TITLE:
The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction in the Relationship between Human Resource Management Practices and Organizational Performance: Evidence from Private Food Industrial Companies in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
AUTHORS:
Abdulsalam Salem
KEYWORDS:
Human Resource Management Practices, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Performance, Mediating Effect, Saudi Arabia
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.5,
September
2,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study examines the mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationship between human resource management practices and organizational performance among private food manufacturing companies in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Although previous studies have established direct relationships among these variables, limited empirical evidence has examined the mechanism through which job satisfaction mediates the relationship between human resource management practices and organizational performance. A quantitative research design was employed using data collected from 263 employees working in private food manufacturing companies. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS was applied to examine the proposed mediation model and test both the direct and indirect relationships among the study variables. The findings revealed that the mediating effect of job satisfaction varied across the human resource management practices examined. Job satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between job security and organizational performance through full mediation, while it partially mediated the relationships between training and development, participation in decision-making, and organizational performance. In contrast, the indirect effects of selective hiring, compensation system, and performance evaluation on organizational performance through job satisfaction were not statistically significant. This study contributes to the strategic human resource management literature by providing empirical evidence on the mediating mechanism linking human resource management practices and organizational performance within Saudi Arabia’s private food manufacturing sector. The findings also provide practical guidance for managers seeking to implement human resource management practices associated with higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational performance.