A study of corporate travel management in selected South African organisations and a conceptual model for effective corporate travel management

Abstract

South African corporations with a substantial travel expenditure of between R1 million and R300 million per annum are faced with two main issues. The first is the management and control of travel expenditure and the second is the management of the travel process to ensure required service levels at an optimum cost-benefit ratio. The corporation depends heavily on numerous interactive relationships to achieve this. In this article the key elements of corporate travel management are identified and the results of a survey conducted on the way in which corporate travel is managed in terms of each of these elements in selected South African organisations is reported. A conceptual model, based on a "soft value management model" which highlights conflicting values of participants and their commitment to goals is proposed as a foundation on which further research can be conducted.