Dov Zohar
דב זהר
Dov Zohar at Mary Kay O’Connor Safety & Risk Center
Born(1945-12-29)29 December 1945
Died12 April 2023(2023-04-12) (aged 77)
Alma mater
Known forSafety climate theory, Psychosocial safety climate, Industrial and organizational psychology, Organizational Psychology
AwardsLifetime Career Achievement Award in Occupational Health Psychology – American Psychological Association (APA),
APA/CDC Best Safety Intervention Awards,
Human Factors & Ergonomics Awards for Outstanding Scientific Contribution
Scientific career
FieldsOrganizational Psychology, Industrial and organizational psychology
Institutions

Dov Zohar (Hebrew: דב זהר; born 29 December 1945) was a Full Professor at the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. He is widely celebrated as the "father of safety climate",[1][2] a concept he introduced in his 1980s seminal work "Safety climate in industrial organizations: theoretical and applied implications".[3] Zohar's work on Psychosocial safety climate and safety culture has been instrumental in shaping safety policies, procedures, and practices across various industries, marking him as one of the most highly cited professors in Organizational Psychology, is the 19th most cited professor at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, and the most cited professor in the Faculty of Industrial Engineering.[4] In addition to his primary role at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Zohar has held visiting professorships and scientist positions at prestigious institutions including the Gallup Leadership Institute, University of Nebraska, the University of Toronto, and the University of Maryland.

Early life and education edit

Dov Zohar (Hebrew: דב זהר; born 29 December 1945) was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel. He is the son of Meir and Pola Zohar (Hebrew: מאיר זוהר).[5] He received his B.A. in Psychology from Bar-Ilan University, Israel in 1970. Zohar later pursued his M.Sc. in 1972 and Ph.D. in 1975 from the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland.[6]

Academic career edit

Upon completing a Ph.D. at the University of Maryland in 1975, Zohar joined the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion, where he would embark on a distinguished career that spanned over four decades.[7] Zohar's contributions to the field of organizational psychology were transformative. He was a pioneer in the concept of safety climate, which he invented in the 1980s.[3] His work on safety climate theory and psychosocial safety climate[8][9][10] extended to various industries, including manufacturing,[11] construction,[12] medicine,[13][14] trucking,[15] and many more - where he helped improve safety policies, procedures, and practices.[16] He developed industry-specific safety-climate scales and innovative Supervision-based Safety (SBS) interventions that significantly enhanced workplace safety.[17][18] These contributions earned him recognition as one of the most highly cited professors at the Technion.[4] For his large contributions to the field of organizational phycology, Zohar was awarded the 2008 Lifetime Career Achievement Award in Occupational Health Psychology – American Psychological Association (APA) and CDC.[19]

Safety Climate edit

Dov Zohar is a distinguished figure in the field of organizational psychology, best known for his seminal contributions to the concept of safety climate. His groundbreaking 1980 paper in the Journal of Applied Psychology established the theoretical framework for safety climate and introduced a measurement scale that has become a cornerstone in the field.[3] This work catalyzed further research, leading to the development of numerous safety climate measurement tools, including specific scales for military applications[20] and multilevel safety climate scales.[9]

Central to Zohar's research is the role of leadership in shaping safety climate. He posits that leadership, particularly at the supervisory level, is pivotal in creating a positive safety climate within organizations. This perspective led to the development of the Supervision-based Safety (SBS) intervention model, which emphasizes the modification of leadership behaviors to enhance safety climate and, consequently, improve safety outcomes. The SBS model has been successfully implemented in a variety of organizational contexts worldwide, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing safety practices and reducing workplace accidents.[21]

Moreover, Zohar's influence extends beyond the confines of safety climate to encompass broader organizational climate research. He has advocated for the simultaneous examination of multiple climate facets—such as quality, security, and inclusion climates—highlighting the interconnectedness of these dimensions within organizations.[21][22] This holistic approach has inspired current research directions, encouraging scholars to explore the complex interplay between various aspects of organizational climate.

In sum, Prof. Dov Zohar's extensive body of work on safety climate has not only laid the theoretical and methodological foundations for the field but has also provided practical frameworks for improving workplace safety. His contributions have had a lasting impact on both the academic community and organizational practices, underscoring the critical role of leadership and the multifaceted nature of organizational climates.

Past Appointments edit

  • 2005-2006: Visiting Professor, Gallup Leadership Institute, College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska.[18]
  • 2003-2005: Visiting Scientist, Institute for Work & Health, University of Toronto, Canada.[23]
  • 2000-2002: Program Chair, Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion.[23]
  • 1980-2002: Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion.[24]
  • 1991-1992: Visiting Professor, School of Management, University of Calgary, Canada.[23]
  • 1990-1991: Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, U.S.A.[23]
  • 1983-1986: Director, Research Center for Human Factors and Work Safety, Technion Research Institute.[24]
  • 1980-1981: Research Fellow, The Tavistock Institute, London.[25]
  • 1977-1979: Lecturer, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion.[24]

Awards and Honors edit

  • 2008: Lifetime Career Achievement Award in Occupational Health Psychology – American Psychological Association (APA) and CDC.[19]
  • 2008: Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Fellow.[26]
  • 2003: Best Intervention Research Award – Centers for Disease Control (CDC) & National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).[18]
  • 1996: Outstanding Lecturer Award - Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.[23]
  • 1981: Jerome H. Ely Award for Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Human Factors - Human Factors Society (special citation for receiving the award a second time).[27]
  • 1980: British Council Scholarship for Advanced Research - The British Council, London.[19]
  • 1979: Jerome H. Ely Award for Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Human Factors - Human Factors Society.[28]

Books edit

Prof. Dov Zohar has contributed to a number of important works in the field of occupational safety, organizational culture, and psychology. His chapters in key books include:

  • Zohar, D., "Safety Climate: Conceptual and Measurement Issues". In: J. Quick & L. Tetrick (Eds.), Handbook of Organizational Health Psychology. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2003, pp. 123-142.[21]
  • Zohar, D., "The Influence of Leadership and Climate on Occupational Health and Safety". In: D. Hofman & L. Tetrick (Eds.), Health and Safety in Organizations: A Multilevel Perspective. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Frontiers Book Series, 2003, pp. 201-230.[29]
  • Zohar, D., "Work Safety". In: C. Spielberger (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology (Vol. 3). San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2004, pp. 719-724.[30]
  • Zohar, D. & Hofmann, D., "Organizational Culture and Climate". In: S. Kozlowski (Ed.), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press (in press).[10]

Personal Life edit

Dov Zohar was diagnosed with melanoma and was given a prognosis of six months to live. He participated in one of the first immunotherapy clinical trials, where he responded exceptionally well to the treatment. This significant medical intervention prolonged his life, highlighting the potential of immunotherapy in cancer treatment.[31] In 2023, he died from unrelated causes, and is survived by his wife and three children.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ Payne, Stephanie C.; Véchot, Luc; Ashraf, Atif Mohammed (1 September 2023). "Extending the empirical evidence for process safety climate". Process Safety and Environmental Protection. 177: 734–740. doi:10.1016/j.psep.2023.07.060. ISSN 0957-5820.
  2. ^ Olson, R.; Cunningham, T. R.; Nigam, J. A. S.; Anger, W. K.; Rameshbabu, A.; Donovan, C. (2023). "Total Worker Health® and Organizational Behavior Management: Emerging Opportunities for Improving Worker Well-being". Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. 43 (4): 280–319. doi:10.1080/01608061.2022.2146256.
  3. ^ a b c Zohar, D. (February 1980). "Safety climate in industrial organizations: theoretical and applied implications". The Journal of Applied Psychology. 65 (1): 96–102. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.65.1.96. ISSN 0021-9010. PMID 7364709.
  4. ^ a b Ioannidis, John P. A.; Baas, Jeroen; Klavans, Richard; Boyack, Kevin W. (12 August 2019). "A standardized citation metrics author database annotated for scientific field". PLOS Biology. 17 (8): e3000384. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000384. ISSN 1545-7885. PMC 6699798. PMID 31404057.
  5. ^ a b "פרופ' דב זהר ז"ל | בית עלמין ירקון, הארץ, מנוח | 13.04.23". 13 April 2023.
  6. ^ Zohar, Dov; Luria, Gil (2003). "The use of supervisory practices as leverage to improve safety behavior: A cross-level intervention model". Journal of Safety Research. 34 (5): 567–577. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2003.05.006. ISSN 0022-4375. PMID 14733991.
  7. ^ "Professor Dov Zohar". Archived from the original on 2016-09-03.
  8. ^ Zohar, Dov (2010). "Thirty years of safety climate research: Reflections and future directions". Accident Analysis & Prevention. 42 (5): 1517–1522. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2009.12.019. ISSN 0001-4575. PMID 20538108.
  9. ^ a b Zohar, D.; Luria, G. (2005). "A Multilevel Model of Safety Climate: Cross-Level Relationships Between Organization and Group-Level Climates". Journal of Applied Psychology. 90 (4): 616–628. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.90.4.616. PMID 16060782.
  10. ^ a b Zohar, Dov; Hofmann, David A. (2012). "Organizational Culture and Climate". In Kozlowski, Steve W. J. (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Psychology, Volume 1. Oxford Library of Psychology. Oxford Academic. pp. 643–666. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199928309.013.0020. ISBN 978-0-19-992830-9.
  11. ^ Zohar, D. (2000). "A group-level model of safety climate: Testing the effect of group climate on microaccidents in manufacturing jobs". Journal of Applied Psychology. 85 (4): 587–596. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.85.4.587. PMID 10948803.
  12. ^ Kines, Pete; Andersen, Lars P.S.; Spangenberg, Soren; Mikkelsen, Kim L.; Dyreborg, Johnny; Zohar, Dov (2010). "Improving construction site safety through leader-based verbal safety communication". Journal of Safety Research. 41 (5): 399–406. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2010.06.005. ISSN 0022-4375. PMID 21059457.
  13. ^ Zohar, Dov; Livne, Yael; Tenne-Gazit, Orly; Admi, Hanna; Donchin, Yoel (2007). "Healthcare climate: A framework for measuring and improving patient safety". Critical Care Medicine. 35 (5): 1312–1317. doi:10.1097/01.CCM.0000262404.10203.C9. PMID 17414090.
  14. ^ Zohar, Dov; Tzischinsky, Orna; Epstein, Rachel; Lavie, Peretz (2005). "The Effects of Sleep Loss on Medical Residents' Emotional Reactions to Work Events: a Cognitive-Energy Model". Sleep. 28 (1): 47–54. doi:10.1093/sleep/28.1.47. PMID 15700720.
  15. ^ Huang, Yueng-hsiang; Zohar, Dov; Robertson, Michelle M.; Garabet, Angela; Lee, Jin; Murphy, Lauren A. (2013). "Development and validation of safety climate scales for lone workers using truck drivers as exemplar". Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. 17: 5–19. doi:10.1016/j.trf.2012.08.011. ISSN 1369-8478.
  16. ^ "Dov Zohar".
  17. ^ Zohar, D. (2002). "Modifying supervisory practices to improve subunit safety: a leadership-based intervention model". Journal of Applied Psychology. 87 (1): 156–163. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.87.1.156. PMID 11916209.
  18. ^ a b c Luria, G.; Zohar, D.; Erev, I. (2008-04-10). "The effect of workers' visibility on effectiveness of intervention programs: supervisory-based safety interventions". Journal of Safety Research. 39 (3): 273–280. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2007.12.003. PMID 18571568.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  19. ^ a b c "2008 Lifetime Career Achievement Award Recipients in Occupational Health Psychology – American Psychological Association".
  20. ^ Zohar, D.; Luria, G. (2004). "Climate as a Social-Cognitive Construction of Supervisory Safety Practices: Scripts as Proxy of Behavior Patterns". Journal of Applied Psychology. 89 (2): 322–333. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.89.2.322. PMID 15065978.
  21. ^ a b c Zohar, Dov (2002). "The Effects of Leadership Dimensions, Safety Climate, and Assigned Priorities on Minor Injuries in Work Groups". Journal of Organizational Behavior. 23 (1): 75–92. doi:10.1002/job.130. JSTOR 4093686.
  22. ^ Zohar, D. (2003). Quick, J. C.; Tetrick, L. E. (eds.). Safety climate: Conceptual and measurement issues. American Psychological Association. pp. 123–142. doi:10.1037/10474-006. ISBN 1-55798-927-3.
  23. ^ a b c d e "Dov Zohar | Technion – Israel Institute of Technology | Israel".
  24. ^ a b c "Advisor – PROFESSOR EMERITUS Dov Zohar (Deceased)". Graduate School. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  25. ^ Jex, S. M.; Britt, T. W. (2014). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approach (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  26. ^ "SIOP Fellows".
  27. ^ "1981 Jerome H. Ely Award Recipients for Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Human Factors".
  28. ^ "1979 Jerome H. Ely Award Recipients for Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Human Factors".
  29. ^ Zohar, Dov (2003). The influence of leadership and climate on occupational health and safety. Health and safety in organizations: A multilevel perspective. pp. 201–230.
  30. ^ Zohar, Dov (2004). Work safety. Spielberger (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology (Vol. 3). San Diego, CA: Academic Press. pp. 719–724.
  31. ^ ראב"ד, אחיה (10 May 2015). "הרופאים נתנו לדב 4 חודשים לחיות. מאז עברו 8 שנים". Ynet (in Hebrew).



Category:1945 births Category:2023 deaths Category: organizational psychology