Upravljanje znanjem u funkciji poboljšanja performansi zaštite na radu

Abstract

Knowledge has had a significant and recognizable role in all stages of the development of human civilization. In post-industrial societies, this phenomenon gains a deeper and richer meaning. It is evident that modern organizations find the primary resources for their own development and competitiveness in the local and global markets in knowledge. This stimulates and reaffirms the need for and significance of knowledge management, as well as the development of knowledge economy where “continuous improvement” also means “continuous learning”. Knowledge management is a contemporary interdisciplinary business concept involving people, technology and all the processes which allow knowledge to be created, spread and used in order to achieve organizational goals. Different possibilities for optimal use of knowledge, its distribution, transfer and implementation in accordance with safety requirements and the need to promote occupational safety are of particular significance. The issues of knowledge management in the context of occupational safety are deliberated upon in close relation to the work system, namely, knowledge management is viewed as establishment and improvement of knowledge systems and the implementation of safe work systems in the framework of the knowledge system. Safe work systems shall depend on the industry in which the organization to which knowledge management pertains is involved. As safe work systems can also be considered knowledge systems, conclusion can be drawn that knowledge management in the context of occupational safety is the development and management of integrated, wellstructured knowledge systems adapted to safety needs (safety and health at work) of the organization to which they pertain. The development of the ability to collect and organize data and information allows the organization to more efficiently establish the indicators on the basis of which safety and health at work issues can be identified, as well as data, information and knowledge necessary to resolve such issues. The presentation of data and information in an aggregate manner provides a basis for comprehensive management of occupational safety and knowledge. In this way, safety and health at work can be viewed and analyzed at different levels, and knowledge IX pertaining to them can then be distributed to the persons and groups responsible, which should ultimately lead to a better performance of the entire safety and health at work system. The importance of knowledge management in companies comes into focus both when hiring and preparing new employees and in transfers to new jobs, additional training, retraining, production planning, introducing new working procedures and technologies, production process innovations, implementation of standards for occupational safety management, environmental protection standards and quality systems, new regulations, provisions and obligations related to the assessment and risk management in working and living environments etc. Together with technical, technological, organizational and other measures and solutions, knowledge represents the foundation for risk and occupational safety management, i.e. it is a condition sine qua non for the development of staff competences which must be developed in the conditions of “risk society” and “knowledge society”. The identified research problem is the lack of current findings on the connection between organizational knowledge management and occupational safety performance, which determine the level of success of the occupational safety systems in business organizations. The subject matter of the dissertation aims to answer the research question pertaining to the establishment of the connection between knowledge management and occupational safety performance, while the goal of the research is directed at the improvement of occupational safety systems through setting up a theoretical, scientifically founded model of knowledge management with the purpose of improving the occupational safety performance. In the course of research, appropriate methodological combination was used, which includes both inductive and deductive methods, i.e. their combination, followed by descriptive research method, systemic analysis method, comparative method and comparative analysis, survey and questionnaires as a research instrument, statistical methods and techniques, and system modelling techniques. The results of the research have confirmed all the set hypotheses of the research, pointing to the conclusion that there is a significant connection between knowledge management and occupational safety performance (number of injuries at work within the organization, number of lost working days due to injury at work within the organization, total cost of injuries at work and occupational diseases within the organization, investment into occupational safety within the organization, assessment of the status of occupational safety within the organization). Therefore, the results of the research confirm the need for and significance of setting up a knowledge management model with the purpose of improving occupational safety performance. X The knowledge management model with the purpose of improving occupational safety performance can be set up following the established strategic guidelines, which are: a systemic and process approach, meeting theoretical and practical requirements related to knowledge management, meeting theoretical, legal and practical requirements related to occupational safety management, system infrastructure based on the principles and application of modern information and communication technologies and contributing to the enhancement of occupational safety through the improvement of occupational safety performance. The knowledge management system model with the purpose of the improvement of occupational safety consists of the following basic processes: analysis of performance and status of occupational safety, acquisition and creation of knowledge for occupational safety, storing and keeping knowledge for occupational safety, transferring and sharing knowledge for occupational safety, using and applying knowledge for occupational safety, and analysis of the improvement of occupational safety performance and status. In addition to the defined processes, the knowledge management system model also includes the system’s organizational and infrastructural framework, consisting of: knowledge management strategy for occupational safety, organizational and cultural infrastructure, occupational safety as an organizational element of the system and information and communication technology infrastructure. The occupational safety expert/person in charge of safety and health at work has the crucial role in the implementation and operation of the knowledge management system with the purpose of improving the performance of occupational safety, by which s/he assumes the responsibility for the system’s operation and also gains new methods and tools, as well as a new dimension of an expert authority for operating and improving the occupation safety system within the organization. Knowledge management as a modern business strategy can have a significant impact on the improvement of occupational safety performance, thereby implying continuous improvement of the status of occupational safety, both at the level of the organization, i.e. the business system, and at the state and international levels.