The Role of Job Satisfaction as Mediator Between Human Resource Practices and Employees' Performance Among the Cargos' Employees at Saudi Ports Authority Based on the Motivation Theories

Saudi ports, which are one of the busiest seaports in the world and the biggest ports in the Middle East region, have recently encountered a critical problem of overstock or accumulation of goods. It is imperative that these ports have the capacity to release cargoes and goods timely. However, the inadequacy in human resource practices has resulted in dissatisfaction and low performance among cargo employees. Moreover, the relationships of human resource practices, job satisfaction, and job performance within the context of Middle East region, remain underexplored. Addressing that, this study will evaluate the mediating effect of job satisfaction in the relationship between human resource practices (i.e., training and development, reward, job analysis, recruitment and selection, social support, employee relations, and employees’ empowerment) and job performance among cargo employees in Saudi Ports Authority with respect to Adams’ Equity Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs using the questionnaire survey approach.