Evaluation of the influence of organizational factors in the effective implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) in the Untied Arab Emirates (UAE)

Abstract

This study considers the influence of organizational safety factors on the effective implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) in airlines in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study design used a hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis method consisting of the Decision Making and Trial Laboratory (DEMATEL) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) methods. The organizational factors used in the study provide the frameworks for implementation of Safety Management Systems. The source of information for the organizational factors was the International Civil Aviation Organization's Safety Management System Guidance Manual, which is also fully endorsed by the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority. The study targeted 35 aviation safety experts selected from air transport organizations in the United Arab Emirates. The DEMATEL-ANP method was used to measure experts' perception of the influence of organizational factors on the effective implementation of Safety Management Systems in the United Arab Emirates based on data collected through two rounds of surveys. The results revealed the kind and level of influence the organizational factors have on Safety Management System (SMS) implementation, and identified four core factors that are crucial for effective implementation of SMS in the UAE: hazard identification, risk management, change management, and coordination of emergency. The study concludes with a safety measurement model that is unique to the United Arab Emirates air transport industry.