Perceived Organizational Support and Job Satisfaction : An Integrative Conceptual Model

Abstrak

Perceived organizational support (POS) refers to employees’ general belief that their organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being. Job satisfaction, in turn, represents an evaluative response to one’s job and work experiences. Although these constructs are frequently linked in organizational research, their relationship is best understood as a theoretically grounded process rather than a simple, uniform effect. This conceptual article integrates Organizational Support Theory, social exchange theory, and the job demands–resources perspective to explain how organizational support may shape job satisfaction. The proposed account identifies three complementary pathways: socio-emotional need fulfilment, reciprocal exchange and trust, and the availability of resources that help employees manage work demands. It also distinguishes POS as a direct correlate of satisfaction from its potential role as a boundary condition that may alter employees’ responses to demanding or inequitable work conditions. The article develops propositions to guide future empirical testing and outlines implications for supportive human-resource practices. Rather than reporting a new systematic review or original dataset, it offers a theory-driven synthesis of established scholarship and selected studies. Its contribution is an integrative framework that clarifies mechanisms, contextual contingencies, and testable directions for research in industrial and organizational psychology.