Universal Empowerment: A Qualitative Exploration of Contributing and Defining Factors of Cognitive Empowerment of Middle Managers

Abstract

The universal model of empowerment was developed as a model which builds on the Thomas and Velthouse Model (1990) and is an extension of the Siitonen and Robinson Model (1998). It was named because of its physical characteristics and inclusiveness, not because it makes any claims to being an ultimate definition of empowerment. In fact, on the upper left edge of the universal model, there are unidentified forces, just as there are still unidentified forces in the celestial universe. Rather, it offers a new way to look at aspects of empowerment together which have previously been considered and discussed as separate entities.