Incentive policies. Review of Educational Research, 63(4), 489–525.
27.
FirestoneW. A., & RosenblumS. (1988). Building commitment in urban high schools. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 10(4), 285–299.
28.
FullanM. G. (1997). Change forces.London: Falmer.
29.
GazielH. H., & WeissI. (1990). School bureaucratic structure, locus of control and alienation among primary schoolteachers. Research in Education, 44, 55–66.
30.
GruberJ., & TrickettE. J. (1987). Can we empower others? The paradox of empowerment in an alternative public high school. American Journal of Community Psychology, 15, 353–372.
31.
GuskeyT. R. (1984). The influence of change in Instructional effectiveness upon the affective characteristics of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 21, 245–259.
32.
HackmanJ. R., & LawlerE. E., IE. (1971). Employee reactions to job characteristics. Journal of Applied Psychology, 55, 259–286.
33.
HoyW. K., & TarterC. J. (1993). A normative theory of participative decision making in schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 31(3), 4–19.
34.
ImperM., NeidtW. A., & ReyesP. (1990). Factors contributing to teacher satisfaction with participative decision making. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 23(4), 216–225.
35.
JohnsonS. M. (1990). Teachers at work: Achieving success in our schools.New York: Basic.
36.
KanterR. M. (1968). Commitment and social organization: Study of commitment mechanisms in Utopian communities. American Sociological Review, 33, 499–517.
37.
KanungoR. N. (1992). Alienation and empowerment: Some ethical imperatives in business. Journal of Business Ethics, 11, 413–422.
38.
KirbyP. C., & ColbertR. (1994) Principals who empower teachers. Journal of School Leadership, 4, 39–50.
39.
KleckerB. J., & LoadmanW. E. (1998). Defining and measuring the dimensions of teacher empowerment in restructuring public schools. Education, 118(3), 358–05.
40.
KoopmanP. L., & WierdsmaA. F. M. (1998). Participative management. In DrenthP. J. D., ThierryH., & De WolffC. J. (Eds.), A handbook of work and organizational psychology: Vol. 3. Personnel psychology (2nd ed., pp. 297–324). London: Psychology Press, Taylor & Francis.
41.
KukuS. M., & TaylorV. J. W. (2002). Teacher participating in decision making: A comparative study of school leader and teacher perceptions in North Philippine academies. International Forum, 5(1), 19–46.
42.
KushmanJ. W. (1992). The organizational dynamics of teacher workplace commitment: A study of urban elementary and middle schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 28(1), 5–42.
43.
LashwayL. (1996). The limits of shared decision making. ERIC Digest, No. 108. (ERIC Production ED368034)
44.
LeithwoodK. A., JantziD., & SteinbachR. (1999). Changing leadership for changing times.Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
45.
LichtensteinG., McLaughlinM., & KnudsenJ. (1991, July). Teacher empowerment and professional knowledge. (ERIC Document 337857)
46.
LightfootS. L. (1986). On goodness of schools: Themes of empowerment. Peabody Journal of Education, 63(3), 9–28.
47.
LiontosL. B. (1994). Shared decision making. (ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, ED 368 034)
48.
LodahlT. M., & KejnerM. (1965). The definition and measurement of job involvement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 49, 24–33.
49.
LouisK. S., & SmithB. (1991). Restructuring, teacher engagement and school culture: Perspectives on school reform and the improvement of teacher's work. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 2, 34–52.
50.
LouisK. S., & SmithB. (1992). Cultivating teacher engagement: Breaking the iron law of social class. In NewmannF. (Ed.), Student engagement and achievement in American secondary schools (pp. 119–152). New York: Teachers College Press.
51.
MaeroffG. I. (1988). The empowerment of teachers: Overcoming the crisis of confidence.New York: Teachers College Press.
52.
MartinL., & KraglerS. (1999). Creating a culture for teacher’ professional growth. Journal of School Leadership, 9(4), 311–320.
53.
MatonK. I., & RappaportJ. (1984). Empowerment in a religious setting: A multivariate investigation. Prevention in Human Services, 3, 37–72.
54.
MayerR. C., & SchoormanF. D. (1992). Predicting participation and production outcomes through a two-dimensional model of organizational commitment. Academy of Management Journal, 35, 671–684.
55.
MorrisJ. M., & ShermanD. J. (1981). Generalizability of an organizational commitment model. Academy of Management Journal, 24, 512–526.
56.
MowdayR. T., PorterL.W., & SteersR. M. (1982). Employee-organization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism and turnover.New York: Academic Press.
57.
PfefferJ. (1994). Competitive advantage through people: Unleashing the power of the workforce.Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
58.
PrawatR. S. (1991). Conversations with self and settings: A framework for thinking about teacher empowerment. American Educational Research Journal, 28, 737–757.
59.
ReyesP. (1990). Teacher and their work place: Commitment, performance, and productivity.Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
60.
RinehartJ. S., & ShortP. M. (1991). Viewing reading recovery as a restructuring phenomenon. Journal of School Leadership, 1(4), 379–399.
61.
RinehartJ. S., & ShortP. M. (1994). Job satisfaction and empowerment among teacher leaders, reading recovery teachers and regular classroom teachers. Education, 114(4), 570–580.
62.
RosenblattZ. (2001). Teachers’ multiple roles and skill flexibility: Effects on work attitudes. Educational Administration Quarterly, 38, 684–708.
63.
RosenholtzS. J. (1989). Teachers’ workplace: The social organization of schools.New York: Longman.
64.
RossS. M., TroutmanA., HorganD., MaxwellS., LaitinenR., & LowtherD. (1997). The success of schools in implementing eight restructuring designs: A synthesis of first-year evaluation outcomes. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 8(1), 95–124.
65.
SchermerhornJ. R., HuntJ. G., & OsbornR. N. (1994). Managing organizational behavior.New York: Wiley.
66.
SchneiderG. T. (1984). Teacher involvement in decision making zones of acceptance, decision conditions, and job satisfaction. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 18(1), 25–32.
67.
ShapiroA. S., BenjaminW. F., HuntJ. J., & ShapiroS. (1995). Facilitating administrative decision making and organizational change via a decision making process as a social enterprise. In BredesonP. V. & ScribnerJ. P. (Eds.), The professoriate: Challenges and promises (pp. 80–92). Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing.
68.
ShortP. M., GreerJ. T., & MelvinW. M. (1994). Creating empowered schools: Lessons in change. Journal of Educational Research, 32(4), 38–52.
69.
ShortP. M., Miller-WoodD., & JohnsonP. (1991). Risk taking and teacher involvement in decision making. Education, 112(1), 843–889.
70.
ShortP. M., & RinehartJ. S. (1992). School participant empowerment scale: Assessment of level of empowerment within the school environment. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(6), 951–960.
71.
ShortP. M., RinehartJ. S., & EckleyM. (1999). The relationship of teacher empowerment and principal leadership orientation. Educational Research Quarterly, 22(4), 45–52.
72.
SmithL. J., MaxwellS., LowtherD., HackerD., BolL., & NunneryJ. (1997). Activities in schools and programs experiencing the most, and least, early implementation successes. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 8(1), 125–150.
73.
SmylieM. (1992). Teacher participation in school decision making: Assessing willingness to participate. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 14(1), 53–67.
74.
SmylieM. (1995). New perspectives on teacher leadership. Elementary School Journal, 96(1), 3–7.
75.
SomechA., & BoglerR. (2002). Antecedents and consequences of teacher organizational and professional commitment. Educational Administration Quarterly, 38(4), 555–577.
76.
SweetlandS. R., & HoyW. K. (2000). School characteristics and educational outcomes: Toward an organizational model of student achievement in middle schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 36(5), 703–729.
77.
TarterC. J., & HoyW. K. (1998). Toward a contingency theory of decision making. Journal of Educational Administration, 36(3), 212–228.
78.
TaylorD. L., & BogotchJ. E. (1994). School-level effects of teachers’ participation in decision making. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 16, 302–319.
79.
VroomV. H., & JagoA. G. (1988). The new leadership: managing participation in organizations.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
80.
VroomV. H., & YettonP. W. (1973). Leadership and decision making.Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
81.
WallR., & RinehartJ. R. (1998). School-based decision making and the empowerment of secondary school teachers. Journal of School Leadership, 8(1), 49–64.
82.
WeaverE. H. (1997). The self-managing school: A case study of school-based decision making with regard to curriculum, power, and human resources. Abstract from ProQuest File (Dissertation Abstracts Item 9724522).
83.
WhiteP. A. (1992). Teacher empowerment under “ideal” school-site autonomy. Educational Evaluation, 14(1), 69–83.
84.
WuV., & ShortP. M. (1996). The relationship of empowerment to teacher job commitment and job satisfaction. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 25, 85–89.
85.
YousefD. A. (2000). Organizational commitment: A mediator of the relationships of leadership behavior with job satisfaction and performance in a non-western country. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 15, 6–23.
86.
ZielinskiA. E., & HoyW. K. (1983). Isolation and alienation in elementary schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 19(2), 17–5.
87.
ZimmermanM. A., & RappaportJ. (1988). Citizen participation, perceived control and psychological empowerment. American Journal of Community Psychology, 16(5), 725–750.
