Configurational Effects of Organizational Policies and Psychological Factors on Whistleblowing about Safety Violations: Evidence from a Fuzzy-Set QCA

Abstract: Whistleblowing within organizations is critical for maintaining operational safety, yet employees often hesitate to report safety violations due to perceived risks. Little research has examined the combined effects of organizational policies and psychological factors on safety whistleblowing. Reward and protection policies serve as pivotal policy levers that shape such behavior. This study integrates sensemaking theory and conservation of resources theory to examine the effects of organizational reward and protection policies, incorporating psychological variables—perceived seriousness, risk aversion, pro-social motivation, and face concern—identified through qualitative analysis of in-depth employee interviews. A Fuzzy-Set QCA using a scenario experiment identifies three pathways that promote safety whistleblowing: (1) The Protection-Driven Approach: Under strong protection but without reward, safety whistleblowing is primarily motivated by high perceived seriousness; (2) The Reward-Driven Approach: When reward is provided but protection is weak, individuals with high perceived seriousness, along with risk aversion, pro-social motivation, and face concern, are more likely to engage in safety whistleblowing; (3) The Policy-Deficient Approach: Even in the absence of both reward and protection, individuals with high perceived seriousness, together with high pro-social motivation and low risk aversion are more likely to engage in safety whistleblowing. Additionally, asymmetric configurational analysis shows that reward increase the likelihood that individuals with high face concern refrain from safety whistleblowing. This study provides actionable insights for organizations seeking to improve operational safety. Unlike the Reward-Driven and Policy-Deficient Approaches, which rely on the presence of specific psychological traits, the Protection-Driven Approach exhibits broader applicability. Key words: Safety Whistleblowing; Reward; Protection; Psychological Factors; Fuzzy-Set QCA