The Role of Empowering Leadership Dimensions of School Principals in the Psychological Ownership of Teachers

In the last two decades, empowerment practices have gained recognition as effective approaches for organizations to enhance positive work outcomes by fostering employees' sense of competence, self-determination, meaningfulness, and influence (Maynard et al., 2014). Empowerment theory suggests that leaders play a crucial role in empowering employees (Maynard et al., 2012). Leaders have the ability to create an environment conducive to employees taking ownership of their tasks and surroundings (Stander & Coxen, 2017). Consequently, organizations must establish environments that enable individuals to maximize their potential and contribute value to the organization (Stander & Rothmann, 2009). Employees require leaders, who understand the importance of ownership and empowerment for their emotional and intellectual growth (Bhatnagar, 2005). Several studies have highlighted the significant role of work in psychological ownership, including research by Kim & Beehr (2018) and Knapp et al. (2014). Studies by Su & Ng (2019) and Yıldız et al. (2015) have explored the impact of participation in decision-making on psychological ownership. Additionally, Olckers & Enslin (2016) have demonstrated the role of trust in fostering psychological ownership, while Cheng et al. (2021) and Yıldız et al. (2015) have examined the influence of providing independence on psychological ownership. These studies indicate that empowering leadership behaviors are associated with followers' psychological ownership. Therefore, the present research aimed to investigate the role of empowering leadership dimensions exhibited by school principals in teachers' psychological ownership. Specifically, we sought to determine whether the empowering leadership dimensions of school principals significantly impacted teachers' psychological ownership and identify which dimensions had the greatest and least significant effects on psychological ownership.

The present study adopted a quantitative research approach, aligning with the research philosophy and the applied nature of the study. In terms of data collection and analysis, a descriptive method was employed, specifically utilizing correlation studies and structural equation modeling. The research population comprised all primary school teachers in Qorve City, totaling 548 individuals (350 women and 198 men). A sample of 225 participants (144 women and 81 men) was selected by using proportional stratified random sampling based on Morgan's table. The research methodology employed was correlation analysis.

The findings of the current study indicated that the dimensions of empowering leadership exhibited by the school principals had a significant and positive impact on the teachers' psychological ownership. The effects of these dimensions ranged from 0.13 to 0.24, with participation in decision-making and significance having the greatest and least effects, respectively. Collectively, the 4 dimensions of empowering leadership could explain 33% of the variance in the teachers' psychological ownership. The Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) conducted to determine the relative importance of the structures in the structural model revealed that all the four dimensions of empowering leadership exhibited high importance and high performance, falling within the consolidation area. Based on these findings, several suggestions were proposed to strengthen the effects of the empowering leadership dimensions of school principals on teachers' psychological ownership:1) Clarifying the role of teachers in societal growth and development, emphasizing their impact on the society
2) Providing necessary support and resources to enhance teachers' professional development
3) Fostering a safe and supportive environment in schools that encourages teachers to express their opinions on school-related matters
4) Empowering teachers with collaborative decision-making skills
5) Encouraging participation through the establishment of quality circles within the school
6) Analyzing the fit between teachers and their assigned tasks
7) Clearly defining the levels of independence and authority teachers have in their assigned tasks
8) Gradually delegating authority to teachers in solving school problems
9) Promoting transparency and honesty in the speech and actions of school principals
10) Institutionalizing a culture of positive and developmental responsibility within the school
It could be concluded that the creation, growth, and strengthening of teachers' psychological ownership were influenced by the school principals and their leadership. Therefore, the active application of empowering leadership with a focus on its dimensions could have positive effects on teachers' psychological ownership. To collect data, the researchers utilized the enabling leadership questionnaires developed by Ahearne et al. (2005) and the psychological ownership questionnaire developed by Olckers (2011). The descriptive analysis involved the use of frequency distribution tables, mean, and standard deviation. To test the research hypotheses, statistical techniques, such as the Pearson correlation matrix and structural equation modeling, were employed using the statistical software of SPSSv.25 and LISRELv.10.30. Additionally, the relative importance of the structures in the model was determined through the use of an IPMA.