Citation:

Richard Santosa, Mahlia Muis, Indra Widjaja. "Insurance Agent Performance in Emerging Markets: A Thematic Literature Review" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 5, No. 5, pp. 93-100, 2026. Crossref. http://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I5P111

Abstract:

This study aims to synthesize the determinants of insurance agent performance in emerging markets through a thematic literature review, with a particular focus on leadership and learning perspectives. Drawing on 17 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus, this study identifies key factors influencing agent performance and examines how transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and learning work behavior contribute to performance outcomes. The review adopts a thematic analysis approach to organize the literature into three main clusters: leadership influences, learning and adaptive behaviors, and contextual factors specific to emerging markets. The findings reveal that insurance agent performance is shaped by a complex interaction of organizational, behavioral, psychological, and contextual determinants. Leadership plays a critical role, where transformational leadership enhances motivation and learning, while transactional leadership ensures structure and performance consistency. Learning work behavior emerges as a central mechanism that enables agents to adapt, develop competencies, and respond to dynamic market demands. In addition, contextual factors such as trust, cultural differences, and institutional conditions significantly influence performance in emerging markets. This study contributes to the literature by integrating leadership and learning perspectives into a unified framework and providing a structured thematic synthesis of existing research. The findings offer theoretical insights into the multidimensional nature of agent performance and practical implications for insurance companies in developing effective leadership and learning strategies. Future research is encouraged to further examine these relationships through empirical and longitudinal studies across different emerging market contexts.

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Keywords:

Insurance Agent Performance, Emerging Markets, Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Learning Work Behavior, Organizational Learning, Thematic Literature Review.