Effects of Application of Bowen and Lawler’s (1992) Employee Empowerment Model on Monitoring and Evaluations of Activities in the South African Public Healthcare System

Abstract

Basing on Bowen and Lawler’s (1992) conceptualization of empowerment as a multi-dimensional management construct, this paper examines the influence of structural and psychological empowerment measures on monitoring and evaluations of activities in the South African public healthcare system. The findings revealed that structural empowerment enhances monitoring and evaluations of public sector activities by providing employees with authority and power to identify and resolve problems at the lowest possible levels. On the other hand, the paper noted that psychological empowerment induces employees’ self-confidence, determination and competence to ensure that public sector activities are effectively accomplished according to prescribed standards and service delivery criteria. In effect, it was argued that the application of these two employee empowerment constructs result into improving monitoring and evaluations of public sector activities, and subsequently the achieving of outlined strategic public healthcare objectives and goals.

Keywords; Employee Empowerment; Structural Empowerment; Psychological Empowerment; Monitoring; Evaluations; Public Healthcare System.