Antecedents and consequences of pharmacists' empowerment.

Abstract

A theoretical model, that expands on Kanter's Theory of empowerment, was tested to investigate the effects of power factors, need for achievement, job characteristics, and structural, and psychological empowerment on pharmacists' commitment, loyalty, identification, and job turnover intention. A 136-item questionnaire was constructed for the study. Participants: a national random sample of 1,200 licensed pharmacists. Data collection: data were collected using a self-administered mail questionnaire. Data analyses: data were entered in SPSS version 10.1. Descriptive statistics, analyses of variance, regression analyses, and structural equation modeling were conducted. After five mailings, a usable response rate of 40% was obtained. Most of the respondents were white males and their average age was 47 years. The majority had graduated with a B.S. degree and had full-time jobs as staff community pharmacists. The test of the hypothesized model suggested a good fit of the data. Since the chi-square test is sensitive to sample size (Chi-square = 626.46, df = 172, p < 0.05), additional goodness-of-fit indices were examined RMSEA = 0.07, NNFI = 0.88, SRMR = 0.06, and CFI = 0.90. All the coefficients in the model were significant except for the effects of psychological empowerment. In addition, the model explained 42%, 68%, 72%, 53%, 82%, and 77% of job turnover intention, identification, commitment, loyalty, structural and psychological empowerment respectively. Consistent with theoretical considerations, pharmacists who perceive having access to power factors in their jobs are more likely to be empowered and, in turn, have higher levels of commitment, loyalty, and identification. Also, those who are structurally empowered have higher levels of commitment and loyalty and a lower level of job turnover intention. Results of the study provide empirical evidence and potential guidelines for theory-based management interventions to improve pharmacists' quality of work life.