IMPACT OF EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT ON COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

The current study aimed at examining the impact of employee empowerment on reaching better level of competitive advantage through the mediating influence of ethical leadership. Dimensions of competitive advantage were employed including (quality, responsiveness, innovation and efficiency). Quantitative approach was adopted in order to realize main aim of study. a questionnaire was employed as to gather data from (258) individuals within Kuwaiti commercial banks. Results if study indicated that the main aim was realized and ethical leadership mediates the relationship between empowerment and competitive advantage. Also, study was able to highlight that ethical leadership influence empowerment in a way that leads to better efficiency and service quality, launching from leaderships' role in increasing awareness of service quality importance in addition to leading employees towards being more creative and innovative. Study recommended encouraging workers to submit proposals that have an impact on developing their skills and helping to expand their field of empowerment compared to the previous stage, and giving workers who have proven ability and skill the opportunity to participate in decision-making, which enhances their skills, and paves the way for them to develop further in the field of their empowerment at a later time