Safety Culture in Small Factories Could Be the Hidden Engine of Construction Supply Chains

In the sprawling network of factories, workshops, and building sites that feeds the global construction industry, the smallest enterprises often carry the heaviest loads. Manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, produce components, materials, and finished goods under intense operational pressure while simultaneously confronting one of the most hazardous occupational environments in any industrial sector. A new study conducted in Colombia now suggests that the secret to making these enterprises both safer and more successful lies not in any single policy or procedure, but in the way organizational culture and safety management work together as an integrated system.

Researchers at Francisco de Paula Santander University surveyed 204 employees across 16 manufacturing SMEs operating within construction supply chains in Norte de Santander, Colombia. The team, led by Genny Torcorcorama and Jorge Torcorcorama, wanted to understand how three critical factors interact: organizational culture, occupational health and safety management, and overall organizational performance. Unlike previous studies that examined these elements in isolation, the new research adopted an integrative approach, treating them as interconnected components of a single explanatory model.

The theoretical foundations of the study draw on decades of organizational research. Organizational culture, broadly defined, encompasses the shared values, beliefs, and behavioral norms that shape how people within an enterprise think and act. Safety management, by contrast, refers to the structured systems and procedures designed to identify hazards, prevent accidents, and protect worker health. Performance, the ultimate outcome of interest, reflects the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the enterprise. The researchers hypothesized that culture would influence safety management, which would in turn influence performance, creating a causal chain linking the soft, human dimensions of organizational life to hard, measurable business results.

To test this model, the team used structural equation modeling, a sophisticated statistical technique that allows researchers to estimate relationships between multiple variables simultaneously. The analysis confirmed all three hypothesized pathways. Organizational culture showed a strong positive effect on safety management, with a standardized coefficient of 0.72. Safety management, in turn, showed a significant positive effect on organizational performance, with a coefficient of 0.58. Critically, the indirect effect of culture on performance through safety management was also statistically significant, confirming that safety management acts as a genuine mediating mechanism rather than a mere statistical artifact.

The findings carry substantial practical implications for manufacturing SMEs in construction supply chains. In these environments, where coordination demands are high and operational hazards are pervasive, the study suggests that investing in safety management is not simply a matter of regulatory compliance or ethical responsibility. Instead, it represents a strategic pathway through which the human dimensions of organizational culture translate into concrete business outcomes. Enterprises that cultivate strong cultures characterized by shared values, leadership commitment, and employee engagement are better positioned to implement effective safety systems, and those effective safety systems are better positioned to drive productivity and profitability.

The research also highlights the specific cultural dimensions that matter most. The survey instrument measured organizational culture across four sub-dimensions: shared values, organizational communication, leadership commitment, and employee participation. Safety management was similarly measured across four components: hazard identification, risk assessment, control measures, and continuous improvement. Performance was assessed through indicators of productivity, quality, and operational efficiency. The structural model confirmed that all of these sub-dimensions contributed meaningfully to their parent constructs, suggesting that a comprehensive approach to culture and safety is more effective than focusing on any single element.

Context matters enormously in interpreting these findings. Manufacturing SMEs in construction supply chains face a distinctive combination of challenges. They operate under intense pressure to deliver components and materials on time, often with limited resources and staff. They confront occupational hazards that are among the most severe in any industrial setting, including machinery accidents, falls, and exposure to harmful substances. And they must coordinate with larger enterprises upstream and downstream in the supply chain, which imposes additional demands on communication, quality, and reliability. In this environment, the study suggests, the integration of culture and safety is not a luxury but a necessity for survival and success.

The researchers acknowledge several limitations of their work. The cross-sectional design, which captured data at a single point in time, cannot establish temporal precedence or rule out reverse causality. The sample, while adequate for the statistical analysis, was drawn from a single region in Colombia, raising questions about generalizability to other contexts. And the reliance on self-reported survey data introduces the possibility of common method bias, although the researchers took steps to mitigate this concern. Future research, they suggest, should employ longitudinal designs, expand the geographic scope, and incorporate objective performance measures.

Despite these limitations, the study makes a valuable contribution to the literature on organizational culture, safety management, and performance in SMEs. By demonstrating that safety management acts as a genuine mediating mechanism between culture and performance, the research provides empirical support for an integrative model that has long been theorized but rarely tested in this specific context. The findings also offer practical guidance for managers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders seeking to improve both the safety and the success of small enterprises in hazardous industrial environments.

As the global construction industry continues to evolve, with growing demands for sustainability, quality, and reliability throughout its supply chains, the smallest enterprises will remain essential contributors. The new research from Colombia suggests that their path forward lies in recognizing that organizational culture and safety management are not separate concerns but integrated components of a single system. By cultivating strong cultures and implementing effective safety systems, manufacturing SMEs can protect their workers, satisfy their customers, and secure their place in the supply chains of the future.

Subject of Research: Driving organizational performance through OHS culture and management in manufacturing SMEs within construction supply chains

Article Title: Driving organizational performance through OHS culture and management in manufacturing SMEs within construction supply chains

Article References: Navarro Claro, G. T., & Bayona Soto, J. A. (2026). Driving organizational performance through OHS culture and management in manufacturing SMEs within construction supply chains. Frontiers in Built Environment, 12, Article 1874467. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1874467

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/fbuil.2026.1874467

Keywords: organizational culture, occupational health and safety, manufacturing SMEs, construction supply chains, structural equation modeling, organizational performance, Colombia, Driving, organizational, performance, culture, management