The career kaleidoscope

A study in the International Journal of Business Innovation and Research has looked at women’s employment in Saudi Arabia. It suggests that workplace empowerment is closely linked to an employee’s ability to generate and implement new ideas. The research thus offers evidence that organisational inclusion strategies may have direct consequences for innovation performance.

The researchers surveyed almost 500 women working across both public and private sector organisations in Saudi Arabia. They found that those that report higher levels of empowerment were more likely to demonstrate innovative work behaviour.

To test this relationship, the authors used a statistical technique known as partial least squares structural equation modelling. This allowed them to consider multiple interacting variables at once. They could then estimate what direct and indirect effects were affecting the outcomes whether empowerment, psychological engagement, or organisational context.

They point out that empowerment operates not just as a matter of workplace fairness or representation, but drives innovation. They found that this happens through two pathways. The first is creative process engagement, wherein an individual actively involves themselves in generating ideas, experimenting with different approaches to tasks, solving problems, and reflecting on outcomes.

The second mechanism is the kaleidoscope model where shifting priorities such as authenticity are balanced with personal values, work and personal life are balanced, and challenges are met in terms of the pursuit of growth and development opportunities. The study found that empowered women could balance all three angles of the kaleidoscope well to shape their career decisions to support innovation at work.

The team also found that organisational context also had a role to play. Formal and informal rules, practices, and power structures that shape workplace behaviour influenced empowerment and its relationship with innovation. They add that supportive and transparent policies led to stronger links between empowerment and creative engagement. This suggests that institutional environments might facilitate or hinder employee potential by choosing a particular approach to women in the workplace.

Aldossary, S.M. and Aldhmour, F.M. (2026) ‘Women’s empowerment and innovations in work behaviour: based on the kaleidoscope model’, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 39, No. 9, pp.21–49.