The Knowledge Management and Safety Compliance in OECD Economies: Some Experience for Jordan Industrial Sector

Abstract

The paper investigates the role of knowledge management and safety compliance in OECD economies and applies some recommendations for the Jordan industrial sector. This study reveals the main problems with safety compliance which are resulted in fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. The main purpose is to determine the innovation and economic factors that influence safety compliance to provide a relevant recommendation for improving the situation. The research object is chosen as countries because they present generalized information on safety compliance and provide an opportunity to develop some policy recommendations. In the frame of the paper investigation of the knowledge management and safety, compliance was carried out in the following logical sequence: first, it provides the relevant literature review, then it discusses methodology and data description, and at last, it presents empirical results with policy recommendation and conclusions. There was collected panel data for 29 OECD economies on such indicators as fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries per 100 000 workers, wealth, energy efficiency indicators, gross fixed capital formation, patent applications, high-technology exports and manufacturing value-added. Methodological tools of the research were the random effect estimations in Stata for the latest available data 2010-2015. The obtained results showed that the increase in GDP per capita in selected OECD economies reduces the fatal occupational injuries per 100 000 workers. Thus, an increase in GDP per capita by 1000 USD leads to a decrease in fatal occupational injuries per 100000 workers by 0,039. Also, an increase in GDP per capita by 1000 USD leads to an increase in non-fatal occupational injuries per 100000 workers by 7,8. The other important innovation variables are high technological export and patent application by residents, which reduce the level of non-fatal occupational injuries. Systematization of literary sources and approaches for solving the problem of safety compliance indicates that both economic and innovation parameters have to be addressed to reduce fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. The results of this research can be useful for policy-makers who are responsible for knowledge management and safety compliance. Keywords: knowledge management, safety compliance, OECD economies, innovations, occupational injuries.