A theoretical approach to studying work empowerment in nursing: A review of studies testing kanter’s theory of structural power in organizations

Abstract

Although work empowerment is a common theme in the current nursing systems literature, few systematic programs of research have studied the phenomenon from an explicitly theoretical framework. The author summarizes the results of a series of studies in a program of research designed to test Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s Structural Theory of Organizational Behavior in the nursing population. Future directions for theory and research are proposed. © 1996 Aspen Publishers, Inc.