A conceptual model for the corporate travel management process

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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Business travel is an important part of the tourism industry. Tourism involves people taking trips away from home and embraces the entire range of transportation, lodging, food service and other services relating to the traveller. The officially accepted United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) definition is: “Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes” (McIntosh, Goeldner & Ritchie, 1995:11). According to McIntosh et al. (1995:16) travel involves the actions and activities of people taking trips to a place or places outside their home communities for any purpose except daily commuting to and from work.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Most of the research done in the corporate travel industry can be classified as ‘popular’ research conducted by research consultancy firms and often creates a biased view of the industry. Scientifically based research has been done in the area of corporate travel by only a few academics such as Mason (1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2006; 2007), Bell and Morey (1995; 1997) and Gilbert and Morris (1995). In South Africa, scientifically based research in the corporate travel industry is even scarcer, with Douglas and Lubbe (2006; 2009) being amongst the few to focus on this area. Researchers have emphasised the need for more research to be done on corporate travel policy. Bell and Morey (1997:61) suggest that there should be a fuller investigation of issues surrounding policy compliance. In a research study on corporate travel management in selected South Africanorganisations, Lubbe (2003) also identifies a need for more specific research into the extent to which corporate travellers comply with travel policy.

OBJECTIVES

The main purpose of this study is to design a measurement instrument that can accurately identify factors that lead to non-compliance and, from this, to propose a model for effective corporate travel policy compliance. This model could then assist organisations in developing a corporate travel policy for their organisation that will encourage and increase compliance, based on the precise assessment of the needs of the travellers and the objectives of the organisation as reflected in the corporate travel management programme. To some extent, this research should also overcome the lack of scientific research in the area of corporate travel management and particularly policy non-compliance.
In order to achieve the purpose of the research study, the following research objectives
have been formulated:
1. to determine organisations’ objectives in the formulation of the travel policy
2. to identify factors that influence travel policy compliance
3. to design a measurement instrument to assess the propensity for corporate traveller policy compliance within an organisation

The Research Process

A graphical representation of the complete research process is provided in figure 1.1. The figure shows the flow of the process from the initial objectives of the study, the concept of travel policy non-compliance, to the ultimate output – the model for policy compliance. Figure 1.1 commences with the research objectives as derived from the overall purpose of the study. Certain research objectives (1 and 2) are achieved through a literature review and qualitative study. This guides the design of the measurement instrument (research objective 3). From the results of the data analysis, objectives 4 and 5 are attained.

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction and background
1.2 Problem identification
1.3 Objectives
1.4 Approach / Methodology
1.4.1 The Research Process
1.4.2 The Empirical Research
1.4.3 Sample
1.4.4 Data analysis and results
1.5 Academic significance/Benefit of the research
1.6 Industry feasibility and impact of the research
1.7 Exposition of chapters
1.8 Conclusion
CHAPTER 2: AN OVERVIEW OF CORPORATE TRAVEL
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Corporate travel management
2.3 A conceptual model for the corporate travel management process
2.4 Internal input factors
2.4.1 Organisational profile
2.4.1.1 Organisational structure
2.4.1.2 Organisation size
2.4.1.3 Organisational culture
2.4.1.4 Private or public sector
2.4.2 The corporate travel department and senior management
2.4.3 The needs and demands of corporate travellers
2.4.3.1 General needs and demands of corporate travellers
2.4.3.2 Technological needs
2.4.3.3 Air transportation needs
2.4.3.4 Accommodation needs
2.4.3.5 Psychological needs
2.5 External input factors
2.6 Value conflicts
2.7 Goals
2.8 Actions
2.8.1 The corporate travel policy
2.8.1.1 Definitions and purpose of the corporate travel policy
2.8.1.2 Principles, approach and elements underlying a
successful travel policy
2.8.1.3 The layout of the corporate travel policy
2.8.1.4 Types of travel policies
2.8.1.5 Enforcing the travel policy
2.8.1.6 Other aspects of the corporate travel policy
2.8.2 The use of technology
2.8.3 Relationships 8
2.8.4 Payment processing and data management
2.9 Conclusion 89
CHAPTER 3: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER’S COMPLIANCE WITH THE CORPORATE TRAVEL POLICY
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The impact of non-compliance
3.3 Areas of non-compliance
3.4 Corporate-related factors
3.4.1 Inadequacies inherent in the travel policy as a determinant
of non-compliance
3.4.2 Policy control measures as a determinant of non-compliance
3.4.3 Business ethics as a determinant of non-compliance
3.4.4 Organisational Injustice as a determinant of non-compliance
3.5 Personal-Related Factors 1
3.5.1 Individual morality as a determinant of non-compliance
3.5.2 Self-interest as a determinant of non-compliance
3.5.3 Employee satisfaction as a determinant of non-compliance
3.5.3.1 Personal (life) satisfaction
3.5.3.2 Job satisfaction
3.5.3.3 Traveller satisfaction
3.5.4 Employee deviance as a determinant of non-compliance
3.6 Towards a model for corporate travel policy compliance
3.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 4: METHODOLOGY
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Qualitative research
4.2.1 The difference between qualitative and quantitative research
4.2.2 The Delphi method
4.2.3 Applying the Delphi method in this study
4.3 Quantitative research
4.4 The research design
4.5 Sampling
4.5.1 The relevant target population
4.5.2 Type of sampling method
4.5.3 Sample size
4.6 Data collection
4.7 Measurement instruments
4.8 Hypotheses
4.9 Qualitative data analysis
4.10 Quantitative data analysis
4.10.1 Frequency analysis
4.10.2 Measures of central tendency and dispersion
4.10.3 Cross-tabulation of variables
4.10.4 Logistic regression modelling
4.11 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5: RESULTS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Results from the qualitative Delphi technique
5.3 Results from the quantitative survey
5.3.1 Questionnaire structure
5.3.2 Descriptive statistics
5.4 Cross-tabulation
5.5 Hypotheses testing
5.6 Logistic regression modelling
5.6.1 Corporate logistic regression model
5.6.2 Personal logistic regression model
5.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Limitations
6.3 Conclusions drawn from the results
6.3.1 Corporate-related factors
6.3.2 Personal-related factors
6.3.3 Travel policy compliance
6.4 Recommendations
6.4.1 Corporate-related factors
6.4.2 Personal-related factors
6.4.3 Success factors for an effective corporate travel policy
6.5 Directions for future research
6.6 Contribution of the thesis
6.7 Conclusion