Safety Climate and Safety Behaviors among Thai Pilots: The Mediated Moderated Structural Equation Modeling Technique
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/abacj.2022.8Abstract
Past research reveals that safety climate plays an essential role in influencing safety-related behavior in various work contexts. However, few studies have considered how safety climate could influence safety behavior among pilots. This study aims to contribute to the safety literature by investigating the impact of group or fleet safety climate on pilots’ safety behavior and to investigate the mediating roles of attitudinal pride and safety knowledge and the moderating role of organizational tenure. Based on a sample of 610 commercial pilots in Thailand, a moderated mediation structural equation modelling technique was utilized. Results of the analysis affirm that fleet safety climate has a significant positive effect on pilots’ safety behavior via an increase in their attitudinal pride and safety knowledge. Additionally, the indirect influence of fleet safety climate on safety behavior was found to be stronger among pilots with longer tenure. This suggests that longer-tenured pilots are more reliant on workplace safety norms to maintain safety behaviors. Airlines can use the results from this study to establish and implement fleet-wide safety policies to reduce aviation risks at work.
References
Agnew, C., Flin, R., & Mearns, K. (2013). Patient safety climate and worker safety behaviours in acute hospitals in Scotland. Journal of Safety Research, 45, 95–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2013.01.008
Alruqi, W. M., Hallowell, M. R., & Techera, U. (2018). Safety climate dimensions and their relationship to construction safety performance: A meta-analytic review. Safety Science, 109, 165–173.
Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L., & Maude, P. (2017). Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Life Science Journal, 14(5), 12–16.
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16(1), 74–94.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychologi-cal Review, 84(2), 191.
Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1). Prentice-hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Bebenroth, R., & Berengueres, J. O. L. (2020). New hires’ job satisfaction time trajectory. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 20(1), 61–74.
Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. (1993). Research methods in education. New Age International Publisher, 64–76.
Blau, P. M. (1964). Justice in social exchange. Sociological Inquiry, 34(2), 193–206.
Boorman, W. C., & Motowildo, S. J. (1997). Task performance and contextual performance: The meaning of personnel selection. Human Performance, 10, 99–109.
Borst, R. T., & Lako, C. J. (2017). Proud to Be a Public Servant? An Analysis of the Work-Related Determinants of Professional Pride among Dutch Public Servants. International Journal of Public Administration, 40(10), 875–887. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2017.1289390
Brondino, M., Silva, S. A., & Pasini, M. (2012). Multilevel approach to organizational and group safety climate and safety performance: Co-workers as the missing link. Safety Science, 50(9), 1847–1856. https://doi.org /10.1016/j.ssci.2012.04.010
Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit in the analysis of covariance structure. Psychologi¬cal Bulletin, 88, 588–606.
Bunner, J., Prem, R., & Korunka, C. (2018). How work intensification relates to organization-level safety performance: The mediating roles of safety climate, safety motivation, and safety knowledge. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2575.
Charoensook, C. (2018). Sky Lanterns and Aviation Safety: A Study at the Mae Fah Luang Chiangrai Airport. International Journal of Engineering &Technology, 7(2.13), 18–23.
Chen, C.-F., & Chen, S.-C. (2013). Measuring the effects of Safety Management System practices, morality leadership and self-efficacy on pilots’ safety behaviors: Safety motivation as a mediator. https://doi.org/10.1016 /j.ssci.2013.09.013
Chen, C.-F., & Chen, S.-C. (2014). Measuring the effects of Safety Management System practices, morality leadership and self-efficacy on pilots’ safety behaviors: Safety motivation as a mediator. Safety Science, 62, 376–385.
Chmiel, N., Laurent, J., & Hansez, I. (2017). Employee perspectives on safety citizenship behaviors and safety violations. Safety Science, 93, 96–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.11.014
Crichton, M. T. (2017). From cockpit to operating theatre to drilling rig floor: five principles for improving safety using simulator-based exercises to enhance team cognition. Cognition, Technology and Work, 19(1), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-016-0396-9
Curcuruto, M., & Griffin, M. A. (2018). Prosocial and proactive “safety citizenship behaviour” (SCB): The mediating role of affective commitment and psychological ownership. Safety Science, 104(January), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2017.12.010
Curcuruto, M., Parker, S. K., & Griffin, M. A. (2019). Proactivity towards workplace safety improve¬ment: an investigation of its motivational drivers and organizational outcomes. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 28(2), 221–238.
DaRBy, R. (2006). Commercial jet hull losses, fatalities rose sharply in 2005. Aviation Safety World, 1(2), 51–53.
Dawson, J. F. (2014). Moderation in management research: What, why, when, and how. Journal of Business and Psychology, 29(1), 1–19.
DeJoy, D. M., Della, L. J., Vandenberg, R. J., & Wilson, M. G. (2010). Making work safer: Testing a model of social exchange and safety management. Journal of Safety Research, 41(2), 163–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2010.02.001
Durlak, J. A., & Wells, A. M. (1997). Primary prevention mental health programs: The future is exciting. American Journal of Community Psychology, 25(2), 233–243.
Durrah, O., Chaudhary, M., & Gharib, M. (2019). Organizational cynicism and its impact on organizational pride in industrial organizations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(7), 4–6. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ijerph16071203
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50.
Gao, R., Chan, A. P. C., Utama, W. P., & Zahoor, H. (2016). Multilevel safety climate and safety performance in the construction industry: Development and validation of a top-down mechanism. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(11), 1100.
Golaszewski, R. (1983). The influence of total flight time, recent flight time and age on pilot accident rates.
Goudarzi, K., Llosa, S., Orsingher, C., Gouthier, M. H. J., & Rhein, M. (2011). Organizational pride and its positive effects on employee behavior. Journal of Service Management.
Gouthier, M. H. J., & Rhein, M. (2011). Organizational pride and its positive effects on employee behavior. Journal of Service Management, 22(5), 633–649. https://doi.org/10.1108/09564231111174988
Gramopadhye, A. K., & Drury, C. G. (2000). Human factors in aviation maintenance: how we got to where we are. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 26(2), 125–131.
Griffin, M. A., & Neal, A. (2000). Perceptions of safety at work: a framework for linking safety climate to safety performance, knowledge, and motivation. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(3), 347–358. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.5.3.347
Guo, B. H. W., Yiu, T. W., & González, V. A. (2016). Predicting safety behavior in the construction industry: Development and test of an integrative model. Safety Science, 84, 1–11. https://doi.org /10.1016/j.ssci.2015.11.020
Helm, S. (2013). A matter of reputation and pride: Associations between perceived external reputation, pride in membership, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. British Journal of Management, 24(4), 542–556.
Helmreich, R. L. (1997). Managing human error in aviation. Scientific American, 276(5), 62–67.
Hulland, J. (1999). Use of partial least squares (PLS) in strategic management research: A review of four recent studies. Strategic Management Journal, 20(2), 195–204.
Jain, A. K. (2015). Volunteerism and organisational culture: Relationship to organizational commitment and citizenship behaviors in India. Cross Cultural Management, 22(1), 116–144. https://doi.org/10.1108 /CCM-11-2013-0167
Ji, M., Li, Y., Zhou, C., Han, H., Liu, B., & He, L. (2017). The impact of perfectionism on situational judgment among Chinese civil flying cadets: The roles of safety motivation and self-efficacy. Journal of Air Transport Management, 63, 126–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2017.06.025
Kass, S. J., Vodanovich, S. J., & Callender, A. (2001). State-trait boredom: Relationship to absenteeism, tenure, and job satisfaction. Journal of Business and Psychology, 16(2), 317–327.
Kelly, D., & Efthymiou, M. (2019). An analysis of human factors in fifty controlled flight into terrain aviation accidents from 2007 to 2017. Journal of Safety Research, 69, 155–165.
Kharoufah, H., Murray, J., Baxter, G., & Wild, G. (2018). A review of human factors causations in commercial air transport accidents and incidents: From to 2000–2016. Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 99, 1–13.
Kim, H. S., & Lee, S. (2008). National interest, selective sourcing and attribution in air disaster reporting. Journal of International Communication, 14(1), 85–103.
Kline, R. B. (2015). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford publications.
Kraemer, T., & Gouthier, M. H. J. (2014). How organizational pride and emotional exhaustion explain turnover intentions in call centers. Journal of Service Management.
Kraemer, T., Gouthier, M. H. J., & Heidenreich, S. (2017). Proud to stay or too proud to stay? How pride in personal performance develops and how it affects turnover intentions. Journal of Service Research, 20(2), 152–170.
Lee, J., Huang, Y.-H., Sinclair, R. R., & Cheung, J. H. (2019). Outcomes of safety climate in trucking: A longitudinal framework. Journal of Business and Psychology, 34(6), 865–878.
León, F. R., & Morales, O. (2019). The moderating role of tenure on the effects of job insecurity and employability on turnover intentions and absenteeism. Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administracion, 32(3), 305–325. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARLA-08-2017-0244
Li, Y., Liu, Z., Qin, K., Cui, J., Zeng, X., Ji, M., Lan, J., You, X., & Li, Y. (2021). Organizational trust and safety operation behavior in airline pilots: The mediating effects of organizational identification and organizational commitment. Journal of Air Transport Management, 92, 102018.
Lu, C.-S., Weng, H.-K., & Lee, C.-W. (2017). Leader-member exchange, safety climate and employees’ safety organizational citizenship behaviors in container terminal operators. Maritime Business Review.
Lu, C. S., & Yang, C. S. (2010). Safety leadership and safety behavior in container terminal operations. Safety Science, 48(2), 123–134. https://doi.org/10.1016 /j.ssci.2009.05.003
Makary, M. A., Sexton, J. B., Freischlag, J. A., Holzmueller, C. G., Millman, E. A., Rowen, L., & Pronovost, P. J. (2006). Operating room teamwork among physicians and nurses: teamwork in the eye of the beholder. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 202(5), 746–752.
McFadden, K. L. (1997). Predicting pilot-error incidents of US airline pilots using logistic regression. Applied Ergonomics, 28(3), 209–212.
Milkman, K. L., Chugh, D., & Bazerman, M. H. (2009). How can decision making be improved? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(4), 379–383.
Murphy, L. A., Huang, Y. hsiang, Lee, J., Robertson, M. M., & Jeffries, S. (2019). The moderating effect of long-haul truck drivers’ occupational tenure on the relationship between safety climate and driving safety behavior. Safety Science, 120(July 2018), 283–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.ssci.2019.07.003
Neal, A., & Griffin, M. A. (2002). Safety Climate and Safety Behaviour. Australian Journal of Management, 27(1_suppl), 67–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/031289620202701s08
Neal, A., & Griffin, M. A. (2006). A study of the lagged relationships among safety climate, safety motivation, safety behavior, and accidents at the individual and group levels. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(4), 946–953. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.91.4.946
Newaz, M. T., Davis, P., Jefferies, M., & Pillay, M. (2019). Using a psychological contract of safety to predict safety climate on construction sites. Journal of Safety Research, 68, 9–19.
Ng, T. W. H., Yam, K. C., & Aguinis, H. (2019). Employee perceptions of corporate social responsibility: Effects on pride, embeddedness, and turnover. Personnel Psychology, 72(1), 107–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12294
Oah, S., Na, R., & Moon, K. (2018). The influence of safety climate, safety leadership, workload, and accident experiences on risk perception: A study of Korean manufacturing workers. Safety and Health at Work, 9(4), 427–433.
Pohl, S., & Galletta, M. (2017). The role of supervisor emotional support on individual job satisfaction: A multilevel analysis. Applied Nursing Research, 33, 61–66.
Quach, E. D., Kazis, L. E., Zhao, S., Ni, P., McDannold, S. E., Clark, V. A., & Hartmann, C. W. (2021). Safety climate associated with adverse events in nursing homes: a national VA study. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 22(2), 388–392.
Riebe, J. M. (1973). STOL Aircraft Flight and Landing Area Considerations. Transportation Engineering Journal of ASCE, 99(2), 339–351.
Rosseel, Y. (2012). lavaan: An R package for structural equation modeling. Journal of Statistical Software, 48, 1–36.
Sexton, J. B., Helmreich, R. L., Neilands, T. B., Rowan, K., Vella, K., Boyden, J., Roberts, P. R., & Thomas, E. J. (2006). The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire: psychometric properties, benchmarking data, and emerging research. BMC Health Services Research, 6(1), 1–10.
Seyedpour, S. M., Safari, A., & Nasr Isfahani, A. (2020). Formulating an organizational pride model for the National Iranian Oil Company. Cogent Business & Management, 7(1), 1794679.
Shen, Y., Ju, C., Koh, T. Y., Rowlinson, S., & Bridge, A. J. (2017). The impact of transformational leadership on safety climate and individual safety behavior on construction sites. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14010045
Shuch, H. P. (1992). The influence of flight experience on midair collision risk perception. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 24(6), 655–660.
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1985). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior’In: Worchel. Psychology of Intergroup Relations, 2nd Edn, Nelson-Hall, Chicago.
Tao, D., Liu, Z., Diao, X., Tan, H., Qu, X., & Zhang, T. (2021). Antecedents of self-reported safety behaviors among commissioning workers in nuclear power plants: The roles of demographics, personality traits and safety attitudes. Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 53(5), 1454–1463.
Taylor, J. L., Kennedy, Q., Noda, A., & Yesavage, J. A. (2007). Pilot age and expertise predict flight simulator performance: a 3-year longitudinal study. Neurology, 68(9), 648–654.
Walumbwa, F. O., & Schaubroeck, J. (2009). Leader personality traits and employee voice behavior: mediating roles of ethical leadership and work group psychological safety. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(5), 1275.
Wiegmann, D. A., & Shappell, S. A. (2001). Human error perspectives in aviation. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 11(4), 341–357.
Yari, S., Naseri, M. H., Akbari, H., Shahsavari, S., & Akbari, H. (2019). Interaction of safety climate and safety culture: a model for cancer treatment centers. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: APJCP, 20(3), 961.
You, X., Ji, M., & Han, H. (2013). The effects of risk perception and flight experience on airline pilots’ locus of control with regard to safety operation behaviors. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 57, 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2013.03.036
Zohar, D. (2000). A group-level model of safety climate: testing the effect of group climate on microaccidents in manufacturing jobs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(4), 587.
Zohar, D., & Luria, G. (2010). Group leaders as gatekeepers: Testing safety climate variations across levels of analysis. Applied Psychology, 59(4), 647–673.
