Analysis of the Influence Mechanism and Moderating Effects of Employee Job Satisfaction in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises from the Perspective of Organizational Justice

This study investigates the influence of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) on learning efficiency
among Broadcasting and Hosting Arts students in higher education, addressing persistent
concerns regarding inconsistent pedagogical alignment and limited empirical evidence on
motivational and emotional mechanisms affecting students’ academic outcomes. Grounded in
Expectation–Confirmation Theory (ECT), the research examines the direct effect of OBE (H1)
on learning efficiency, the mediating role of learning motivation (H2), and the moderating
influence of emotional regulation (H3). A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted
among 320 students enrolled in Broadcasting and Hosting Arts programmes in China, and the
data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (SmartPLS 4).
The findings indicate that OBE exerts a significant positive effect on learning efficiency (H1: t
= 5.214, p < 0.001). Learning motivation significantly mediates this relationship (H2: t = 4.876,
p < 0.001), demonstrating a partial mediation effect, thereby underscoring motivation as a
critical mechanism through which OBE enhances student outcomes. Emotional regulation
significantly strengthens the OBE–learning efficiency pathway (H3: t = 2.947, p = 0.003),
highlighting the importance of students’ affective competencies in maximizing pedagogical
benefits. Overall, the study advances theoretical understanding of OBE through the lens of ECT
and provides empirical insights into how cognitive expectations, motivational drivers, and
emotional processes jointly shape learning efficiency. The findings contribute to higher
education practice by offering evidence-based recommendations for curriculum design,
motivational pedagogies, and emotional-support interventions tailored to creative and
performance-oriented disciplines