Tacit knowledge of manufacturing workers and managers about learning environment, corporate safety culture and professional competences

Abstract

This study explored the interrelationships between a learning environment, personnel competencies, and safety culture of four small size manufacturing companies. A concept of creative tension was used to elicit the tacit knowledge of workers and managers related to their perceptions of organisational learning, competencies and safety culture. A total of 195 workers and 43 managers participated in the questionnaire study. The results were analysed using structural equation modelling; the analysis showed strong positive correlations between the levels of creative tension associated with organisational learning and safety culture, as well as between the levels of creative tension associated with organisational learning and personnel competencies for both workers and managers. The study results support the importance of organisational learning promoting safety culture in small size manufacturing companies. Both workers and managers associated the development of their professional competencies with increasing organisational learning capabilities of their companies.