The Effects of Communication, Participation, and Flexibility on Empowerment and Accountability Enhancement through Social Responsibility: A Case Study of Bank Sepah Branches

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Keywords:

Communication, Participation, Flexibility, Empowerment, Organizational Commitment, Transparency, Social Responsibility, Accountability

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of communication, participation, and flexibility on employee empowerment and to determine the roles of commitment, transparency, and social responsibility in enhancing accountability within Bank Sepah branches. This applied study employed a descriptive–analytical design. The statistical population consisted of employees of Bank Sepah branches, from whom 384 participants were selected based on Cochran’s formula. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire. Face and content validity were evaluated by experts, while construct validity was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability coefficients. Data analysis involved the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling using SmartPLS. Structural model results indicated that communication (β=0.144, t=2.605), participation (β=0.270, t=3.731), and flexibility (β=0.436, t=5.708) had significant positive effects on employee empowerment. Empowerment significantly affected commitment (β=0.754, t=6.201), social responsibility (β=0.270, t=3.706), and transparency (β=0.689, t=7.208). Commitment (β=0.254, t=3.718) and transparency (β=0.834, t=7.906) also exerted significant positive effects on social responsibility. Furthermore, commitment (β=0.245, t=3.235), social responsibility (β=0.289, t=3.522), and transparency (β=0.455, t=5.162) significantly enhanced accountability. Accordingly, all proposed research hypotheses were supported. The findings indicate that strengthening communication, participation, and particularly organizational flexibility can enhance employee empowerment, which in turn promotes commitment, transparency, and social responsibility. These mechanisms collectively contribute to higher organizational accountability. Accordingly, developing participatory, flexible, transparent, and empowerment-oriented human resource practices may provide an effective managerial approach for improving accountability in Bank Sepah branches.

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Alasvandian Lashkari, A., Tadbiri, S. ., & Rezghi Rostami, A. . (1406). The Effects of Communication, Participation, and Flexibility on Empowerment and Accountability Enhancement through Social Responsibility: A Case Study of Bank Sepah Branches. Journal of Study and Innovation in Education and Development, 1-26. https://jsied.org/index.php/jsied/article/view/691

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