{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T04:48:01Z","timestamp":1782362881488,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":63,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782345600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Purpose<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Saudi Arabia\u2019s Vision 2030 has rapidly expanded female government employment and reformed performance accountability, yet how gender and hierarchical job level shape motivation\u2013satisfaction dynamics in this context remains untested. This study examines whether these demographic boundary conditions moderate the indirect effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on job satisfaction through supervisory communication and recognition.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A stratified random sample (\n                      <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f311) from four Saudi central ministries completed a bilingual 25-item instrument combining the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (MWMS) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire\u2013Short Form (MSQ-SF). First-stage moderated mediation (PROCESS macro Model 7) with 5,000 bootstrap samples and bias-corrected confidence intervals constituted the core analytical model.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Findings<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Extrinsic motivation predicted satisfaction more strongly than intrinsic motivation (\n                      <jats:italic>z<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f2.81,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.005)\u2014a reversal of Herzberg\u2019s asymmetric prediction. Supervisory practices partially mediated both pathways. The intrinsic pathway was significantly stronger for female employees than for male employees [Index of Moderated Mediation (IMM)\u202f=\u202f0.08, 95% bias-corrected confidence interval (BC CI) (0.02, 0.15)]; the extrinsic pathway was significantly stronger at lower hierarchical levels than at director level [IMM\u202f=\u202f\u22120.05, 95% BC CI (\u22120.09, \u22120.02)]. Cross-pathway moderations (gender \u00d7 extrinsic; job level \u00d7 intrinsic) were not supported. Effects are cross-sectional.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Theoretical contribution<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Herzberg\u2019s hygiene\u2013motivator boundary does not hold in this collectivist, high power-distance setting: supervisory recognition\u2014classified by Herzberg as a hygiene factor\u2014operates as an active mediating pathway whose strength varies systematically with gender and hierarchical level. The asymmetry between supported hierarchical moderation of extrinsic motivation and non-supported moderation of intrinsic motivation aligns with Maslow and Alderfer Existence-Relatedness-Growth (ERG) predictions of differential need activation across hierarchical strata.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Practical implications<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Findings indicate that supervisory leverage on satisfaction varies systematically with employee demographics: extrinsic recognition is more consequential for satisfaction at entry levels, and intrinsic engagement is more consequential for female employees. Pilot implementation across two-three departments per ministry is recommended before ministry-wide policy adoption.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Originality\/value<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study tentatively proposes the Constrained Need Activation (CNA) idea as a preliminary, context-specific conceptual proposition for motivation\u2013satisfaction dynamics in collectivist public-sector environments, requiring future replication before broader generalisation. It extends related Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) studies through the simultaneous test of gender and job-level moderation in Saudi central government during Vision 2030 implementation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1835472","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T04:21:54Z","timestamp":1782361314000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["When hygiene factors become motivation: a moderated mediation analysis of gender, hierarchy, and job satisfaction in Saudi Arabia\u2019s public sector"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Tahani H.","family":"Alqahtani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Business, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nahed Ahmed","family":"Bajenied","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Business, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nawaf H.","family":"Alqahtani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","first-page":"267","volume-title":"Advances in Experimental Social Psychology","author":"Adams","year":"1965"},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions","author":"Aiken","year":"1991"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1016\/0030-5073(69)90004-X","article-title":"An empirical test of a new theory of human needs","volume":"4","author":"Alderfer","year":"1969","journal-title":"Organ. Behav. Hum. Perform."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"813","DOI":"10.1080\/23311975.2023.2270813","article-title":"The impact of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on job satisfaction: the mediating role of transactional leadership","volume":"10","author":"Aljumah","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cogent Business Management"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2294","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-025-98696-4","article-title":"Factors influencing job satisfaction among public-sector employees in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study","volume":"15","author":"AlMarzooqi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9781139015363","volume-title":"A most Masculine state: Gender, Politics and Religion in Saudi Arabia","author":"Al-Rasheed","year":"2013"},{"key":"ref7","article-title":"Factors affecting job satisfaction: an empirical study in the public sector of Saudi Arabia [doctoral dissertation, Victoria University]","author":"Alsemeri","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.53894\/ijirss.v8i2.5198","article-title":"Transforming Saudi Arabia's workforce: HR management strategies in action","volume":"8","author":"Alyamani","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Innov. Res. Scientific Studies"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"396","DOI":"10.2307\/3150783","article-title":"Estimating nonresponse bias in mail surveys","volume":"14","author":"Armstrong","year":"1977","journal-title":"J. Mark. Res."},{"key":"ref10","volume-title":"Exchange and power in social life","author":"Blau","year":"1964"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1177\/135910457000100301","article-title":"Back-translation for cross-cultural research","volume":"1","author":"Brislin","year":"1970","journal-title":"J. Cross-Cult. Psychol."},{"key":"ref12","volume-title":"Human Capability Development Program 2021\u20132025","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1177\/0734371X11421495","article-title":"Intrinsic motivation and employee attitudes: role of managerial trustworthiness, goal directedness, and extrinsic reward expectancy","volume":"32","author":"Cho","year":"2012","journal-title":"Review Public Personnel Administration"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1261","DOI":"10.1086\/230638","article-title":"Statistical methods for comparing regression coefficients between models","volume":"100","author":"Clogg","year":"1995","journal-title":"Am. J. Sociol."},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"Statistical power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences","author":"Cohen","year":"1988"},{"key":"ref16","volume-title":"Applied multiple Regression\/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences","author":"Cohen","year":"2003"},{"key":"ref17","volume-title":"Research design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches","author":"Creswell","year":"2014"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1207\/S15327965PLI1104_01","article-title":"The \u201cwhat\u201d and \u201cwhy\u201d of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior","volume":"11","author":"Deci","year":"2000","journal-title":"Psychol. Inq."},{"key":"ref19","volume-title":"Sex Differences in social Behavior: A social-role Interpretation","author":"Eagly","year":"1987"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.3758\/BF03193146","article-title":"G*power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences","volume":"39","author":"Faul","year":"2007","journal-title":"Behav. Res. Methods"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.2307\/3151312","article-title":"Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error","volume":"18","author":"Fornell","year":"1981","journal-title":"J. Mark. Res."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1080\/1359432X.2013.877892","article-title":"The multidimensional work motivation scale: validation evidence in seven languages and nine countries","volume":"24","author":"Gagn\u00e9","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eur. J. Work Organ. Psy."},{"key":"ref23","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.1016\/1048-9843(95)90036-5","article-title":"Relationship-based approach to leadership: development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective","volume":"6","author":"Graen","year":"1995","journal-title":"Leadersh. Q."},{"key":"ref25","volume-title":"Multivariate data analysis","author":"Hair","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref26","volume-title":"Modern factor Analysis","author":"Harman","year":"1976"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/00273171.2014.962683","article-title":"An index and test of linear moderated mediation","volume":"50","author":"Hayes","year":"2015","journal-title":"Multivar. Behav. Res."},{"key":"ref28","volume-title":"Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional process Analysis: A Regression-based Approach","author":"Hayes","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-014-0403-8","article-title":"A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling","volume":"43","author":"Henseler","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Acad. Mark. Sci."},{"key":"ref30","volume-title":"Work and the Nature of man","author":"Herzberg","year":"1966"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1198\/000313001300339897","article-title":"The abuse of power: the pervasive fallacy of power calculations for data analysis","volume":"55","author":"Hoenig","year":"2001","journal-title":"Am. Stat."},{"key":"ref32","volume-title":"Culture\u2019s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations across Nations","author":"Hofstede","year":"2001"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10705519909540118","article-title":"Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives","volume":"6","author":"Hu","year":"1999","journal-title":"Struct. Equ. Model."},{"key":"ref34","volume-title":"IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (Version 29.0)","year":""},{"key":"ref35","volume-title":"IBM SPSS AMOS (Version 29.0)","year":""},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-2909.127.3.376","article-title":"The job satisfaction\u2013job performance relationship: a qualitative and quantitative review","volume":"127","author":"Judge","year":"2001","journal-title":"Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1037\/apl0000181","article-title":"Job attitudes, job satisfaction, and job affect: a century of continuity and of change","volume":"102","author":"Judge","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.4018\/ijec.2015100101","article-title":"Common method bias in PLS-SEM: a full collinearity assessment approach","volume":"11","author":"Kock","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. e-Collab."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"114","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.86.1.114","article-title":"Accounting for common method variance in cross-sectional research designs","volume":"86","author":"Lindell","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref40","first-page":"1297","volume-title":"Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology","author":"Locke","year":"1976"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"563070","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2021.563070","article-title":"Intrinsic rewards and employee\u2019s performance with the mediating mechanism of employee\u2019s motivation","volume":"12","author":"Manzoor","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1177\/014662169101500106","article-title":"Confirmatory factor analyses of multitrait-multimethod data: a comparison of alternative models","volume":"15","author":"Marsh","year":"1991","journal-title":"Appl. Psychol. Meas."},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1037\/h0054346","article-title":"A theory of human motivation","volume":"50","author":"Maslow","year":"1943","journal-title":"Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1006\/jvbe.2001.1842","article-title":"Affective, continuance, and normative commitment: a meta-analysis of antecedents, correlates, and consequences","volume":"61","author":"Meyer","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Vocat. Behav."},{"key":"ref45","volume-title":"Annual Labour market Report 2023","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref46","volume-title":"Employee engagement report 2024","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref47","volume-title":"Implementing Regulations of the Law of Ethics of Research on Living Creatures (Version 3)","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref48","volume-title":"Psychometric Theory","author":"Nunnally","year":"1978"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1108\/13620431011040932","article-title":"Typology of career development for Arab women managers in the United Arab Emirates","volume":"15","author":"Omair","year":"2010","journal-title":"Career Dev. Int."},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780199234035.001.0001","volume-title":"Motivation in public Management: The call of public Service","author":"Perry","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref51","article-title":"Women and men in the Middle East and North Africa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Project."},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.88.5.879","article-title":"Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies","volume":"88","author":"Podsakoff","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"539","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-psych-120710-100452","article-title":"Sources of method bias in social science research and recommendations on how to control it","volume":"63","author":"Podsakoff","year":"2012","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Psychol."},{"key":"ref54","first-page":"6","article-title":"Psych: procedures for psychological, psychometric, and personality research","volume":"2","author":"Revelle","year":"2023","journal-title":"Northwestern University"},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1111\/peps.12226","article-title":"Surveying the forest: a meta-analysis, moderator investigation, and future-oriented discussion of the antecedents of voluntary employee turnover","volume":"71","author":"Rubenstein","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pers. Psychol."},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1037\/1076-8998.1.1.27","article-title":"Adverse health effects of high-effort\/low-reward conditions","volume":"1","author":"Siegrist","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Occup. Health Psychol."},{"key":"ref57","first-page":"7","volume-title":"Psychology of Intergroup Relations","author":"Tajfel","year":"1986"},{"key":"ref58","article-title":"Vision 2030 overview","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref59","volume-title":"Work and Motivation","author":"Vroom","year":"1964"},{"key":"ref60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"595","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-024-03038-w","article-title":"Detecting causal relationships between work motivation and job performance: a meta-analytic review of cross-lagged studies","volume":"11","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Humanities Social Sciences Communications"},{"key":"ref61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.82.2.247","article-title":"Overall job satisfaction: how good are single-item measures?","volume":"82","author":"Wanous","year":"1997","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref62","volume-title":"Manual for the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire","author":"Weiss","year":"1967"},{"key":"ref63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2191","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2013.281053","article-title":"World medical association declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects","volume":"310","year":"2013","journal-title":"JAMA"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1835472\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T04:21:59Z","timestamp":1782361319000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1835472\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]]},"references-count":63,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1835472"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1835472","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]]},"article-number":"1835472"}}