The importance of national culture factors identification in aviation incident analysis

Studies in the aviation industry have suggested that differences in national culture profiles may be related to different incident rates across countries and regions. Developing a better understanding of the role of national culture in aviation incidents has therefore been recognised as an important part of continuous improvement. This study aims to examine perceptions on the contribution of national culture factors to aviation incidents, identify examples of national culture-related behaviours that should be anticipated in the aviation safety context, and explore the potential benefits of identifying national culture factors in aviation incidents. Interviews with 16 experienced aviation incident investigators from Indonesia and Australia were conducted. All subject matter experts interviewed in this study confirmed that aviation safety is potentially influenced by national culture factors. These factors were reported to be more apparent when comparing behaviours between the cultures of "Eastern" and "Western" countries. Several examples relevant to national culture were identified by interviewees, such as the cultural elements of steep hierarchies, collectivism, and risk-taking tendencies. Subject matter experts suggested that a more structured identification of national culture factors as part of aviation incident investigations could deliver advantages for the continuous improvement of the aviation system. The identified potential benefits of national culture identification included increased awareness among flight operators, the improvement of standard procedures, and the development of training programs & regulations to counter the potential negative effects of culture in specific countries.