This paper develops a framework for the investigation of individual employee performance, in the light of recent developments in structural empowerment. The authors of this article propose corporate governance, knowledge management, organizational upward and downward communication that may predict employee performance by the mediating effect of quality improvement. The results suggest that upward and downward communication positively influences quality improvement, and is in turn positively influenced by knowledge management and corporate governance. Perceived quality improvement is also found to be a key variable between structural empowerment and employee perceptions.