Cultural codes and conflict resolution tendencies of shipboard and shore-based professionals in the maritime sector

Abstract

In the maritime industry, the importance of shipboard and shore-based (office) personnel working in harmony to ensure safety and success of operations is important. The objective of this study is to examine the cultural codes of both groups, their tendency to resolve organizational conflicts, and the relationship between these two variables and demographic factors. The analyses were performed based on the data collected from 143 Turkish maritime professionals through the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Scale and Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory (ROCI-II). The results show that the cultural profiles of the participants are described by low power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, and high long-term orientation. The two most common tendencies in conflict resolution are the styles of “integrating” and “compromising”, while the least preferred style is “avoiding”. Furthermore, the shipboard personnel scored higher on the power distance and masculinity dimensions than the office-based personnel, but no significant difference between the two groups was found in the styles of organizational conflict resolution. The findings suggest that seafarers are beginning to challenge their leaders (low power distance) while adhering to rules (high uncertainty avoidance), and it is likely that sectoral developments such as the International Safety Management (ISM) and Bridge Resource Management (BRM) have played a role in this shift.