Employee empowerment in the health sector in Papua New Guinea: A multilevel (cross-level) study

---

Peter Maima

Fiji National University, Fiji

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

---

Employee empowerment is a valuable management tool used by organizations to improve and enhance performance. Whilst majority of the empowerment literatures concentrate on linear empowerment approach, the emerging multilevel (crosslevel) empowerment has hardly gained research attention so far. Hence, this study used a multilevel model to examine employee empowerment in the health sector in Papua New Guinea and its link with perceived service quality. The study has adopted crosssectional survey of 327 clinicians including nurses in four major hospitals in the country particularly Port Moresby, Kerema and Popondetta General Hospitals including Laloki Psychiatric Hospital between April and May, 2018. Multivariate regression and correlation analyses using EViews (statistical tool) show that structural empowerment and empowering leadership have a statistically significant influence on the employees’ psychology both at the individual and team (unit) levels and in turn these have a significant influence on perceived service quality. Additional analysis of 22 dimensions of all five study variables (structural empowerment, empowering leadership, unit empowerment, psychological empowerment and perceived service quality) indicate a generally weak to moderate empowering leadership practice in leading by example, participative decision-making, coaching, informing and team interactive with an average of 3.5 on a 5 point rating. Furthermore, structural empowerment reveals that hospital employees have limited access to opportunity, information, support, and resources required to perform their roles with an average of 3.3 on a 5 point rating. Also, a reliable workforce was rated 3.7 whilst the appearance of employees and facilities including performance of equipment/materials rated 3.0 on a 5 point scale. The study outcome suggests implications for improvement by adopting multilevel empowerment frameworks to add value to the existing systems particularly within complex and dynamic hospital systems.

Biography

---

Peter Maima is currently pursuing PhD in Business and Health Services Interdisciplinary Study at Fiji National University. He was formerly the Senior Manager of Radiology Department at Popondetta General Hospital, Papua New Guinea. He has 15 years of work experience in the health sector apart from his role as Branch President of Allied Health Workers Association for 9 years before pursuing his doctoral career.

E-mail: petermaima2016@gmail.com