Empowerment and the quality of superior-subordinate relationships in the international business environment

Magdalena Stefańska, Gabriel Grabowski

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to identify and explore nature of superior-subordinate relationship and the different uses of empowerment in organizations where employees and managers are of different nationalities. The hypothesis formulated in the study was that a correct relationship fosters empowerment, but this is conditioned by whether or not the work environment is an international one. The research was conducted using the CAWI technique on a non-randomly selected sample of 277 respondents, and confirms a positive correlation between empowerment and the quality of relationships, and also between empowerment and the type of relationship. Moreover, the perception of relationships is modified when an international working environment is considered. In all models, the formal relationship proves to be an irrelevant factor in the use of empowerment. As far as the origin of the superior is concerned, when the superior is a foreigner, the quality, and not the type of the relationship, is the crucial factor. However, an informal relationship becomes important when there are no foreigners. This may cause certain threats in a situation where the company expands internationally.

Keywords: employee empowerment, formal and informal superior-subordinate relation, quality of relation, international work environment, comparative analysis

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