Administrative empowerment among Kuwait University staff and its effect on their job satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify administrative empowerment and job satisfaction levels among Kuwait University staff. The study also aimed to reveal the relationship between administrative empowerment and job satisfaction. In addition, the study sought to identify any statistically significant differences in the study sample responses regarding employees’ administrative empowerment and job satisfaction attributed to the study variables (gender and years of experience). Finally, the study sought to identify the possibility of predicting job satisfaction level among Kuwait University staff through administrative empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample consisted of 115 administrators chosen from different faculties at Kuwait University. The study used a PLS-SEM via SMARTPLS version 3.2.8 depending on questionnaires as the study’s tools.

Findings

The results revealed that Kuwait University staff enjoyed medium administrative empowerment levels. On the other hand, they had higher job satisfaction levels. It found a statistically positive correlation between job satisfaction and administrative empowerment. The study has found significant associations of administrative empowerment, participation in decision making, group work and self-motivation with job satisfaction.

Originality/value

The study recommends identifying regulatory obstacles that could prevent the dissemination and resolution of empowerment policy and culture.

Citation

Aldaihani, S.G. (2020), "Administrative empowerment among Kuwait University staff and its effect on their job satisfaction", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 210-229. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-02-2019-0027