The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction in the Relationship between Person-Environment Fit, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention: An Empirical Study of Foshan Ceramic Enterprises

Abstract

This research examines the formation mechanism of turnover intention among employees in Foshan's ceramic enterprises, grounded in the integrated theoretical framework of Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model. A survey was administered to 328 frontline workers and managers, with data analysed using SmartPLS-SEM. The findings indicate that: (1) Person-Environment (PE) fit (? = -0.38, p < 0.01) and organisational commitment (? = -0.42, p < 0.01) serve as significant negative predictors of turnover intention; (2) Job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between PE fit and turnover intention (VAF = 56.3%); (3) Job satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between organisational commitment and turnover intention (VAF = 61.7%). Multi-group analysis further revealed that environmental values alignment, a context-specific dimension of PE fit, exerted a stronger effect for younger employees (?_young = -0.45 versus ?_old = -0.29, p < 0.05). Practical recommendations include implementing structured mentor-apprentice programmes and dynamic health subsidies to enhance organisational commitment and job satisfaction. This study contributes an integrated, context-specific theoretical framework for understanding and mitigating turnover in manufacturing industries undergoing green and technological transitions.