Empowered to perform: A case of university lecturers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Keywords:
self-efficacy, empowerment, leadership, lecturer performance, public universityAbstract
The employees' opportunity to participate in the decision-making process would increase their self-efficacy and performance. This article focuses on a study that investigated the level of self-efficacy and leadership empowerment in a public university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Furthermore, this study also examines the influence of leadership empowerment on lecturers’ self-efficacy. Data in this study was obtained using a questionnaire that adapted from previous researchers and distributed to 354 lecturers that selected using a simple random sampling method. The mean score value for leadership empowerment (M= 4.34, SD=.20) revealed that there is high level practice of this aspect practiced in the university. Furthermore, the mean score value also indicated that self-efficacy among lecturers in the university is at the high level (M= 4.63; SD= .31). The result of regression analysis (R2 value) explained that only 51% of variance changes in lecturers’ self-efficacy level is influenced by leadership empowerment. However, the β values in the analysis indicated that there is significant influence of each dimension of leadership empowerment i.e. leading by example, participative decision making, showing concern/interacting with the team and coaching on the lecturers’ self-efficacy. From the results, it can be concluded that leadership empowerment is one of the crucial aspects in influencing the lecturers’ self-efficacy as this practice encourage lecturers to be innovative and motivated to participate in the efforts of achieving university goals and objectives.
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