Understanding the effects of empowering leadership on positive and negative performance behaviors: A manufacturing sector study

Abstract

For several years, the North American manufacturing sector has been facing several labour issues that undermine productivity. To address these issues and remain competitive, manufacturing firms must implement measures to promote overall worker performance. This study presents an integrative to understand the differentiated impact of empowering leadership (EL) on four dimensions of performance (task, citizenship, innovation, deviance) through two mediators (psychological empowerment (PE) and affective organizational commitment). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data from 250 employee–supervisor dyads in the manufacturing industry. On the one hand, our results reveal that EL exerts a positive influence on citizenship and innovative behavior through increased PE. On the other hand, it is negatively associated to deviance behaviors through heightened levels of affective organizational commitment. This study allows us to better understand how EL enhances multiple performance dimensions necessary to organizations' competitiveness in manufacturing and other sectors.