Patterns of empowerment and leadership style in project environment

The current study explores the relationship of empowerment, leadership style and customer service as a measure of effective project management in projects with varying degree of virtuality. The study makes comparisons of empowerment climate in less and more virtual projects. Moreover, the study examines moderating effects of degree of virtuality on the relationship between empowerment and leadership style. We test our hypotheses with data collected from project management professionals working in five countries using linear regression and moderated regression analysis to analyze the proposed hypotheses. Results demonstrate that empowerment climate has a significant effect on concern for task, concern for people and customer service and is higher in more virtual than less virtual projects thus leading to effective virtual project management. Moreover, we found virtuality moderates the relationship between empowerment and concern for people. Findings of this study have significant implications for leadership behaviours and project performance at project management workplace. 2009 Elsevier Ltd and IPMA. All rights reserved.