Social and psychological capital’s impact on employee performance at Kerman university of medical sciences

The main goal of medical universities is to improve organizational performance and achieve development and excellence. This study investigated the relationship of social and psychological capital with organizational performance at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, examining how these forms of capital influence institutional effectiveness. This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study included 280 staff members selected through multi-stage random cluster sampling from clinical (42.9%), administrative (32.1%), and research (25.0%) departments. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires measuring psychological capital, social capital, and organizational performance and analyzed via structural equation modeling to test direct and indirect effects. Psychological capital showed significant direct effects on both organizational performance (β = 0.35, p < 0.001) and social capital (β = 0.43, p < 0.001). Social capital directly affected performance (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). Additionally, psychological capital indirectly affected performance through social capital (β = 0.16, p = 0.012). The structural model showed acceptable fit (χ²/df = 2.84, CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.067), with self-efficacy (r = 0.45) and trust (r = 0.48) emerging as the strongest correlates of performance. Both psychological and social capital contribute meaningfully to organizational performance, with psychological capital working directly and through social capital development. These findings suggest implementing integrated approaches to organizational development while maintaining realistic expectations about their impacts.