Does Self-efficacy Counteract the Effect of Perception of Internal Politics on Work Engagement? A Study of Academic Staff in Sri Lankan State Universities

Internal politics frequently interferes with routine organizational activities and has significant implications for a range of work-related outcomes. While research on the perception of internal politics has matured considerably in Western contexts, empirical evidence from developing countries remains limited, fragmented, and conceptually underdeveloped. Therefore, this study aims to explore the perception of organizational politics and its effect on work-related outcomes and the moderating role of the self-efficacy of the academic staff in Sri Lankan Universities. The relationship between organizational politics, self-efficacy and work engagement was examined with a sample of 350 academic staff in the state universities in Sri Lanka selected through a convenience sampling technique. Data analysis was mainly performed with a hierarchical regression analysis in order to assess the interaction effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between perception of internal politics and work engagement.   The result reveals that self-efficacy counteracts the negative effect of the perception of internal politics on the work engagement of the staff.  This finding demonstrates that the extent to which an individual’s belief in his or her innate ability may have been a key component in lessening the possible effect of internal politics on their work performance.  From a practical perspective, the findings highlight the importance of developing employees’ self-efficacy through targeted training, mentoring, and supportive organizational practices, while theoretically underscoring the value of incorporating personal resources into models explaining the consequences of internal politics.