The Influence of Career Development on Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Job-Related Attitudes among University Library Professionals of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Career development is a critical human resource practice that ensures the professional growth and retention of employees while supporting organizational success. In the context of university libraries, career development opportunities play a pivotal role in shaping the job-related attitudes of library professionals, which in turn influence institutional performance. This study aims to examine the impact of career development on organizational performance, with job-related attitudes acting as a mediating factor. Literature has been reviewed to cover all the variables depicted in the conceptual model, with theories, quotations and research findings in the appropriate places supporting the arguments. A quantitative approach and structured questionnaire were administered to 146 library professionals across seventeen state university libraries in Sri Lanka, with 132 valid responses (90%) collected. Findings reveal that career development initiatives significantly influenced job-related attitudes (β=0.423, p < 0.000, R2= 0.179), and organizational performance (β=0.220, p =0.005). Job-related attitudes significantly influenced organizational performance (β=0.494, p < 0.000) with integrated describing for 38.4% of the variation R2 0.384. The findings reveal that Career development has a significant positive impact on library professionals' organizational performance, both directly and indirectly through job-related attitudes about their work. Overall the study explores that providing career development programs and encourages job related attitudes are two major strategies for enhancing organizational performance in University Libraries.