Perceived Organizational Support, Psychological Empowerment, and Proactive Work Behaviour in Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Retail Sector

This study empirically examines the sequential mediation relationship among perceived organisational support (POS), psychological empowerment, and proactive work behaviour among pharmacy employees in Nigeria's retail pharmaceutical sector, drawing data from community pharmacies and drug store chains in Enugu, Lagos, and Kaduna States. The quality and initiative of pharmacy frontline staff have direct implications for public health outcomes in Nigeria, making their proactive engagement a research concern of both managerial and societal relevance. A quantitative analytical design was employed, with 235 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and store assistants completing validated instruments. Serial mediation modelling using Hayes PROCESS macro was applied. Eisenberger's POS Theory and Thomas and Velthouse's Psychological Empowerment Model provide the theoretical framework. Findings confirm a significant indirect effect of POS on proactive work behaviour, serially mediated by psychological empowerment dimensions of meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. The total mediated effect is stronger among licensed pharmacists than among pharmacy technicians, suggesting that educational background amplifies empowerment sensitivity to support perceptions. The study fills a specific research gap: no prior study in Nigeria's pharmacy sector HR literature has modelled this three-variable sequential pathway. Store chains with structured career development programs generate significantly higher POS and empowerment scores than independent pharmacies with minimal HR systems. Recommendations include formal career structuring in pharmacy retail chains, empowerment-focused supervisor training, and recognition programs for proactive staff behaviours. Keywords: perceived organisational support, psychological empowerment, proactive work behaviour, pharmacy retail, Nigeria