Abstract:

The participation of women in the workforce is increasing day by day. In many sectors, women are competing at the management level alongside men. However, the maritime sector remains one of the male-dominated industries despite the increasing number of female employees. This study aims to examine perceptions regarding the participation of women in port management, specifically in the male-dominated maritime sector and port operations. Three major port enterprises operating in the South Marmara region constitute the sample of the study. A survey was conducted to measure the perceptions of female managers in port management. The data were subjected to Exploratory Factor Analysis, and the results were analysed using t-tests to determine whether perceptions differed based on the management level of the participants. As a result of the research, the majority of participants rejected the commonly accepted belief that the sector is not suitable for women. Research results do not show any difference at the manager and officer levels. The research findings are considered a positive and inspiring outcome that challenges dominant perceptions of women in leadership positions at the management level.

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