Rethinking Citizenship Behaviors: A New Perspective on Public Sector Performance Drivers

Abstract

This paper explores the relationships among work environment, servant leadership, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), knowledge sharing, and employee performance within public service organizations. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 177 employees using a census approach and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal significant direct effects of work environment and servant leadership on employee performance, mediated primarily by knowledge sharing. While knowledge sharing emerged as a key driver of performance, the mediating role of OCB was context-dependent and less impactful. The results highlight the dual importance of physical and psychological workplace dimensions and emphasize knowledge sharing as a critical mechanism linking leadership and environmental factors to performance. This paper contributes to the theoretical discourse by prioritizing intellectual resource exchange over discretionary behaviors and provides practical recommendations for fostering collaborative and adaptive public service environments. Limitations include the paper’s cross-sectional design and sector-specific focus, suggesting avenues for future longitudinal and multi-sectoral research.