Technology leadership and predicting travel agent performance

What is it about?

This study primarily attempts to examine the effect of technology leadership on job performance. Intervening role of Internet self-efficacy and creative problem-solving capacity was also evaluated. Data were collected from sales agents and their supervisors from travel agencies functioning in Uttarakhand region and were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. Results revealed that technology leadership indirectly influenced job performance of sales agents through the mediating role of Internet self-efficacy. Creative problem solving capacity positively moderated between Internet self-efficacy and job performance. The limitations of this study paves way for future studies and the findings of this study contributes towards practical and theoretical implications

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Findings suggest that there is poor technology leadership among small travel agents in the study area. Failure of agencies in implementing technological changes was affecting self-efficacy of sales agents to work with higher productivity. Sales agents in majority of the agencies were poorly skilled and less educated. Due to lack of job opportunities, many of the agents were pursuing these jobs which were mostly contractual. Further, lowpay and lack of economic security leaves them less motivated to learn and improve themselves. This study exhibits that it is the leader that can change their employee's performance (through raising employees' efficacy). As these agencies are not big, motivating employees through increasing their efficacy is the most suitable way through which performance can be induced. Thus, owners/managers of travel agencies should attempt to use technology themselves and create a learning environment in the firm. Learning from each other should be encouraged and word of mouth appreciation should be timely given. As for travel agents, it is their knowledge that they sell to their customers, adequate attempts should be made by the supervisor/leader to guide, direct and motivate their employees to remove their fear to use technology. This would further enable them to differentiate themselves from others via rebooting themselves and provide product-specific online services or serve through online portals, with discounted fares. Customer feedbacks should also be recorded, and their suggestions considered for further improvement.