The shortage of qualified merchant marines in the United States requires State Maritime Academy (SMA) leaders to develop competitive retention strategies to retain merchant mariners aboard training vessels. The purpose of this single case study was to identify retention strategies that U.S. SMA leaders used to retain mariners aboard training ships. The conceptual framework of this study was Vroom's expectancy theory. The study participants consisted of 5 SMA leaders overseeing the mariners aboard a training vessel. Semistructured interviews and review of SMA documents pertaining to employment strategies provided the study data. The data analysis included collecting and coding data, and using the constant comparative method to identify the themes. Four themes related to successful retention strategies emerged from the data analysis: (a) the monetary value of employment and benefits must be comparable to what is available in the maritime industry, (b) professional development is necessary to maintain maritime industry credentials and improve employee performance within the organization, (c) recognition and understanding of the uniqueness of being a mariner as a profession is important to mariners, and (d) transparency and trust increase communication and improve retention. The findings of this study contribute to positive social change by providing best practices for SMA leaders to integrate retention strategies to improve employment satisfaction, enhance the training of mariners on U.S. waterways, and increase longevity of qualified mariners, which could create a healthy and positive work environment.

The human factor/human element starts to have a key role in accidents and incidents during shipments at sea. Investigations show that poor communications increasingly are the root for many tragedies. A possible reason for communication constraints is the growing trend to employ multicultural crews. This thesis aims to document this new challenge in the maritime industry and to endeavour to show how the Maritime Education and Training (MET) can address the problem. The lack of a company crewing policy entails a variation in management standards; it causes confusion. Therefore, it is commonly advised that a common working language be used and expressed in the company policy. It is not only substandard communication that lies behind accidents but also a lack of cultural awareness and “wrong” stereotyping. This is a worrying situation. Researchers in the maritime field have tried to quantify and describe the risks and identify possible benefits with multicultural crews. Disappointingly, the results show a strong disharmony. The industry appears not to be capable of coping with diversity or hesitates to balance eventual advantages with eventual risks. The reason could be that past research studies rather confuse the industry, instead of giving useful guidance. The research strategy, that has been used to find pros and cons in multicultural crews, perhaps has not been the best suited. This thesis aims to propagate for a professionally applied inductive strategy to phenomena related to human factor constraints in the shipping industry. This thesis is also urging MET institutions to conduct courses in cultural awareness and increase the learning goal in English to something more than bare basic. With World Maritime University (WMU) students as the prime research object, it has been found that studying in a multicultural environment is not problem free but instead creates an opportunity to increase the students’ communicative competence. This research study looks at the aspects of psychology, language and pedagogy to conclude that there is a need for courses in cultural awareness. Most likely, multicultural crews in the shipping industry are an irreversible trend. The solutions presented in this thesis focus on communications and cultural awareness and the point made is that, if courses in these two subject areas are not introduced in MET, a mixed crew will continue to be a risk factor hazarding safety at sea. The implication of the results, from a WMU point of view, is that extended understanding of different cultures is a needed subject for both students and teachers. The present, high level of study contact time makes the need for such courses even more important.

Syftet med denna studie var undersöka varför kvinnor söker sig till sjöfartshögskolor, vilka förväntningar som finns hos de kvinnliga sjöbefälsstudenterna inför och under utbildning och hur de blivit bemötta i sina studier och yrkesval. Studien sökte även svar på vad som motiverat och eventuellt oroat kvinnorna i deras studier och vid tanken på en framtida karriär till sjöss. Som metod valdes en enkätstudie, med kvinnliga studenter vid de två svenska sjöfartshögskolorna som urvalsgrupp. Resultatet visar att svenska kvinnor i större utsträckning låter sitt yrkesval drivas av det man lockas till än det man har erfarenhet av och att svenska kvinnor jämfört med polska kvinnor är beredda på att pröva ett yrke som man har ingen eller liten erfarenhet av. Svenska kvinnliga studenters familjer ställer sig i större utsträckning positiva till deras studieval jämfört med de polska kvinnornas familjer. Både de svenska och polska kvinnorna upplever en problematik att förena familjeliv och karriär till sjöss. Svenska kvinnor känner i betydlig större utsträckning än polska kvinnor psykiska påfrestningar under sin praktik. / The study aimed to investigate why young Swedish women applies for maritime academies, thier expecations before and during beginning their studies and how their surroding reacted to their chosen field of study. This study also aimed to investigare what motivations and possible fears the female students have during their studies and at the thought of a future career at sea. For the study, a questionnaire survey was selected as method, with target group consisting of all female marine officer students at Linnéaus University and Chalmers University of Technology. The result showed that Swedish female students tend to enter the maritime academies based on feelings, rather than experience, and that Swedish female students are more willing than Polish female students to try a profession they have non or little experience of. The Swedish students families are in greater occurrence approving their chosen filed of studies. Both Swedish and Polish students expected to experience problems in uniting a career at sea with family life. A very low amount of the Swedish students aimed to become a senior officers or a Captians in the future. A large group of the Swedish students experienced psychical challenges during their internships.

Ett yrke till sjöss innebär växelvisa borta/hemma perioder vilket innebär en speciell situation för sjöfararen när det gäller att förena yrke och familjeliv. Detta avlösningssystem kan även antas få konsekvenser för den som lever tillsammans med en sjöfarare. Mot denna bakgrund var syftet med denna undersökning att belysa på vilket sätt avlösningssystemet kan påverka partners vardag och relationen till sjöfararen. Undersöknigen omfattar fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem kvinnor till svenska sjöfarare. En kvalitativ medtod användes eftersom jag ville förstå och beskriva respondenten personliga upplevelser och erfarenheter. resultatet visade att upplevelsen bland respondenterna verierade. De problematiska aspekter som framgick var framförallt avsaknad av exakta datum för när sjöfararen skulle mönstra på och av sitt fartyg. Man upplevde det svårt att ha framförhållning och kunna göra gemensamma planer eftersom datum ofta ändrades. De positiva aspekterna som framhölls var bland annat; kvalitetstid tillsammans, egen tid och naturliga pauser i förhållandet vilket kunde tillföra positiva känslor av förnyelse. Nyckeln till att få förhållandet att fungera ansågs vara en positiv inställning och ett gemensamt kompromissande från båda parter. / A profession at sea involves alternating away/home periods, which means a special situation for the seafarer in reconciling profession and family life. This rotation system can also be assumed to have consequences fot those who live with a seafarer. Against this backgrund, the purpose of this study was to illustrate how the rotation system may effect the partners´daily lives ande thier ralationship with the saefarer. A qualitaive approach was used because I wanted to understand and describe the respondents´personal experiences. The results showed that the perception among the respondents varied. The problematic aspects that emerged were above all the absence of acxact dates for the serfarer to sign on and off the vessel. Thay found it difficult to be proactive and make common plans when the dates often changed. The positive aspects that were highlighted included; quality time together, own time and natural breakes in the realtionship which could lead to positive emotions of renewal. The key to getting the relationship to work was seen as a positive attitude and a common compromise from both parties.

Syftet med denna studie var att analysera anmälda arbetsolyckor inom sjöfarten utefter frekvens och konsekvens och således kunna dra slutsatser om vilka arbetsolyckor som är allvarligast. Studiens syfte var också att finna eventuella samband mellan dessa olyckor. Efter kontakt med Sjöfartens arbetsmiljönämnd beställdes statistik från Arbetsmiljöverket. Denna statistik bearbetades på olika vis, bland annat genom att stora avgränsningar gjordes gällande typ av befattning ombord. Efter att ha studerat hur förutsättningarna för anmälan av arbetsskada förändrats valdes relevanta år. Resultatet av studien visar att när en person snubblar, halkar, trampar snett eller går tungt leder det i många fall till lång sjukfrånvaro. Det är också denna typ av olyckor som sker oftast. Att en person förlorar kontroll över föremål eller utrustning för förflyttning av material är också något som sker ofta och leder till lång sjukfrånvaro. Det enda riktiga samband som hittats är att den yttre faktorn tross (förtöjningslina/grovt tågvirke) förekommer i flera arbetsolyckor med olika konsekvens och orsak. / The purpose of this thesis was to analyse the reported work-related accidents in shipping by using frequency combined with consequence. Thereafter the purpose was to reach conclusions regarding which work-related accident was the most serious. The thesis also aimed to find if there were any connections between these accidents. Statistics were ordered from the Swedish Work Environment Authority. These statistics were processed in several ways, for instance demarcations regarding position onboard was made. Since the conditions of reporting workrelated accidents had changed during time, relevant years was chosen after consideration. The result of the study shows that when a person experiences an accident where he or she stumbles, trips, slips or treads heavily, the person is more likely to have a long sick-leave. These types of accidents are also the most common ones. To lose control of equipment or to lose control of equipment used to move material is also a common accident leading to a long sickleave. The only connection found is that the external factor hawser is present at several accidents with different consequences and cause.

The thesis concerns maritime labour and its recent challenges from an international law perspective. The purpose of the work is twofold. First, it analyses how maritime labour has changed in most recent years. In particular, the work discusses the impact on maritime labour of two recent phenomena, namely globalisation and digitalisation. As far as the former is concerned, the thesis outlines that globalisation has given rise to flags of convenience and open registries, which have led to a marked deterioration in living conditions on board. As far as the latter is concerned, it is shown that digitalisation has made crews less and less numerous, although at the same time increasingly qualified and competent. Second, the study investigates whether the current international legal framework is adequate to cope with the changes described above, or whether it should be modified – and, if so, in which sense. Specifically, the research examines the main Conventions, bilateral agreements as well as voluntary or self-regulatory instruments. In addition, the study takes into account international collective bargaining, which is relevant because the maritime sector is highly unionised, and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has made a great effort over the years to get global shipowners to guarantee minimum conditions for seafarers. This research has an innovative and original approach. Maritime labour law is a rather neglected branch of legal studies. Only few researchers have investigated this subject. In particular, an organic study on this topic still represents a desideratum in Italy. This work intends to fill this gap, providing an Italian point of view on maritime labour law. In fact, even though the issue transcends national borders by its very nature, the transposition of international legal instruments at domestic level can vary greatly from state to state. In addition, the maritime sector is usually studied from an economic perspective, rather than from a labour law perspective. For example, most publications about flags of convenience focus on the distortion of competition. This research shifts the approach and looks at the phenomenon from the workers’ point of view. Such an approach is relevant for seafarers and for the entire sector, since taking the human factor into account is crucial for the sustainable development of the field.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2016-12-02T12:36:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandre Moraes Rocha Santana.pdf: 1106688 bytes, checksum: b0f068d7c9f8745bf830f57ecb3c22cc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-02T12:36:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandre Moraes Rocha Santana.pdf: 1106688 bytes, checksum: b0f068d7c9f8745bf830f57ecb3c22cc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-09-23 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The objective of this research is the work relationships of the Seafarer Officer in Brazil, sheltering both qualifications: Deck Officer and Engineer Officer, a kind of seafarer acting on the cargo operations. Thus, this research aims at understanding the specificities of the Merchant Marine Officialdom profession and the relevance of this activity for the society, for capitalism and for globalization. In relation to the relevance of the activity, the development of navigation and its participation in the cargo shipping around the world were considered, which corresponds to around 80% of all the cargo shipped worldwide, as well as the importance of navigation, referring to cargo shipping throughout history and its participation in capitalism and in globalization. Referring to the specificities of the profession, the militarized influence in the profession was considered, even though it is a civil and commercial activity, which influences the professional formation, organization and job assignment. The professional competences and its relations with immaterial labor were also analyzed, as well as daily work, confined and isolated work, experiences between work time and nonwork time. The research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with ten Seafarers Oficcers, by e-mail, whose questionary is in the introduction of this dissertation, with qualitative approach. The data revealed the peculiarities of the Merchant Marine Officialdom profession, which distinguish it from the others professions / O objeto desta pesquisa são as relações de trabalho do Oficial da Marinha Mercante no Brasil, albergando as duas habilitações: Oficial de Náutica e Oficial de Máquinas, espécie de trabalhador marítimo, atuando no transporte de cargas. Desta forma, esta pesquisa busca compreender as especificidades da profissão de Oficialato da Marinha Mercante e a relevância da atividade para a sociedade, para o capitalismo e para a globalização.Com relação à relevância da atividade, foi considerado o desenvolvimento da navegação e sua participação na movimentação de cargas no mundo, que corresponde a cerca de 80% de toda a carga transportada internacionalmente, assim como a importância da navegação, referente ao transporte de cargas ao longo da história e sua participação no capitalismo e na globalização. Referente às especificidades da profissão, foi considerada a influência militarizada na profissão, apesar de ser uma atividade civil e comercial, que influenciam na formação profissional; na organização e divisão do trabalho. Também foram analisadas as competências profissionais e as suas relações com o trabalho imaterial, assim como a jornada de trabalho; trabalho em confinamento e em isolamento; vivências entre o tempo de trabalho e tempo de não trabalho. A pesquisa foi realizada mediante entrevistas semi-estruturadas com dez Oficiais da Marinha Mercante, via e-mail, cujo o roteiro encontra-se na introdução desta dissertação. Os dados obtidos revelaram as peculiaridades das características da profissão de Oficial da Marinha Mercante, que o distingue dos demais trabalhadores

Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka utmaningarna med multikulturellt ledarskap till sjöss, och hur dessa skiljer sig från multikulturellt ledarskap iland. Från tidigare forskning och litteratur samt med hänsyn till de speciella förhållandena ombord identifieras fem punkter för ett lyckat multikulturellt ledarskap till sjöss. Dessa punkter har sedan legat till grund för en intervjuguide, som använts i intervjuer med tolv sjömän ombord på ett fartyg i svenska handelsflottan. Sjömännen har bland annat tillfrågats om hur de tycker att ett bra ledarskap ska vara, deras förväntningar på ledarskap och hur miljön ombord påverkar dem. Av sjömännens svar och åsikter under intervjuerna har det framgått att de viktigaste egenskaperna (enligt sjömännen) hos en ledare är att vara rättvis, snäll och kunnig. Sjömännen är medvetna om förväntningar på ledarskap som tillhör deras roll ombord, men reflekterar inte nämnvärt över olika kulturers förväntningar på deras roll. Detta kan ha sin förklaring i att, utifrån intervjuerna och litteraturgenomgången, kan man uppfatta att ombord råder en fartygsspecifik kultur. Det är denna fartygsspecifika kultur som besättningen uppmärksammar och anpassar sig till, och den egna nationella kulturen blir sekundär. Avslutningsvis bedöms den största utmaningen med multikulturellt ledarskap till sjöss att kunna vara en rättvis och snäll ledare i en isolerad och påfrestande miljö. / The purpose of this study is to investigate possible challenges regarding multicultural leadership at sea, and to see if these differ from challenges connected to multicultural leadership ashore. Considering the special conditions onboard a ship, and based on previous studies and literature, five components for successful multicultural leadership at sea has been identified. These five components have been the base of an interview guide, which has been used to conduct interviews with twelve seafarers onboard a Swedish flagged ship. The seafarers were asked what they consider to be good leadership, their expectations on leadership and how they feel affected by the environment onboard. According to the interviews, the seafarers feels that the most important traits for a leader is to be fair, kind and knowledgeable. The seafarers appear to be aware of the expectations connected to their roles onboard, but they do not seem to contemplate that people from different cultures may have different expectations on their role. Based on the literature study and the interviews, one can make out that a ship-specific culture rules the social environment onboard. The crewmembers seem to primarily adapt and adjust to this ship-specific culture, and their own national culture comes in second hand.  In conclusion, the biggest challenge of multicultural leadership at sea is recognized to be the ability to be a fair and kind leader in an isolated and wearying environment.

This research was an attempt at a social construction of an understanding that came into being through the collaboration between the researcher and the co-researchers concerning the life and circumstances of seafarers. The purpose of this construction was to participate, together with the co-researchers, in developing a research narrative that can be beneficial to seafarers. The aim is for it to lead to their emancipation and empowerment. The title of this research indicates that this is a hermeneutical adventure. It is hermeneutical because it is about a construction of meaning and about coming to an understanding. It is an adventure because whatever meaning and understanding was constructed in the end was unknown at the beginning. New knowledge was constructed in which all who participated had a say. The development of this research narrative was guided by the ABDCE formula which uses the metaphor of research as story writing. The researcher’s epistemology was informed by the notions of social constructionism, the narrative approach based on social constructionism and postfoundationalism. Theological issues in this research had to do with postfoundationalist practical theology, with its emphasis on embeddedness, contextuality and particularity while also trying to move beyond the local. In addition to this there was also a focus on missiology and the concept of Missio Dei was emphasised. Seafaring is still a dangerous profession where the seafarers many times find themselves being powerless in situations of injustice. On ships there is a lot of diversity. Men and women from many different religions and cultures have to sail together. Occasionally this causes tension between seafarers, but mostly they are working and living together in harmony. A bigger concern than conflict is that diversity might cause social isolation. Seafarers are willing to endure a lot of hardship and especially seafarers from developing countries are making this sacrifice in order to provide a better future for their families. The relationship between seafaring and the family is an ironic one because the seafarers sail in order to provide for the family, but at the same time sailing takes them away from their loved ones. From the perspective of the researcher three general weaknesses were found as far as the ministry to seafarers is concerned: At times there is lack of a spiritual dimension to the ministry, secondly there is a need for a stronger presence among the seafarers and thirdly more emphasis should be put on involvement with fishers especially as far as justice issues are concerned. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Background: To ensure a sustainable future in the maritime industry; new measures of employee well-being are needed. Digital health solutions have proven to possess great potential to ensure employee well-being regardless of location, with opportunities for a proactive instead of a reactive approach where health and safety issues can be avoided.  Research Problem: Despite the potential benefits of using digital health solutions, the acceptance and impact of such solutions remain unexplored in the maritime industry, which is essential for achieving improvements.   Purpose: This study aims to explore what influences the acceptance of digital health solutions for improving seafarer well-being to understand how the maritime industry accepts digital health solutions and, more importantly, the potential impact this acceptance has on seafarer well-being. Research Question: How does the acceptance of digital health solutions in the maritime industry impact the employee well-being of seafarers?  Methodology and Method: This is a qualitative and inductive study, with a relativist view of reality and a social constructionist view of knowledge, that aims to build new theories through semi-structured interviews and Gioia’s analysis method.  Conclusion: Our findings focus on what influences the acceptance of digital health solutions and how these solutions impact employee well-being. With the aid of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), we find that there are levels of acceptance dependent on the nature of different influential factors. Furthermore, we discover that digital health solutions can influence physical, mental, and social well-being. From this, we develop a framework explaining the impact acceptance has on employee well-being. As a result, we illustrate that acceptance is a crucial aspect of improving employee well-being with digital health solutions.