Safety Culture and Leadership Commitment as Determinants of Occupational Safety Performance in the Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

The conflict between the speed of production and the safety of production workers is a paradox that usually poses a threat of disastrous failures in the high-stakes world of the manufacturing industry. This paper discusses this pathway as a causal relationship in terms of Leadership commitment, Safety Culture, and Safety performance as a strategic solution to this conflict. The study employs the Social Exchange Theory (SET) and the DuPont Bradley Curve to provide a theoretical framework in which leadership serves as the "motivational engine" which propels an organization to a high level of interdependent and collective responsibility as opposed to mere compliance. The study identifies three critical dimensions of leadership—visibility, resource allocation, and accountability—as key drivers in shaping organizational safety culture. This study aims to examine the extent to which leadership commitment influences safety culture and, in turn, improves occupational safety performance in the manufacturing industry. In conclusion, the study argues that operational excellence is achieved when leadership prioritizes safety over short-term productivity, thereby transforming safety from a perceived organizational cost into a core value and a source of sustainable competitive advantage.