Effectiveness of Management Education Programmes in Chemical Industrial Safety

ABSTRACT:
This study examines the impact of management education programmes on chemical engineers’
professional development and industrial safety practices. Using a mixed-methods approach, researchers surveyed 380 engineering graduates who completed management programmes across six former Yugoslav countries between 2009-2022. Findings reveal significant enhancements in both technical and interpersonal competencies, with presentation skills (4.22/5), leadership (4.21/5), and decision-making (4.20/5) showing the strongest improvements. Attitudinal changes were equally notable, with professional confidence (4.25/5) and career development awareness (4.22/5) demonstrating the most substantial positive shifts. Employer feedback corroborated these quantitative results, confirming observable improvements in graduates’ capabilities. The research concludes that management education effectively complements technical engineering training, equipping professionals with the holistic competencies necessary for navigating complex safety challenges in chemical industries. This study provides a framework for developing targeted educational interventions that yield measurable improvements in both safety outcomes and organizational effectiveness.