본 연구는 서울특별시에 근무하는 138명의 공무원을 대상으로 심리적 임파워먼트의 매개역할을 통해 재량권이 조직성과에 영향을 미치는지 여부를 연구하였다. 분석 결과, 재량권은 조직성과를 향상시키는 원인변수로서의 역할을 수행하지 못하는 것으로 확인되었다. 따라서 본 연구는 심리적 임파워먼트가 재량권과 조직성과의 관계를 완전매개하는 수정모형을 설정하여 인과관계 및 매개효과를 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 재량권은 심리적 임파워먼트의 하위구성개념 중 능력감, 의미성, 그리고 영향력을 통해 조직성과에 간접적으로 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 이와 같은 연구결과를 근거로 본 연구는 이론적·실무적 함의 등을 토론하였다.

This study examines whether public employees’ perception to discretion leads to increase in organizational performance in public sector organizations. In addition this study examines the mediating impact of psychological empowerment that consists of the four sub-constructs, including meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact, on the relationship between discretion and organizational performance. In conducting structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the causal and mediating effects among the constructs, this study finds the fact that discretion didn’t increase the degree of organizational performance. Based on the results in the basic model, this study revise the model that psychological empowerment plays a full mediating role on the relationship between discretion and performance. Under the revised model in this study, we find that the total sum of discretion on organizational performance would be increased due to the mediating roles of psychological empowerment, including competence, meaning, and impact. Based on the findings, this study not only recommends theoretical, practical, and policy-oriented implications, but also discusses the limitations and future research directions.