THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF JOB-RELATED ATTITUDES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Abstract

The current study examined the mediating effect of job-related attitude on the relationship between employee empowerment and performance of Public Universities in Kenya. Conceptual and empirical literature was reviewed and hypotheses formulated. A positivist paradigm using descriptive research design was used. The population comprised the staff of Chartered Public Universities in Kenya 2013. Proportionate random stratified sampling and multi stage sampling was used. The literature review revealed that a number of studies have been conducted on the relationship between employee empowerment and performance. However, these studies did not examine the mediating effect of job-related attitude on the relationship. A questionnaire with Likert-type interval scale anchored on a five-point scale was used to collect primary data. Descriptive statistics were computed for organizational data and the main characteristics of the study variable. Data was presented in tables, charts and figures. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson's product moment, stepwise and multiple regression and change statistics for data analysis and tests. The results revealed that employee empowerment and job-related attitude have a positive relationship with the performance. The strength of the relationship between employee empowerment and organizational performance was found not to be mediated by job-related attitude. The study contributes to knowledge by empirically confirming that job-related attitudes are not mediators of the influence of employee empowerment on organizational performance contrary to previous studies.