The Safety Management System (SMS) As A Tool for Building Safety Culture in Aviation: A Qualitative Research

Safety culture is conceptualized as the combination of beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, roles, and practices—both social and technical—within an organization, aimed at mitigating the exposure to adverse or hazardous conditions for both internal and external individuals. In entities where a safety culture is deeply ingrained, efforts are made to formulate a framework that encourages employee adherence to safety regulations, promoting safe behaviours, particularly in high-risk environments. The efficacy of safety culture in substantially reducing accidents, incidents, errors, hazards, and risks, especially those related to human factors, is pivotal in attaining elevated safety standards. At the heart of fostering such a culture lies the implementation of a robust Safety Management System (SMS), which, through its effective and dynamic execution, paves the way for cultivating a safety-centric ethos. This study conducts a detailed empirical analysis of aviation enterprises in Türkiye to evaluate the hypothesis that the Safety Management System (SMS) is a crucial instrument in cultivating a safety culture within the aviation industry. The study employs qualitative research methodologies to discern the correlation between the effectiveness of SMS and its components and the level of safety culture within these organizations. Findings from the study reveal a direct relationship where entities with inadequately implemented SMS and its elements exhibit lower levels of safety culture. Conversely, enterprises that demonstrate effective implementation of SMS are characterized by a high level of safety culture, affirming the critical role of SMS in fostering safety within aviation organizations. This inquiry not only substantiates the integral role of SMS in developing a safety culture in aviation but also highlights the necessity for meticulous implementation of SMS components and processes to achieve a superior safety standard in the industry.