Read the full-text of this article for free

Title: Safety and Organizational Design Factors: Decentralization and Alignment

Authors: Kristy J. Lauver; Christine Quinn Trank

Addresses: Author address listing can be found in the "About the Authors" section at the end of the article.

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between two key organization design factors -decentralization and alignment- and organizational-level safety outcomes. Safety-related practices embedded in organizational design at 54 United States-based organizations through a survey of top-level managers and used injury reports provided to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to measure each organization's safety record are assessed. Results extend the organizational design and occupational safety literature by providing evidence that decentralization and alignment help reduce overall organizational injuries, and lending additional support for increased worker control of safety practices, along with a need for congruency across the broader company policies and practices.

Keywords: Organizational design; decentralization; alignment; safety outcomes; occupational safety.

DOI: 10.1504/JBM.2012.141198

Journal of Business and Management, 2012 Vol.18 No.1, pp.61 - 80

Published online: 05 Sep 2024 *