Beyond Satisfaction: The Resilience Pathway Self-Efficacy as the Critical Mediator Between Job Satisfaction and Performance in Libya's Conflict-Affected Oil Sector
Keywords:
Job satisfaction, performance, Self-efficacy, LibyaAbstract
In fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS), traditional models of employee motivation often fail to explain workforce behaviour. Libya's oil sector contributing 65% of GDP and 95% of government revenue faces acute human capital challenges despite competitive remuneration. This study investigates why and how job satisfaction translates into performance in extreme work environments, proposing self-efficacy as a critical resilience mechanism. Using data from 254 employees at Misurata Oil Depot and applying Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), we test an integrated Job Demands-Resources × Social Cognitive Theory model. Results reveal extraordinary effect sizes: job satisfaction explains 71.4% of self-efficacy variance (β=0.845, p<0.001), while the combined model explains 86.0% of job performance variance. Crucially, self-efficacy mediates 84.7% of the total effect of job satisfaction on performance, with a substantial indirect effect (β=0.729, p<0.001). These findings challenge conventional wisdom by demonstrating that in FCAS contexts, self-efficacy functions as resilience capital transforming basic job satisfaction into exceptional performance through enhanced psychological agency. Theoretical contributions include: (1) extending the JD-R model to extreme environments, (2) identifying context-dependent amplification of psychological mechanisms, and (3) providing a resilience-based framework for human resource management in volatile settings. Practical implications offer evidence-based interventions for multinational energy companies and policymakers operating in conflict-affected regions worldwide.
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