This document provides teaching notes for a case study on employee empowerment at an Indian organization. The case highlights unique HR strategies adopted to manage employees in a way that led to high commitment, efficiency, and business success meeting global standards. Key strategies included developing ownership culture and high-performance work systems through empowering employees. The goals of discussing the case are to understand the importance of people management and how HR can be innovatively developed through empowerment approaches.

1. Teaching Notes for the Case in Empowerment
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Dr. M M Bagali, PhD
PhD in Management, AIMA-AMT
Dean-MBA programme,
Professor of Strategic HR and OB
Brand Ambassador for Asian HR Board Fellow, AHRB
New Horizon College of Engineering, Marathalli, Outer Ring Road,
Bangalore – 560 087, Karnataka State, sanbag@rediffmail.com
The Making of an Empowered Workforce:
Demystifying a Case of Practicing Indian Organisation
Address: # 80, Machhe Industrial Estate,Machhe, Belgaum- 590014,Karnataka State
website: www.polyhydron.com

2. Abstract:
Experience has shown that developing human resources often results in achieving a sustained
organizational growth. Various strategies are being adopted by business organizations in this
regard. One also sees a paradigm shift from an approach understood as ‘welfare approach’ to
that of an approach commonly known as the ‘empowerment approach’. This approach of Page | 2
employee empowerment has seen interesting outcomes and hence has been accepted almost
all across the world. This case is an empirical study of an Indian industry. It highlights some
unique strategies adopted for managing human resources in this industry. The efforts have
paid large dividends to the company. The workforce is committed as well as efficient. The
business organization has succeeded and has been able to achieve global standards. The study
makes an attempt to advocate the cause of employee empowerment and calls upon
practitioners to shift their practices towards employee empowerment. The study also makes an
attempt to demystify the concept of employee empowerment. On the macro level, the methods
followed by the organisation studied would be considered revolutionary anywhere in the
world and even more so in India. Infact, one sometimes wonders how the whole effort did not
end in chaos. The company has apparently succeeded in developing a work force and a
leadership almost devoid of the foibles of most other humans.
Key words:
Empowerment, High performance work systems, Leadership, Ownership culture
Goals of the Case:
The goal of the present case discussion is to drive in understanding the importance of
Employee Empowerment. Further, how can such practices be undertaken and what should be
the methodology. Finally, to prepare the HR Manager / Executive to look at empowerment as
the big step for People Management, per se.
Pedagogical Objectives of the Case:
1. To understand the importance of people management
2. How can HR be innovatively developed, managed and nurtured
3. Crystallizing the reasons as to “Why top companies” are different
4. To explore and analyze conditions that makes workplace empowered
5. The role of HR / CEO in changing the workplace towards empowerment

3. Methodology:
The present case is part of Micro Strategic HR Practices, OB area, Leadership, Organizational
Change, Sociology of Culture, Change Management, for creating an empowered place to
work.
1. This case has to be used at HR course, both at junior level and senior level Page | 3
management course.
2. After giving an introduction about the subject HR, its implication and the importance
of HR in corporate success, this case may be introduced at multiple levels at junior level. Few
sessions about HR practices at different organisations as base for understanding the concept
will be the apt approach.
3. This case may run for 4 -5 hrs with a sixe group of 3-4 students in the class. The class
may be given to read some initial material on HR, HR Practices, and Leadership, great place
to work practices, and some present practices in Corporate. For this, the material could be
from Indian Organisation like Infosys, WIPRO, HUL (HLL), et al.
4. Then the issue of empowerment can be discussed, with a briefing on what
empowerment is all about, the scope of empowerment in different angles and practices of
empowerment. The material and literature from the work done by Foundation for Enterprise
Development – FED, and Beyster Institute for Entrepreneurial Employee Ownership , USA;
Argyris, Chris (1998):“Empowerment: The Emperor’s new Clothes”, Harvard Business
Review, May-June, pp: 98 -105 ; Lawler, E. E III , work which are published in 1986, 1988,
1992, 1994, 1995; Kantar, R. M , work which are published in 1977, 1979, 1989,1995, will
be of use to students.
5. Each student group may come-up with points on HR practices, empowerment
strategies, and can thorough some light on the articles published. What these research work
says on the concept and how is that the organisation under the preview of the study.
6. At senior level, the case can be taken at Strategic HR paper (course). While dealing
with SHRM and HR Leadership, the case can be discussed at length, with pros & cons of such
practices while empowering employees. The Research work in the area can be as reference
sources and understanding eth concept.
7. The case can also be discussed in OB course, in areas like Leadership, and group
dynamics. While, empowering, through analysis of employee behavior change towards
empowerment, what difficulties the company may undergo in such exercise, the resistance
from the employees for new practices may be discussed. Since, such practice of
empowerment also brings some level of anxiety and uncertainty, how employee behavior
effects can be discussed. While, the case also focuses on organizational change, from the

4. traditional style of functioning to an empowered way, how people change to new culture can
be focused. As it is learnt that, while introducing new culture practices, the resistance is high
and how leadership matters can be discussed and the role of HR Leadership.
8. The case can be part of MDPs, if that is taken at Executive Training Program for Page | 4
CEOs, HR Chiefs, and also for Dean and Directors` of B-Schools, if they are looking for
Empowerment Practices in their Organisation. Lessons on Empowered Leadership will be an
added discussion.
Assignment and Pre-preparations:
Assignment and small level projects in the area of HR practices, leadership, and culture
change could be done before the case is introduced to the audience (students). Literature on
the reported companies practicing innovative HR would be ideal. Meeting people and HR
chief while having discussion would give a concept idea and taking this case forward.
Reading Material and Source of Collecting Case Material:
To have understanding about the concept and make discussion more interactive, reading on
the subject would be apt, and mentioned sources would guide:
Bailey, Roy (1995): How to empower people at work, UK; Management Books Ltd
Block, Peter (1987): The Empowered Manager, Jossey-Bass: San Francisco
Bowen, David. E., and Lawler, E E III (1992): “The empowerment of service workers:
What, Why, How and When”, Sloan Management Review, Spring, 33(2), Pp: 31-39
Dive, Brain (2002): The Healthy Organisation: A Revolutionary Approach to People and
Management, UK; Kogan Page
Eichen, Myron (1989): Employee Ownership in a Capital Intensive company, USA:
Brook tree Corporation
Questions to prepare for in-class discussion:
What is your definition of Empowerment?
What are the traits that need to be developed in employees?
How to create an Empowerment culture and strategies in Organisation (the steps involved)?
The area (scope) of Empowerment practices (the boundaries to be defined)
What is the out-come of Empowerment (How to measure the after-math of such practices)?

5. Questions Professor can use to open the Discussion:
What is not Empowerment? What do we mean when we say we want to empower people?
How should the CEO and the leadership be, viz: style, traits and characteristics?
What are the training and development programme in area of Empowerment subject be
focused (Can training be given to understand the system, if so, how)? Page | 5
What are Ethical Management and the relation with Empowerment?
How to develop Human Resources and Organisation in the present Millennium through
Employee Empowerment, per se?
Questions to advance discussion during the sessions:
What should be the degree of freedom in an empowered organisation?
What are the characteristics of an empowered person?
Do we really need empowered people?
Do we really want empowered people?
How do people develop a sense of empowerment?
What organizational characteristics facilitate employee empowerment?
What can leaders do to facilitate employee empowerment?
Suggested Sequence and Time Frame for the case discussion
Few sessions on the concept along with the best HR practices should open the discussion.
Open class discussion on what they feel about the concept after a reading on the literature will
lead the subject forward.
After having an understanding about the concept and reading, class can be divided into 3-4
students team. The case may initially commence with the theory part on empowerment. Than
what the Organization did, followed by the time line it took, and an effort to understand all
that contributed to empowerment--the systems, practices, policy or the leadership. The
student’s discussion should look at the differentiating strategies between the various human
resource strategies adopted in empowering employees and how these strategies differed from
other management practices.
The case may take full length of 4-5 sessions (double timed) to come to an understanding
about the entire empowerment exercise. The methodology would be discussion and
presentation (ppt)

6. Bibliography to use:
Argyris, Chris (1998): “Empowerment: The Emperor’s new Clothes”, Harvard Business
Review, May-June, Pp: 98 -105
Kantar, R. M (1977): Men and Women of the Corporation. NY: Basic Books Page | 6
(1979):” Power failures in Management Circuits”, Harvard Business Review, July-Aug, Pp:
40-55
(1989): “The New Managerial Work”, Harvard Business Review, November-December: Pp:
85-92.
(1989): When Giants Learn to Dance, NY: Simon and Schuster.
(1989): When Giants learn to dance: Mastering the challenge of strategy, investment and
careers in the 1990s, N. York; Simon and Schuster.
(1995): World Class: Thriving locally in the Global Economy, NY; Touchstone Rockefeller
Center
(2003): “Leadership and the Psychology of Turnarounds”, Harvard Business Review, June,
Pp: 48-57
Lawler, E. E III (1986): High involvement Management. San Francisco, CA; Jossey – Bass
(1988): “Choosing an involvement strategy”, Academy of Management Executive, 2: Pp:
197-204
(1992): The ultimate advantage: Creating the high Involvement Organisation, San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass
(1994): “TQM and Employee empowerment: Are they compatible? Academy of Management
Executive, 8(1): Pp: 68-76
Lawler, E E., III and Bowen, D E (1995) “Empowering Service Employees”, Sloan
Management Review, Summer, Pp: 73-84
Lawler, E. E. III., Ledford, G. E. Jr., and Mohrman, S. A (1989): Employee Involvement in
America-A Study of contemporary practice, Houston: American Productivity and Quality
Center
Marty O’Neill (1999): Empowerment through Ownership, USA: Foundation for Enterprise
Development and Beyster Institute for Entrepreneurial Employee Ownership

7. Michael Quarrey (1992): Empower employees through information sharing: Foundation
Conference USA: Foundation for Enterprise Development and Beyster Institute for
Entrepreneurial Employee Ownership June
Pell, Arthur, R (1998): Guide to Managing people, India; Prentice Hall
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Reynolds, M (1999):Ownership Philosophy as part of Employee Empowerment, USA,
Foundation for Enterprise Development and Beyster Institute for Entrepreneurial Employee
Ownership
Smith, Jane (1996): Empowering people: How to bring out the best in your Work force, UK,
Kogan Page
Smilor, R (1996): Leadership in an Entrepreneurial Company, USA, Centre for
Entrepreneurial Leadership, Research Centre
Tray, D (1994): 10 steps to Empowerment: A common sense guide to managing people, NY:
Quill William Morrows
End Note:
But, one thing is clear. At this particular time in history, with thousands of our major
organisations facing global challenges & some even unable to cope in managing to the
extent needed, it is little wonder that organisational anxiety about future will be much wide
spread in our country in the days to come. Expert and I are of the belief that organisation
must foster Empowerment or become extinct. We are likely to see more efforts of
empowerment in the future. I am put at end by stating, “there is nothing Indian organisations
need more at this moment than a true RENAISSANCE strategy towards Human resource
development & management at every level. Empowerment and empowering employees in
organisation is the answer.
sanbag@rediffmail.com / sanbagsanbag@rediffmail.com