The Impact of Empowerment in Small Manufacturing Firms
Abstract
Empowerment, and its resultant improvements in both personal and organizational outcomes, has generally been researched and applied in large firms. This study assessed the impact of empowerment in four small manufacturing companies. Results after one year indicate that improvements were realized in productivity, scrap loss, absenteeism, and gross profit. Employees were generally very satisfied with the culture of empowerment within the businesses. Implications for owner/managers of small firms are discussed.
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