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Due to external regulations and limited resources, micro and small enterprises' (MSEs) work safety behavior in China's high-risk industries is passive behavior under constraints. Based on stakeholder theory, this paper describes the attributes and behavior rules of MSEs, the government safety supervision department and work safety service agencies using the agent-based simulation methods. We construct an evolution model to study this behavior. The software platform Netlogo is used for simulation exercises. Under the four factors of enterprise work safety resource strength, government supervision, government subsidies, and organization service level, the evolution of MSEs' work safety behavior in high-risk industries is simulated and the results are discussed. It further reveals internal and external drivers of work safety of MSEs in high-risk industries, strengthens the scientific supervision and effective support of government safety supervision departments, and improves work safety service quality of service agencies multi-dimensionally. Plain English Summary: In recent years, the input of work safety of MSEs is rather limited, and owners with decision-making power have a visual attitude towards work safety. "Accident occurrence-Inspection and rectification-Shutdown" has become government's usual practice in handling accidents in China, and it is difficult for control measures to address accidents at the source. Local government provides insufficient subsidies. The service level of work safety service agencies is low. Combined with internal resources and external constraints, this paper describes the interaction process of MSEs' work safety behavior in high-risk industries and constructs an evolution model to study it, based on agent-based simulation methods. The research results are follows. MSEs in high-risk industries need to improve their work safety resources, increase their investment in work safety, and progressively develop their awareness of independent work safety behavior. Government safety supervision departments need to strengthen supervision of MSEs and control penalty levels. MSEs can then gain more work safety benefits and develop internal drivers to implement work safety actively. For those companies who have intentions to pursue work safety behavior but lack funds, a service subsidy from local government will provide essential support. Given improvement of service levels from work safety service agencies, MSEs will purchase high-level work safety services and acquire more professional technical services to help them meet government standards. Thus, the results are conducive to the transformation of MSEs from passive restraint behavior to active work safety behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Due to the limited work safety resources and the poor awareness of work safety from business owners with absolute decision-making power, safety accidents frequently occur in Chinese micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in high-risk industries. This study identifies the influencing factors of work safety behavior from MSEs, government safety supervision departments, and work safety service agencies. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the mechanism model of work safety behavior is built from the aspects of behavior attitude, subjective norms, behavior control cognition, past behaviors, and risk awareness of the enterprise. Based on the interview with nearly 600 MSEs in the east of China over 6 months, the results show that the work safety awareness of the business owner determines the work safety lever of the enterprise, and the work safety behavior of MSEs is a passive restraint behavior. Our findings provide a new perspective on the formation of MSEs' work safety behavior in high-risk industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Due to the limited work safety resources and the poor awareness of work safety from business owners with absolute decision-making power, safety accidents frequently occur in Chinese micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in high-risk industries. This study identifies the influencing factors of work safety behavior from MSEs, government safety supervision departments, and work safety service agencies. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the mechanism model of work safety behavior is built from the aspects of behavior attitude, subjective norms, behavior control cognition, past behaviors, and risk awareness of the enterprise. Based on the interview with nearly 600 MSEs in the east of China over 6 months, the results show that the work safety awareness of the business owner determines the work safety lever of the enterprise, and the work safety behavior of MSEs is a passive restraint behavior. Our findings provide a new perspective on the formation of MSEs’ work safety behavior in high-risk industries. more...