Examining the influence of national culture on aviation safety: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction

Studies have reported that aviation incident rates vary between regions, with Asia and Africa having higher rates than Europe and America. Factors contributing to incidents have also been found to differ between nations. Most features of the aviation system have originated from a Western perspective (North America/Western Europe), which may make them less well adapted to Asian and African cultures. This study was designed to examine the nature and quality of the literature on the relationship between national culture and safety in aviation.

Method

A systematic literature review examining original peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters published since 2000 was undertaken.

Results

Most of the 35 selected articles focused on the impact of national culture on factors affecting safety performance (e.g., human error, crew interaction, communication). Studies of existing databases and survey-based studies were the most common methodologies. The majority of the articles used Hofstede’s dimensions as a lens to analyze national culture. Power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance were the three cultural dimensions most commonly found to influence aviation safety, and were particularly associated with issues in team communication and decision-making. Limited research has examined behavioral markers that could identify the influence of national culture on safety outcomes in specific work settings.

Conclusions

While elements of national culture were considered important for safety, most reviewed studies discussed culture and safety outcomes at a population level rather than at the level of individual incidents.

Practical applications

Future studies should focus on a comprehensive identification of behaviors (e.g., communication, teamwork, decision-making) that may be influenced by national culture in specific aviation and transportation operational settings. Existing human factors models and measurement/analysis tools should be evaluated regarding their potential to examine cultural differences.