11/03/2015
About the Role Structure Onboard Ships vs. Individual Identity,
Part One 2014-11-17
Around 50 years ago, two Norwegian sociologists(1) studied the life and organization onboard merchant ships. They observed that a ship of that time could change up to one third of its officers and crew while at berth or even at anchor, and sail again – fully operational – a few hours later.
The sociologists noted that a ship was organized into a strict hierarchy with fixed positions and roles and that there was no need for any introduction of relieving officers and crew.
New and experienced crew members could smoothly fill in for those disembarking without even meeting them. The newcomers already knew their jobs, as well as when and where to work. They were even able to find their cabins and their seats in the messroom without any help. The ship continued sailing – well functioning and with normal routines after a few hours – but with partly new crew members.
No other businesses, not even the smallest working site, could accomplish such a change-over without negative effects on its operation. On a ship, however, this could be done, even despite the fact that the crew regularly was multinational and organized in three departments.
However, such achievements had an effect on the individual seaman.
Officers and crew did not bond because each and every one was regularly replaced by someone else. Seamen generally did not expect to see each other again after disembarking. They therefore looked upon each other as casual workmates only. They seldom invested emotionally in each other and personal friendships became rare. Even interpersonal difficulties didn’t need to be solved because every seafarer had the possibility to leave after a relatively short period of time.
The Seaman’s Identity Was Left Ashore
Furthermore, shipmates normally didn’t use each others’ names; often they didn’t even know them. Instead, everyone was named by using the position or a slang word for the position, like "captain" or "the old man", "the second", "the first", "the bosun", "the cook", meaning that everyone’s identity was limited to their position. A seaman’s true and personal identity was in general of no use. No one was interested and therefore most gave it up while onboard.
This came at a personal price – the seaman as an individual was not counted since each and every one was replaceable and only fitted into a fixed role onboard.
For those who have not sailed, this background is important to know. Those who have sailed, they already know.
Such a shadow from the past gives rise to a question about our own modern times:
Could this historic fact be the reason why many officers and crew even today feel they are not really counted – that they are still merely filling roles and not perceived as individuals?
Read more and find part two at:
http://www.marine-profile.se/mindmatters.html
Marine Profile, P.O. Box 7019, SE-300 07 Halmstad, Sweden | Phone +46-(0)35-10 43 80 | Fax +46-(0)35-10 84 34 | [email protected]
