Academic literature on the topic 'Path-Goal Leadership'

Meta-analyses of 120 studies were conducted to test hypotheses of path-goal theories. Chi-square results showed that potential situational and artifactual moderators exist for the relationships of leader behaviors with the dependent variables. Of 16 moderator tests that could be conducted, 7 met the criteria as moderators; however the effect of one moderator was in the opposite direction to that hypothesized. The analyses indicated that much of the research testing path-goal theories has been flawed. Suggestions for future research are made.

ABSTRACTEmployee ignorance on Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) is one of the main causes of workplace accidents. This study was conducted to analyze the correlation between path goal leadership implemented by Gresik steel factory supervisors and employee obedience on company SOP. This study applied quantitative approach and cross-sectional research design. The data were collected through observation and interview on 52 respondents consisting of employees working led by 4 different supervisors. Systematic random sampling is used for sampling method. In-depth interviews were conducted to gain more information regarding the variables analyzed in this study. The independent variables analyzed in this study were path goal leadership style implemented by the supervisors and the dependent one is SOP obedience. This study found that employee obedience level on company SOP of each working units is 86% for drilling unit; 78.57% for marking and cutting unit; 100% for assembly unit; and 41.67% on painting unit. The results of Spearman correlation test indicated that path goal leadership style implemented by the supervisors significantly correlated with obedience level of the employees on company SOP with p < 0.05. there were positive correlation among the variables with correlation coefficient 0.416 (p = 0.001). Based on these findings, it could be concluded that the better path goal leadership style implementation made by the supervisors the higher employee obedience level on company SOP.Keywords: leadership style, Path Goal Theory, SOP obedience, occupational safety

There are different criteria that affect active leadership styles that enhance the role of a principal as an Instructional Leadership. However, many principals lack such criteria where a strong principal considered as an Instructional Leadership. To become Instructional Leaders, principals must transform their practices from managerial to instructional. They need to exercise their leadership by exhibiting the leadership styles in their role and character, or their role will merely perform administrative duties that are akin to an administrative position. Furthermore, a school principal as a leader should play an important role in enhancing teachers' satisfaction. This study investigated the moderating effect of four leadership styles Directive, Supportive, Participative, and Achievement-oriented (D, S, P, A) on Instructional Leadership and teachers' outcomes (job satisfaction, job expectancies and acceptance of leader). The study used mixed methods, qualitative survey and quantitative focus group to develop a model based upon empirical data. The findings are based on a survey of 536 participants including teachers, principals and senior chiefs at various levels of primary, elementary and secondary schools across the Kingdom of Bahrain. The statistical and thematic analysis of the data shows that there is a direct and positive relationship between Instructional Leaderships and teacher's outcomes when moderated by the four leadership styles. The contribution of this study is the empirically tested relationships between Path Goal Theory and Instructional Leadership which shows that there are statistically significant relationships between D, S, P, A and the relationship between Instructional Leadership and the teacher's job satisfaction, job expectancy and acceptance of leader. Focus group finding shows that Leadership styles D, S, P, A transforms Instructional Leadership into a form that enhances the leadership role in Kingdom of Bahrain that Transactional Leadership influences Job expectancy, whilst Referent Power influences acceptance of leaders.

In 1996, Professor Robert J House published a reformulated Path-Goal Theory of Work Unit Leadership, based on his earlier 1971 and 1974 theories. Path-goal leadership attempts to explain the impact that leader behaviour has on subordinate motivation, satisfaction and performance. The aim of this context-specific study is to evaluate this reformulated ‘1996 Theory’ via Structural Equation Modelling with engineers from the Royal Air Force as the primary data source. This thesis offers a revised methodology to test path-goal leadership. In detail, three moderator variables are modelled with four independent variables to establish association with two dependent variables. In addition, five propositions from the ‘1996 Theory’ are examined. The analysis suggests that: the moderator influences preference for a particular type of leadership behaviour (by the subordinate); leader behaviour has an impact on subordinate satisfaction; leader behaviour affects satisfaction directly and performance indirectly; subordinate satisfaction has a direct affect on subordinate performance; and performance is influenced by the type of task demand. It is considered that there is association between the variables; however, the direction of this association is not known and it is difficult to predict accurately. Without further research, which is replicated and revalidated with other cohorts, causality in the leader behaviour — outcome variable paradigm cannot be argued. Due to time constraints, the research has several limitations. Not all propositions cited in the ‘1996 Theory’ are tested and several other variables are not examined. Finally, recommendations are made for future study, particularly replication with other cohorts in the public, private and third sectors to ensure validity. This will help in determining causality with leader behaviour and motivation, satisfaction and performance.

As a result of globalization and increase interdependence of the world economies, people from different cultures are interacting more frequently. However, most problems and misunderstandings occur when members of one culture assumes that their own unconscious values and beliefs are equally appropriate in other cultures. Typically, this is more prominent in an international business setting where companies are increasingly operating outside their usual working environment and interacting more with people belonging to other cultures. Even though, there are a huge number of studies which have focused on assessing the behaviours prevailing in different cultures and countries, we have noticed that there is a lack of literature aiming to find the leadership behaviours and styles becoming prevalent when there is a shift from one culture to another. More specifically, we have observed that there is a theoretical gap in the literature for understanding the behaviours which leaders adopt when they move from a high power distance culture to operate in a country classified as low power distance. Additionally, even on the basis of the extensive literature review conducted, it has been noticed that there are no studies which have aimed to find out the reasons behind adopting the prevailing leadership behaviours and styles. To achieve the purpose of this study, a qualitative research design and semi structured interviews were conducted with twelve managers in two different companies. Typically, a French and a Japanese company (both classified with high power distance index) operating in Sweden (classified with low power distance index) were selected. The data was analyzed using grounded theory and appropriate coding (open and selective coding) was adopted to generate sub-categories and categories which would help to explain the phenomenon being studied. As a result of the analysis undertaken, we have found out that both companies belonging to the high power distance culture have adopted distinct leadership styles. Basically, the French company has adopted a directive leadership style owing to the increasing influence which it receives from the home culture whilst the Japanese company has adopted a participative leadership style. It has also been found that the prevailing leadership behaviours are because of a number of factors like; the management cultural beliefs, labour laws, local employees, decision making process, monitoring and supervision process and influence from the host culture.

Syfte: Ledarskap är en viktig del i att skapa motivation hos idrottande individer. Med bakgrund mot den dramatiska nedgången av idrottare mellan 18-30 år inom den organiserade idrotten har studien haft som syfte att ta reda på vilken typ av ledarskap som motiverar dessa individer. Studiens förhoppning är att en större förståelse för denna fråga kan leda till att fler individer i den studerade målgruppen stannar inom idrotten vilket i förlängningen kan generera positiva resultat på folkhälsan.  Metod: Genom användningen av en kvalitativ forskningsmetod, har det i denna studie genomförts semistrukturerade intervjuer med en hjälp av konstruerad intervjuguide som bygger på det teoretiska ramverk studien förhåller sig till. Det genomfördes 10 olika intervjuer med respondenter som faller inom den population som studien ämnar att undersöka.   Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar på att ett mer individanpassat ledarskap skapar mer motivation inom den studerade kontexten. Genom att individanpassa och involvera idrottarna i större grad visar fynden i studien på en större motivation till fortsatt idrottande. I studien kunde en skillnad urskiljas mellan den individuella- och lagidrotten där graden av individanpassning generellt var bättre inom den individuella idrotten.   Examensarbetets bidrag: Denna studie bidrar med kunskap kring hur ledare kan anpassa sin ledarskapsstil i syfte att skapa motivation hos följarna, i detta fall inom en idrottskontext. Studien presenterar även förslag på vilka åtgärder som skulle kunna fungera och bidra till ett större kvarhållande av idrottare. Studien har även kunnat kontextualisera omfattande ledarskapsteorier inom det studerade ämnet. Det genererar en möjlighet till att besvara forskningsfrågan, men även utgöra en grund för framtida forskning inom ämnet.   Förslag på vidare forskning: Studiens frågeställning kan enligt oss besvaras med användningen av olika typer av forskningsmetoder. En kvantitativ forskningsmetod eller liknande kan generera en högre grad av generaliserbarhet i förhållande till populationen. Motivation samt ledarskap och dess implikationer på kvarhållandet av idrottare överlag är även en forskningsbar aspekt som bör beaktas. Det kan vara fördelaktigt att studera olika former av populationer inom samhällets ramar, för att bidra till en bredare förståelse inom ämnet.
Aim: Leadership is an important part of creating motivation amongst athletes. Against the background of the dramatic decline in athletes between the ages of 18-30 in organized sports, the study aims to find out what type of leadership that motivates these individuals. The study aspire to provide with a greater understanding of this issue which in the long run can lead to more individuals, in the studied target group, staying in sports and also generate positive results on public health.  Method: The study uses a qualitative research method in the form of semi-structured interviews. The interviews have been conducted with the help of a constructed interview guide based on the theoretical framework the study relates to. 10 different interviews were realized with respondents who are within the population in which the study intends to examine.    Results and conclusions: The results of the study showed that more individualized leadership creates more motivation within the studied context. By adapting to the individual and involving the athletes to a greater extent, the findings in the study showed a greater motivation for continued sports. In the study, a difference could be distinguished between the individual and team sports where the level of individual adaptation generally was better in the individual sport.  Contribution of the thesis: This study contributes with knowledge about leaders and how they can adapt their leadership style in order to create motivation within the followers, in this case within a sports context. The study also presents suggestions on what measures could work and contribute to greater retention of athletes. The study has also been able to contextualize extensive leadership theories within the studied subject. This generates an opportunity to answer the question in the study, but also form a basis for future research.   Suggestions for further research:We believe that different types of research methods can be applied to conduct this study.  A quantitative research method or similar can generate a greater degree of generalizability in relation to the population. Motivation and leadership and their implications for the retention of athletes in general is also a researchable aspect that should be considered. It can be beneficial to study different forms of populations within the framework of society, in order to generate a broader understanding of the subject.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--East Tennessee State University, 2004.
Title from electronic submission form. ETSU ETD database URN: etd-1124103-154611. Includes bibliographical references. Also available via Internet at the UMI web site.

Syfte: Studiens syfte är att skapa större förståelse för hur olika ledarskapsbeteenden kan bidra till motivationsskapande hos medarbetare inom upplevelseekonomin, med fokus på målvägsteorin.  Metod: I studien har en kvalitativ metod använts, där åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer och åtta enkätundersökningar har genomförts. Undersökningen valde vi att genomföra inom upplevelseekonomin, där vi specifikt valde att intervjua ledare från Escape Room företag. Escape Room är en verksamhet som säljer upplevelser i form av att deltagarna blir inlåsta i ett rum och tillsammans ska ta sig ut genom att lösa olika problem, gåtor, pussel osv.   Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att ledare inom upplevelseekonomin skiftar mellan olika ledarbeteenden, där respondenterna i studien främst uppvisar en kombination av vägledande och prestationsinriktade ledarbeteenden. Genom en analys av respondenternas svar och den insamlade empirin, finner vi dock att en kombination av ett stödjande och ett vägledande ledarbeteende kan uppfattas mer motiverande för medarbetare inom upplevelseekonomin.  Examensarbetets bidrag: Med studien hoppas vi kunna bidra till ledarnas arbete för att skapa motivation hos medarbetarna, framförallt inom upplevelseekonomin. Vi hoppas att studiens olika delar kan ge ledare tips på hur de kan skapa motivation inom den egna verksamheten. Givet målvägsteorin, fann vi inget underlag för att visst ledarbeteende ska motivera medarbetare med vissa egenskaper, däremot fann vi att situationens egenskaper har större betydelse.  Förslag till vidare forskning: Beträffande målvägsteorin, har vi i vårt arbete valt att fokusera på den tidigare framtagna versionen av House (1971, 1996) som innefattar fyra ledarskapsbeteenden för att öka individens motivation. Vid senare versioner som släppts av målvägsteorin finns fler ledarskapsbeteenden inräknade. Intressant i en framtida forskningsstudie vore därför att inkludera resterande ledarskapsbeteenden likväl.
Aim: The purpose of the study is to create a greater understanding of how different leadership behaviors can contribute to motivation creation among employees in the experience economy, with a focus on path-goal theory.  Method: In the study, a qualitative method was used, where eight semi-structured interviews and eight questionnaires were conducted. We chose to conduct the survey in the experience economy, where we specifically chose to interview leaders from Escape Rooms. Escape Room is a business that sells experiences that involve the participants being locked in a room where they have to get out together by solving various problems, riddles, puzzles, etc.  Conclusion: The results of the study show that leaders in the experience economy switch between different leadership behaviors, where the respondents in the study mainly show a combination of directive and achievement-oriented leadership behaviors. Through an analysis of the respondents' answers and the empirical data collected, we find, however, that a combination of supportive and directive leadership behavior can be perceived as more motivating for employees in the experience economy. Contribution of the thesis: With the study, we hope to be able to contribute to the leaders' work to create motivation among employees, especially in the experience economy. We hope that the different parts of the study can give leaders tips on how they can create motivation within their own organisation. Given the path-goal theory, no basis for certain leadership behavior to motivate employees with certain characteristics was found, however, we found that the characteristics of the situation are more important. Suggestions for future research: Regarding the goal-path theory, we have in our work chosen to focus on the previously developed version of House (1971, 1996) which includes four leadership behaviors to increase the individual's motivation. In later versions released by the goal-path theory, more leadership behaviors are included. It would therefore be interesting in a future research study to include the remaining leadership behaviors as well.

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House s (1971) Path-Goal Theory of Leadership, in spite of the fact that has being largely diffused mainly in USA; in Brazil, however, there is no organizational leadership researches concerning this theory. From that, a scientific investigation with the objective of testing subjacent hypotheses of House s theory was developed. Firstly, a quantitative research was done, with 226 workers, from a Brazilian auto parts company, the majority acting directly at the assembly line. A self-answered questionnaire was applied, in order to apprehend all variables of House s model. Correlation and hierarchical regression analysis were utilized to treat the data. The results demonstrated that none of the relations showed moderation effects and, only strait relations were observed, for instance, the performance variable and directive leader behavior and achievement oriented leader behavior. Subsequently, in order to deeply understand the gotten results, a qualitative research was developed. The data were obtained through deep interviews with 7 individuals of the same company at different hierarchical levels. Those data were analyzed under the light of thematic categorical content analysis technique. A content analysis was utilized to assess the qualitative data analysis. Cultural traits were identified as for instance, paternalism, spectator posture. From the analysis result of the two researches, could conclude that the Brazilian cultural traits would influence the leadership processes, in a way that leaders wouldn t show contingencial characteristics, differently of House s (1971) affirmation. Inferring, therefore, new researches must be done concerning the Brazilian cultural traits in order to validate Houses s theory in the Brazilian organizations context.
A teoria do caminho-meta de House (1971), embora tenha sido bastante difundida principalmente nos EUA, no Brasil, não se encontrou pesquisas em liderança organizacional considerando a teoria. Dessa forma, desenvolveu-se uma investigação científica com a finalidade de testar as hipóteses subjacentes à teoria de House. Inicialmente, foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa, com uma amostra de 226 respondentes trabalhadores de uma empresa brasileira do setor de autopeças, a maioria atuando diretamente na linha de produção. Foi aplicado um questionário autopreenchível, para apreender todas as variáveis do modelo de House. Análises de correlação e regressão hierárquica foram utilizadas para tratar os dados. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que nenhuma relação apresentou efeitos de moderação e, somente, relações diretas foram identificadas, como por exemplo, a variável desempenho e o comportamento diretivo do líder e o comportamento orientado para o resultado do líder. Posteriormente, visando compreender mais profundamente os resultados obtidos, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa qualitativa. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas em profundidade com 7 sujeitos pertencentes à mesma empresa em diferentes posições hierárquicas. Esses dados foram analisados à luz da técnica de análise de conteúdo do tipo categórica temática. Para a análise dos dados qualitativos utilizou-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo. Foram identificados traços culturais, como por exemplo, o paternalismo e a postura de espectador. A partir da análise dos resultados das duas pesquisas, pode-se concluir que os traços culturais brasileiros poderiam influenciar os processos de liderança, fazendo com que os líderes não apresentem características contingenciais, diferentemente do que afirma House (1971), infere-se, portanto, que novas pesquisas devam ser realizadas considerando os traços culturais brasileiros visando validar a teoria de House para o contexto das organizações brasileiras.

In our increasingly competitive world, it is critical that college graduates enter the workplace with the appropriate skills to not only survive but also grow their career. Current college graduates have not consistently acquired the skills needed for success in the workplace to learn and thrive continuously in our rapidly changing world. The Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Science must identify the specific strategies that develop best the needed skills for the success of the graduate and society The purpose of the study was to identify a land grant college of agriculture and life sciencesâ (LGCALS) current programmatic and classroom strategies for developing studentsâ ability to learn and thrive continuously in our rapidly changing world and a (1) explore programmatic strategies for developing studentsâ ability to continuously learn and thrive; (2) explore innovative instructors classroom strategies for developing studentsâ ability to learn and thrive continuously; (3) describe graduates perceptions of career readiness as measured through the bases of competence inventory, and finally; (4) compare programmatic strategies, classroom strategies and graduatesâ perceptions for career readiness. A mixed methods convergent parallel design guided the research. Qualitative interviews were employed for exploring experiences using an interpretive, constructivist, and naturalistic approach for research objectives 1 and 2. A cross sectional survey design and questionnaire, Making the Match, was used to conduct the quantitative research for objective 3. The mixed methods portion of the convergent parallel design was used to frame and explore research objective 4. Findings of the study detail need for curriculum improvement in problem solving, learning, time management, creativity and change, and personal strengths.
Ph. D.

The aim of this chapter is to respond to the emerging scholarship regarding first-time leaders and their situational and potential lifelong learning environment. While transformational leadership may be the long-term goal, this chapter explains how the process of other traditional leadership theories can help assess and build upon its effectiveness. In this regard, this chapter argues that transformational leadership can be conceptually understood through five other supporting leadership theories, namely behavioral, psychodynamic, situational, path-goal, and leader-member exchange. Thus, there are essential characteristics from traditional leadership theories and others that can help aspiring transformational first-time leaders. Through lifelong learning and development of these leadership approaches, culminating characteristics for aspiring transformational first-time leaders must include not only motivation and morality, but also care and concern for others.

Strategic leaders require the skills needed to manage both professional and personal responsibilities. The previous goal of accomplishing balance by being proficient in maintaining an evenness between “home life” and “work life” is no longer sufficient. The path to equilibrium has transformed from compartmentalized structures to a more fluid way of living due to advances in technology and a changing society. This chapter will introduce the concept of Work-Life Synchronicity. The history of work-life balance will be examined, and the way in which technology has impacted how work time and home time are being intertwined and synthesized will be discussed. The importance of how synchronicity impacts organizational success and productivity in relation to effective leadership and business practices will also be explored. The intended audience of this chapter is scholars, students, professors, and other professionals in the field of leadership.

From an economic perspective, Turkey is at the crossroads where it could break the middle-income trap and become a high-income country provided that the right socio-economic policies are implemented. Turkey’s current leadership has set itself an ambitious goal to that effect, that of becoming one of the top ten economies in the world by 2023, the one hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic. This will require policies to ensure that per-capita GDP more than doubles over its current level to reach US$25,000. Such an economic performance would allow Turkey to pack a much stronger punch in both regional and global affairs—economically and geopolitically. Meantime, the country continues to stand at the crossroads trying to chart its path forward. This chapter provides a historical perspective, a comparative macro-analysis, and an institutional analysis, and concludes with an analysis of the Turkey–EU relationship now and into the future.

This paper focuses in the discussion of three main transformations the Oil and Gas Industry will need to continue developing post-pandemic scenarios. Sustainability, Digitalization, Cultural Innovation and Branding need to continue its parallel development for the industry to keep the leadership positions in the energy sector. The goal of this paper to show the interdependence between these three transformations and how EPCI companies need to continue adapting them to succeed.

Attention to safety and health are of ever-increasing priority to industrial organizations. Good Safety is demanded by stockholders, employees, and the community while increasing injury costs provide additional motivation for safety and health excellence. Safety has always been a strong corporate value of DuPont and a vital part of its culture. As a result, DuPont has become a benchmark in safety and health performance. Since 1990, DuPont has re-engineered itself to meet global competition and address future vision. In the new re-engineered organizational structures, DuPont has also had to re-engineer its safety management systems. A special Discovery Team was chartered by DuPont senior management to determine the “best practices’ for safety and health being used in DuPont best-performing sites. A summary of the findings is presented, and five of the practices are discussed. Excellence in safety and health management is more important today than ever. Public awareness, federal and state regulations, and enlightened management have resulted in a widespread conviction that all employees have the right to work in an environment that will not adversely affect their safety and health. In DuPont, we believe that excellence in safety and health is necessary to achieve global competitiveness, maintain employee loyalty, and be an accepted member of the communities in which we make, handle, use, and transport products. Safety can also be the “catalyst” to achieving excellence in other important business parameters. The organizational and communication skills developed by management, individuals, and teams in safety can be directly applied to other company initiatives. As we look into the 21st Century, we must also recognize that new organizational structures (flatter with empowered teams) will require new safety management techniques and systems in order to maintain continuous improvement in safety performance. Injury costs, which have risen dramatically in the past twenty years, provide another incentive for safety and health excellence. Shown in the Figure 1, injury costs have increased even after correcting for inflation. Many companies have found these costs to be an “invisible drain” on earnings and profitability. In some organizations, significant initiatives have been launched to better manage the workers’ compensation systems. We have found that the ultimate solution is to prevent injuries and incidents before they occur. A globally-respected company, DuPont is regarded as a well-managed, extremely ethical firm that is the benchmark in industrial safety performance. Like many other companies, DuPont has re-engineered itself and downsized its operations since 1985. Through these changes, we have maintained dedication to our principles and developed new techniques to manage in these organizational environments. As a diversified company, our operations involve chemical process facilities, production line operations, field activities, and sales and distribution of materials. Our customer base is almost entirely industrial and yet we still maintain a high level of consumer awareness and positive perception. The DuPont concern for safety dates back to the early 1800s and the first days of the company. In 1802 E.I. DuPont, a Frenchman, began manufacturing quality grade explosives to fill America’s growing need to build roads, clear fields, increase mining output, and protect its recently won independence. Because explosives production is such a hazardous industry, DuPont recognized and accepted the need for an effective safety effort. The building walls of the first powder mill near Wilmington, Delaware, were built three stones thick on three sides. The back remained open to the Brandywine River to direct any explosive forces away from other buildings and employees. To set the safety example, DuPont also built his home and the homes of his managers next to the powder yard. An effective safety program was a necessity. It represented the first defense against instant corporate liquidation. Safety needs more than a well-designed plant, however. In 1811, work rules were posted in the mill to guide employee work habits. Though not nearly as sophisticated as the safety standards of today, they did introduce an important basic concept — that safety must be a line management responsibility. Later, DuPont introduced an employee health program and hired a company doctor. An early step taken in 1912 was the keeping of safety statistics, approximately 60 years before the federal requirement to do so. We had a visible measure of our safety performance and were determined that we were going to improve it. When the nation entered World War I, the DuPont Company supplied 40 percent of the explosives used by the Allied Forces, more than 1.5 billion pounds. To accomplish this task, over 30,000 new employees were hired and trained to build and operate many plants. Among these facilities was the largest smokeless powder plant the world had ever seen. The new plant was producing granulated powder in a record 116 days after ground breaking. The trends on the safety performance chart reflect the problems that a large new work force can pose until the employees fully accept the company’s safety philosophy. The first arrow reflects the World War I scale-up, and the second arrow represents rapid diversification into new businesses during the 1920s. These instances of significant deterioration in safety performance reinforced DuPont’s commitment to reduce the unsafe acts that were causing 96 percent of our injuries. Only 4 percent of injuries result from unsafe conditions or equipment — the remainder result from the unsafe acts of people. This is an important concept if we are to focus our attention on reducing injuries and incidents within the work environment. World War II brought on a similar set of demands. The story was similar to World War I but the numbers were even more astonishing: one billion dollars in capital expenditures, 54 new plants, 75,000 additional employees, and 4.5 billion pounds of explosives produced — 20 percent of the volume used by the Allied Forces. Yet, the performance during the war years showed no significant deviation from the pre-war years. In 1941, the DuPont Company was 10 times safer than all industry and 9 times safer than the Chemical Industry. Management and the line organization were finally working as they should to control the real causes of injuries. Today, DuPont is about 50 times safer than US industrial safety performance averages. Comparing performance to other industries, it is interesting to note that seemingly “hazard-free” industries seem to have extraordinarily high injury rates. This is because, as DuPont has found out, performance is a function of injury prevention and safety management systems, not hazard exposure. Our success in safety results from a sound safety management philosophy. Each of the 125 DuPont facilities is responsible for its own safety program, progress, and performance. However, management at each of these facilities approaches safety from the same fundamental and sound philosophy. This philosophy can be expressed in eleven straightforward principles. The first principle is that all injuries can be prevented. That statement may seem a bit optimistic. In fact, we believe that this is a realistic goal and not just a theoretical objective. Our safety performance proves that the objective is achievable. We have plants with over 2,000 employees that have operated for over 10 years without a lost time injury. As injuries and incidents are investigated, we can always identify actions that could have prevented that incident. If we manage safety in a proactive — rather than reactive — manner, we will eliminate injuries by reducing the acts and conditions that cause them. The second principle is that management, which includes all levels through first-line supervisors, is responsible and accountable for preventing injuries. Only when senior management exerts sustained and consistent leadership in establishing safety goals, demanding accountability for safety performance and providing the necessary resources, can a safety program be effective in an industrial environment. The third principle states that, while recognizing management responsibility, it takes the combined energy of the entire organization to reach sustained, continuous improvement in safety and health performance. Creating an environment in which employees feel ownership for the safety effort and make significant contributions is an essential task for management, and one that needs deliberate and ongoing attention. The fourth principle is a corollary to the first principle that all injuries are preventable. It holds that all operating exposures that may result in injuries or illnesses can be controlled. No matter what the exposure, an effective safeguard can be provided. It is preferable, of course, to eliminate sources of danger, but when this is not reasonable or practical, supervision must specify measures such as special training, safety devices, and protective clothing. Our fifth safety principle states that safety is a condition of employment. Conscientious assumption of safety responsibility is required from all employees from their first day on the job. Each employee must be convinced that he or she has a responsibility for working safely. The sixth safety principle: Employees must be trained to work safely. We have found that an awareness for safety does not come naturally and that people have to be trained to work safely. With effective training programs to teach, motivate, and sustain safety knowledge, all injuries and illnesses can be eliminated. Our seventh principle holds that management must audit performance on the workplace to assess safety program success. Comprehensive inspections of both facilities and programs not only confirm their effectiveness in achieving the desired performance, but also detect specific problems and help to identify weaknesses in the safety effort. The Company’s eighth principle states that all deficiencies must be corrected promptly. Without prompt action, risk of injuries will increase and, even more important, the credibility of management’s safety efforts will suffer. Our ninth principle is a statement that off-the-job safety is an important part of the overall safety effort. We do not expect nor want employees to “turn safety on” as they come to work and “turn it off” when they go home. The company safety culture truly becomes of the individual employee’s way of thinking. The tenth principle recognizes that it’s good business to prevent injuries. Injuries cost money. However, hidden or indirect costs usually exceed the direct cost. Our last principle is the most important. Safety must be integrated as core business and personal value. There are two reasons for this. First, we’ve learned from almost 200 years of experience that 96 percent of safety incidents are directly caused by the action of people, not by faulty equipment or inadequate safety standards. But conversely, it is our people who provide the solutions to our safety problems. They are the one essential ingredient in the recipe for a safe workplace. Intelligent, trained, and motivated employees are any company’s greatest resource. Our success in safety depends upon the men and women in our plants following procedures, participating actively in training, and identifying and alerting each other and management to potential hazards. By demonstrating a real concern for each employee, management helps establish a mutual respect, and the foundation is laid for a solid safety program. This, of course, is also the foundation for good employee relations. An important lesson learned in DuPont is that the majority of injuries are caused by unsafe acts and at-risk behaviors rather than unsafe equipment or conditions. In fact, in several DuPont studies it was estimated that 96 percent of injuries are caused by unsafe acts. This was particularly revealing when considering safety audits — if audits were only focused on conditions, at best we could only prevent four percent of our injuries. By establishing management systems for safety auditing that focus on people, including audit training, techniques, and plans, all incidents are preventable. Of course, employee contribution and involvement in auditing leads to sustainability through stakeholdership in the system. Management safety audits help to make manage the “behavioral balance.” Every job and task performed at a site can do be done at-risk or safely. The essence of a good safety system ensures that safe behavior is the accepted norm amongst employees, and that it is the expected and respected way of doing things. Shifting employees norms contributes mightily to changing culture. The management safety audit provides a way to quantify these norms. DuPont safety performance has continued to improve since we began keeping records in 1911 until about 1990. In the 1990–1994 time frame, performance deteriorated as shown in the chart that follows: This increase in injuries caused great concern to senior DuPont management as well as employees. It occurred while the corporation was undergoing changes in organization. In order to sustain our technological, competitive, and business leadership positions, DuPont began re-engineering itself beginning in about 1990. New streamlined organizational structures and collaborative work processes eliminated many positions and levels of management and supervision. The total employment of the company was reduced about 25 percent during these four years. In our traditional hierarchical organization structures, every level of supervision and management knew exactly what they were expected to do with safety, and all had important roles. As many of these levels were eliminated, new systems needed to be identified for these new organizations. In early 1995, Edgar S. Woolard, DuPont Chairman, chartered a Corporate Discovery Team to look for processes that will put DuPont on a consistent path toward a goal of zero injuries and occupational illnesses. The cross-functional team used a mode of “discovery through learning” from as many DuPont employees and sites around the world. The Discovery Team fostered the rapid sharing and leveraging of “best practices” and innovative approaches being pursued at DuPont’s plants, field sites, laboratories, and office locations. In short, the team examined the company’s current state, described the future state, identified barriers between the two, and recommended key ways to overcome these barriers. After reporting back to executive management in April, 1995, the Discovery Team was realigned to help organizations implement their recommendations. The Discovery Team reconfirmed key values in DuPont — in short, that all injuries, incidents, and occupational illnesses are preventable and that safety is a source of competitive advantage. As such, the steps taken to improve safety performance also improve overall competitiveness. Senior management made this belief clear: “We will strengthen our business by making safety excellence an integral part of all business activities.” One of the key findings of the Discovery Team was the identification of the best practices used within the company, which are listed below: ▪ Felt Leadership – Management Commitment ▪ Business Integration ▪ Responsibility and Accountability ▪ Individual/Team Involvement and Influence ▪ Contractor Safety ▪ Metrics and Measurements ▪ Communications ▪ Rewards and Recognition ▪ Caring Interdependent Culture; Team-Based Work Process and Systems ▪ Performance Standards and Operating Discipline ▪ Training/Capability ▪ Technology ▪ Safety and Health Resources ▪ Management and Team Audits ▪ Deviation Investigation ▪ Risk Management and Emergency Response ▪ Process Safety ▪ Off-the-Job Safety and Health Education Attention to each of these best practices is essential to achieve sustained improvements in safety and health. The Discovery Implementation in conjunction with DuPont Safety and Environmental Management Services has developed a Safety Self-Assessment around these systems. In this presentation, we will discuss a few of these practices and learn what they mean. Paper published with permission.