Three Competing Paradigms: Vertical and Horizontal Integration of Safety Culture Research

Seoyong Kim and Jaesun Wang

International Review of Public Administration, 2009, vol. 14, issue 2, 63-82

Abstract: Many researches have been generated on the safety culture in high-risk organizations. Despite the number of studies, however, there is a lack of good models that incorporate different theories and methods of safety culture.This research presents an integrated model to explain safety culture and to confirm the model by empirical analysis. This paper consists of two parts: First, after reviewing the existing researches on the safety culture, we propose an integrated model of safety culture that includes, vertically, three competing paradigms to explain safety culture - (a) risk perception paradigm, (b) managerialism and (c) organizational culturalism - and, horizontally, designed causal paths that include deep, mediate and outcome variables. Then we discuss the strength and weakness of each competing paradigm. Second, by using survey data comprising the responses of 862 employees at nuclear power stations in Korea, we test the causal paths and integrated models of three competing paradigmsWe empirically confirm the validity of the integrated model, which includes, vertically, theoretical paradigms and, horizontally, causal paths. This integrated model could contribute to establishing a more balanced scheme of safety culture at risky organizations.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1080/12294659.2009.10805156

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