ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AS A MEDIATOR OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB SATISFACTION AND JOB PERFORMANCE OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN MALAYSIA: COMPREHENSIVE MINI REVIEW

Abstract

Purpose: This comprehensive mini review explores the mediating role of organizational commitment in the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance, with specific attention to Malaysia’s civil service sector. Its objective is to determine whether organizational commitment offers a more consistent and nuanced explanation of how employee satisfaction translates into performance outcomes, particularly in a context where public accountability, efficiency, and service quality are critical to governance effectiveness.  Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Scopus and Google Scholar (search date: 25 August 2025), yielding 412 studies, of which 82 met the inclusion criteria for detailed review. Boolean operators and keywords such as “organizational commitment,” “job satisfaction,” “job performance,” and “civil servants” were applied. Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed studies addressing organizational commitment as a mediating factor within the Malaysian public sector context, while exclusion criteria removed non-English publications, studies without explicit reference to the mediator, and grey literature.  Results: The findings indicate that organizational commitment encompassing affective, continuance, and normative dimensions plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the job satisfaction and performance relationship. Commitment enhances motivation, loyalty, and extra-role behaviors, thereby addressing inconsistencies in direct satisfactiona and performance associations. However, challenges remain, including cultural and institutional variability, risks of burnout when commitment is unsupported by organizational resources, and difficulties in capturing psychological constructs through digital monitoring tools. While emerging technologies such as human resource management systems (HRMS), engagement platforms, and e-government dashboards provide avenues for strengthening commitment, they also raise concerns about privacy, fairness, and generalizability.  Conclusion: Organizational commitment provides theoretical clarity and practical pathways for enhancing civil servant performance in Malaysia by aligning individual attitudes with institutional goals. Future research should adopt longitudinal and context-sensitive designs that integrate cultural values, leadership styles, and technological developments. Practically, leadership training, transparent career progression, and recognition systems embedded within civil service reforms offer promising avenues to strengthen organizational commitment and, in turn, workforce effectiveness and governance outcomes.