Determinants of Faculty Performance in Private Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Faculty performance in private higher education is a multidimensional outcome shaped by organizational conditions, job demands, individual resources, and the psychological and behavioral mechanisms linking these factors. This study systematically synthesizes recent evidence on the determinants, mediating mechanisms, moderating conditions, and research directions associated with faculty performance in private higher education. The review follows the PRISMA 2020 reporting framework and covers literature published from 2020 to 2026. The search strategy was broadened to include lecturer performance, faculty performance, academic productivity, private higher education, workload, leadership, organizational culture, motivation, competence, supervisor support, work–life balance, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, psychological capital, compensation, career development, and related terms. Twenty studies were retained for the evidence synthesis, with particular attention to private-university samples and mixed public–private higher education samples. The evidence matrix shows that leadership, organizational culture, competence, workload, motivation, institutional or supervisor support, commitment, and job satisfaction recur as important antecedent domains. Several studies also identify mediation through commitment, satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior, engagement, work–life balance, or compensation. The evidence further indicates that findings from private institutions cannot be assumed to generalize directly to public universities. The review integrates Job Demands–Resources Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and Positive Organizational Behavior to explain how demands, resources, and psychological mechanisms jointly shape performance. The study concludes with a context-sensitive research agenda emphasizing longitudinal, multilevel, mixed-methods, and comparative designs.