Business Ethics in Ship Agencies

Abstract

Increasing operational pressures and demands for corporate transparency in the maritime sector highlight the need to reassess the dynamics shaping business ethics in ship agencies. This study aims to systematically identify the factors shaping the ethical structure in ship agencies and their mechanisms of influence by analyzing these dynamics using a multidimensional approach. In the research, eight fundamental ethical factors identified through a literature review were quantitatively analyzed using the DEMATEL method in line with expert opinions; the causal structures obtained with DEMATEL were compared with the findings of the thematic content analysis conducted on 80 keywords using MAXQDA. DEMATEL findings indicate that Work Pressure, Corporate Trust, and Social Responsibility are positioned as influencing factors with high causal power within the system; while Corporate Values and Company Image emerge as affected outcome variables with high levels of dependence and centrality. There was a notable overlap between the findings of the thematic content analysis conducted using DEMATEL and MAXQDA. In particular, a bidirectional, intense, and stable network of interactions was identified between Corporate Values and Company Image. However, for example, while the Work Pressure factor had high directive power in the DEMATEL analysis, it showed relatively lower conceptual visibility in the MAXQDA content analysis, indicating a mismatch between the emphases of the two methods. The findings reveal that, in addition to corporate values and reputation management, reducing operational pressures and strengthening corporate trust mechanisms should be addressed as fundamental strategic priorities for an ethical and sustainable business model in ship agencies.