Employee empowerment is one of the most widely touted and potentially potent concepts in modern management. It raises fundamental questions about the nature and scope of management and organisation, and about the respective roles and responsibilities of front line practitioners. The terms for a viable collaboration between employers, managers and employees also come under scrutiny. Calling upon a wealth of research material, this book relates the various debates behind employee empowerment to a broad range of practical scenarios, charting opportunities as well as constraints and drawing insights from a rich combination of settings and sources across industry, commerce and the public sector. Connecting theory to practice, and adopting a polemical as well as an analytical position, the book speaks directly to researchers and policymakers, and especially to current and aspiring managers, who favour a fresh approach to work and employee relations. It will appeal to those who regard empowerment as a progressive rather than a casual reference point for managerial activity.