Public service motivation and employee intention to stay in Lebanon: The case of NGOs

This paper examines the debated relationship between public service motivation (PSM) and employee intention to stay, focusing on the mediating roles of job satisfaction and affective commitment to enhance the theoretical understanding of the underlying mechanism. Data were gathered through online surveys targeting employees of local and international NGOs in Lebanon. A total of 210 valid responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that job satisfaction and affective commitment mediate the relationship between PSM and intention to stay, which is defined as employees' conscious and free will to remain with their current employer for an extended period. These findings may be influenced by the collective nature of Lebanese culture, which emphasizes communal values. NGOs in Lebanon play a crucial role in countering government inefficiencies and maintaining societal stability, enhancing employees' satisfaction, commitment, and intention to stay. We discuss the implications for theory and practice.