Page 47 - UPthEM_Program_Final_December 2020

II. Theory

Introduction

The definition of empowerment includes ways to measure the level of development, to study
motivational mechanisms and to differentiate them from other internal processes of the individual's
personality, such as self-esteem, self-efficacy, or locus of control. However, there are many
limitations in the definition of empowerment. (Zimmerman, 2000) Α descriptive definition has
been given by Adams (2008) who has defined the empowerment as “the capacity of individuals,
groups and/or communities to take control of their circumstances, exercise power and achieve their
own goals, and the process by which, individually and collectively, they are able to help themselves
and others to maximize the quality of their lives.” In addition, Adams (2008) puts a more specific
definition about the empowerment in practice, in which refers to the consecutive process of
interaction among critical reflection and empowering activities, that is, the consecutive in-and-out
cycle of reflecting-acting-evaluating and the interaction between thinking and doing.
Regarding the social aspect of empowerment, it is both a value-added framework for serving the
community and a theoretical guide for recognizing the mechanism and effects of attempts to exert
control and influence over decisions that influence one's life, organizational functioning and the
quality of community life (Rappaport, 1981; Perkins & Zimmerman, 1995). Moreover, social
empowerment is the process of realizing human competencies or capacities, mainly concerned
with the micro-level empowering individuals, as citizens, to achieve their full potential. Therefore,
this aspect of social quality refers to the creation of the competence of people to participate in
processes that form everyday life. (Herrmann, 2012)
Professional empowerment is described as individuals with a sense of self-esteem and competence,
willingness to perform their work more efficiently and productively, higher decision-making skills,
and greater dedication to their professional work (Gary, 2002). According to a study by
Hajbaghery and Salsali (2005), professional empowerment is a complex process that emerges from
the reciprocal relationship between the personal and collective characteristics of workers, as well
as the culture and structure of the company.

Acquisition of professional competencies – theoretical knowledge and practical skills
The trainers, in order to succeed in empowering others, should deeply understand one of the most
important aspects of empowerment, which is the individual’s motivation. Motivation comes from
within, and it expresses the willingness of one person and groups to strive toward a goal that is
influenced by various needs and perceptions. (Mosley, Pietri, & Mosley, 2008) There are six
components of the empowerment process that every trainer should develop theoretical knowledge
and practical skills around them, and they are identified through several criteria, such as to what
extend literature supports their importance, how easy it is to communicate them to trainers, and
how effective they are in achieving the desired goals (Cattaneo & Chapman, 2010):

1. Personally Meaningful, Power-Oriented Goals. To develop someone’s motivation,
and especially for someone coming from a disadvantaged background, it is essential to
set meaningful and power-oriented goals for him/her and to understand the essence of
those goals and how they vary across individuals and contexts as it is crucial to

Project 2019-1-BG01-KA204_062299
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