Employee Perception as a Mediator Between Safety and Security Management Practices and Investigation Efficiency, with Organisational Culture as a Moderator in the UAE Energy Sector

Abstract

This study examines employee perception as a mediator between safety and security management practices and investigation efficiency, with organisational culture as a moderator in the UAE energy sector. The study addresses the need for efficient, fair, and learning-oriented investigation processes in high-risk energy organisations where safety incidents, security threats, regulatory obligations, and operational disruptions require timely and reliable responses. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire distributed to employees who were directly involved in, affected by, or formally expected to cooperate with internal investigation processes. From 520 distributed questionnaires, 426 valid responses were retained after data screening and outlier removal. The proposed framework was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The measurement model confirmed satisfactory reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity for all constructs. The structural model showed strong explanatory and predictive power, with Safety Management Practices and Security Management Practices explaining 60.0% of the variance in Employee Perception. Employee Perception, Organisational Culture, and their interaction explained 62.7% of the variance in Investigation Efficiency. The findings revealed that both safety and security management practices significantly influence Employee Perception, with Safety Management Practices showing the stronger effect. Employee Perception had a significant positive effect on Investigation Efficiency. The mediation analysis confirmed that Employee Perception significantly mediates the relationships between both management practices and Investigation Efficiency. The moderation analysis showed that Organisational Culture significantly moderates the relationship between Employee Perception and Investigation Efficiency. The study concludes that investigation efficiency is shaped by formal management systems, employee perceptions, and cultural conditions within the organisation.