Sustainable Leadership in Travel Industry

This assignment delves into the crucial role of sustainable leadership in the travel and tourism sector. It analyzes best practices employed by organizations like BCD Travel and Intrepid Travel to promote sustainability. The discussion encompasses key concepts like human resource management, employee training, customer involvement, and the integration of social, environmental, and economic considerations. Challenges faced in implementing sustainable leadership are also addressed, along with future trends shaping the industry's approach to sustainability.

Running head: Sustainable management
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Table of Contents
Introduction and background......................................................................................................................3
Planning and strategy..................................................................................................................................3
Mission, vision, values and their connection with sustainability.............................................................4
Types of plans and goals setting practices...............................................................................................4
Approaches to planning and sustainability..............................................................................................4
Human resource management....................................................................................................................5
Competitive strategies.............................................................................................................................5
How has Intrepid Travel Company managed to find the right people and to develop and maintain
effective workforce..................................................................................................................................5
Sustainable practices in Intrepid Travel HRM activities...........................................................................6
Leadership...................................................................................................................................................6
Leadership styles and effective leadership..............................................................................................6
Leadership characteristics and traits........................................................................................................7
Sustainability in leadership......................................................................................................................8
Controlling the value chain and technology................................................................................................8
Effective future managerial strategies and recommendations......................................................................9
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................10
References.................................................................................................................................................10
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Introduction and background
The primary aim of this task is to explain the significance of sustainability in Intrepid
Travel Company which offers itineraries services to people across the world. It describes about
the activities and operations of Intrepid Travel Company. Various macro environment factors
may influence the success and growth of the firm adversely. Along with this, the paper explains
planning, human resource management, value chain analysis and leadership styles. It describes
how sustainability helps to make planning and to improve HRM in an organization. Also, it
explains mission, vision, values and sustainable practices in the organization.
Intrepid travel is the largest small group adventure travel company. The firm renders
more than 1500 itineraries in across 120 countries. The travel destinations include North
America, Antarctica, The Middle East, Asia, North America and Australia. The firm was
incorporated in 1989 by two Australians. It’s headquarter is located in Melbourne Australia. The
organization employs more than 1600 employees within the organization. The organizational
structure of the company is attractive and effective. Geoff Manchester is the CEO and managing
director of the company. All the activities and operations of the company are operated by the top
management. The macro environment factors play a significant role to attain long-term success
and growth of the firm. The external factors include political, socio-cultural, economic, legal and
environmental factors. Apart from this, unique and innovative technologies are used by the firm
to explore and flourish its trading activities and operations globally. There is high and immense
competition in the market which influences the operations and activities of the company. The
competitors include Holland America Line, Fleet Pro Passenger Ship management, Freedom,
cruise one and Leisure (Intrepid, 2017).
Planning and strategy
Planning is a management process, concerned with defining goals and objectives for
company’s future direction and determining the mission and resources to attain those targets. The
company develops and builds a plan to run business activities and operations successfully and
effectively. The firm cannot survive its business without effective and dynamic planning. The
long-term objectives and goals can be attained easily. Apart from this, the company can
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overcome the risks and challenges of the market through the planning process. Now it can be
said that planning is a significant part of the intrepid travel company (Porter and Kramer, 2011).
Mission, vision, values and their connection with sustainability
The main mission of the company is to provide support to people and companies travel
smart for achieving the more outcomes and results. The vision of the company is to become one
of the most creative and trusted travel management companies in the world. The main aim of the
company is to provide best travel services to the customers across the world. The firm is
passionate about shaping the next generation of business travel. The values include innovation,
service, integrity, teamwork, and strength. The organization is committed to growing global
footprint together with company’s customers. Through innovation, the company has been able to
solve and handle enormous problems related to management and administration (Bcdtravel,2017).
Types of plans and goals setting practices
Intrepid Travel Company involves workers in goal setting practices. The company set the
long-term objectives and goals to maximize revenue and returns. The top management,
managers, and employees work together to fix the objectives and goals for the firm to satisfy the
demands and needs of the consumers in the competitive market. There are three significant types
of planning which include tactical, strategic and operational planning that help to beat the
competitors in the global market. The operational plans are monitored by the specific processes
and procedures of Intrepid travel company (Holden, 2012).
Approaches to planning and sustainability
Planning is the important function of management to accomplish desired outcomes and
results. Different theories and approaches are used by the company to increase profitability and
results of the firm. The approaches include inactive, reactive, preactive and proactive approach.
Instead of traditional methods, the firm uses modern approaches to gain competitive advantages
globally. Sustainability plays an integral role in Intrepid Travel Company. It’s a travel company
so the firm needs to maintain sustainability in the workplace as well as the environment. Along
with this, holistic and system approach is initiated by the company to manage the trading
activities efficiently. Moreover, sustainability helps to make effective decisions within the
organization (Enoch, 2016).
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Human resource management
Human resource management is the important function of Intrepid Travel Company. The
firm maintains sustainable HRM to regulate and initiate several legislations, rules, policies, plans
and strategies within the organization. Also, it helps to attract and retain more applicants in the
global market. They recruit talented, experienced and potential applicants to conduct the business
activities easily and smoothly. HR professionals provide cross-cultural training and development
coaching to the new candidates. It helps to understand the culture and language of different
countries (Nickson, 2013).
Competitive strategies
The firm uses enormous types of competitive strategies to maintain sustainability in the
organization and to manage operations effectively. The company uses various strategies to
increase the number of customers in the market. Mainly, intensive growth strategy and porter
generic strategy are used by the firm to earn more revenue and outputs within the organization.
Intrepid Travel uses porter generic strategy to differentiate its services from competitors. It helps
to stay in the competitive market (Evans, Stonehouse, and Campbell, 2012).
How has Intrepid Travel Company managed to find the right people and to
develop and maintain effective workforce
HR professionals are responsible to recruit and select right and appropriate candidate for
the job. Various strategies are used by the firm to enlist and procure the employees. HRM uses
different recruitment and selection methods, techniques and processes to select a potential
candidate for the organization. It will also help to beat the competitors in the organization. Along
with this, HR executives motivate and encourage workers to do work effectively and efficiently.
Various laws and regulations also have been made to appoint capable and skilled applicant
within the organization. HR executives provide assistance and direction to the workers whenever
is needed. They are liable to resolve and handle the consequences and issues of employees.
Additionally, they also maintain a favorable relationship with employees to increase and improve
the level of satisfaction and morale of the employees. The firm follows effective and dynamic
selection process to appoint more and more candidates globally. In this way, the company has
been able to recruit and select right and appropriate candidates in the competitive market (Boella
and Goss-Turner, 2013).
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On the other hand, HR professionals provide rewards, incentives, and bonus to the
workers to develop and improve skills and productivity of the employees. They create unique
plans and vision to improve and enhance the performance of the people. Apart from this, an
action plan is developed and built to reduce various discrepancies and issues. They monitor on
the progress and activities of the workers to improve their potential and capabilities. Moreover,
they identify and analyze the weakness of the workers to achieve an optimum level of outputs
and returns.
Sustainable practices in Intrepid Travel HRM activities
Sustainability is the ability to maintain an ecological balance in the environment. It plays
an integral role in Intrepid Travel Company to meet its mission and vision in the international
market. The sustainable practices help to maximize and increase results and revenue of the
organization (Sparrow, Brewster and Chung, 2016). Through sustainability, the firm has been
able to balance the external factors such as economic, political, socio-cultural, legal and
environmental factors. It also helps to stand out against the competitors in the global market.
Also, it helps to raise and increase profitability and returns of the organization. Through
sustainable human resource management, the company has been able to provide job security and
job satisfaction to the workers. Sustainability is an essential process which is carried by the HRM
in each and every organization. The company cannot survive its business successfully without
sustainable human resource management (Cross, 2011).
Leadership
Leadership is a process whereby an individual affects a group of individuals to
accomplish a common goal and objective. Leadership is the influencing process of followers and
leaders to attain mission and vision of the firm. Leaders play an integral role in each and every
organization to manage and control the activities of subordinates. They focus the performance
and productivity of the employees to maximize the outcomes. Various leadership styles are used
by the firm to control and monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the subordinates (Alkahtani
et al, 2011).
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Leadership styles and effective leadership
Various leadership styles are used by Intrepid Travel company to give amazing
experiences for travelers of any age on a budget. The firm uses Basix leadership style, original
leadership style, and comfort leadership style to provide satisfaction to the travelers. By using
these styles, the firm has been able to build and develop a good reputation in the market (Carter,
Ulrich, and Goldsmith, 2012). Apart from this, autocratic leadership style, democratic and cross-
cultural leadership styles are used and initiated by the leaders to attain competitive benefits in the
global market. Also, team leadership style is used by the company to maintain coordination and
cooperation among the workers. Leadership also plays a vital role to attain desired targets and
goals within the organization. Effective leadership helps to do work in a hassle-free manner.
Teamwork is also essential for Intrepid Travel Company to inspire and motivate the
subordinates. It also helps to perform tasks and duties effectively (Intrepidtravel, 2017).
Leadership characteristics and traits
The leadership characteristics and traits have been stated below.
 Leaders are self-motivated to achieve desired expectations and demands.
 They maintain dynamic standards and policies at the professional level as well as
personal level.
 Leaders also maintain confidence and interpersonal skills to complete task and duties.
Along with this, they maintain emotional stability to reduce and eliminate stress and
frustration (Steers, Sanchez-Runde and Nardon, 2012).
 They are honest and creative people with positive attitude. In addition, leaders comprise
several other qualities such as maturity, accountability, intelligence, commitment and
good communication.
 Leaders share their knowledge and experience with employees to build and develop their
level of confidence. These are the characteristics and traits of the Intrepid Travel
Company’s leaders.
Transformational leadership style is used by a leader in the company to provide guidance to the
workers. These types of leaders inspire subordinates to attain remarkable and unexpected results
and outputs. They develop and raise morale and motivation among the workers (Northouse,
2015).
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Sustainability in leadership
Sustainability is a primary part of the leadership that helps to fulfill the demands and
requirements of travelers. By initiating sustainability practices, the leaders have been able to
maintain cooperation and dynamic communication in the organization. Also, it helps to maintain
diversity and unique culture in the workplace. Leaders can easily understand structure and
strategies of the firm by using sustainability practices. All the market risks and barriers can be
managed and controlled by maintaining sustainability in the organization. Intrepid Travel
Company cannot achieve sustainability without effective leaders. Leaders should communicate
their vision and mission with enthusiasm to influence their organization to commit for the
sustainability programs (Hargreaves and Fink, 2012).
Controlling the value chain and technology
A value chain is a set of activities that a firm operating and managing a specific industry
in order to offer valuable products and services for the consumers in the market. Intrepid Travel
Company uses value chain process to renders unique and attractive services to travelers in the
competitive market. Carbon management is possible by initiating value chain analysis. Intrepid
Travel Company is a carbon-neutral travel company. There are 27 offices of carbon-neutral
management around the world. With effective value chain analysis, the firm is trying to eliminate
and reduce the negative impact of carbon emissions. Along with this, the company is using
innovative technologies and value chain process to reduce the adverse environmental impact on
trips and global offices. The firm invests huge amount in renewable energy projects to offset
carbon emissions (Savitz, 2013).
On the other hand, operation management of the firm is unique and attractive to operate
and manage the activities and actions successfully. Operation management is an area of
management that concerned with designing and controlling the process of production in the
organization. With effective operation management, the firm has been able to do effective
planning to renders attractive services for travelers. The organization also uses unique supply
chain management to increase the number of travelers in the global market. The scope of supply
chain and logistics management is wider. In today’s modern era, the firm is trying to implement
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new technologies in the organization. It also focuses on the supply chain management and
operations practices globally (Molz, 2012).
Sustainability also plays a fundamental role to control value chain and technology in an
organization. Action Aid Myanmar provides support to ensure and build sustainability within the
organization. Also, it will help to develop skills, accesses resources, and business expansion.
Intrepid Travel Company’s team continues focuses on the sustainability practices to make
dynamic decisions. The firm provides training for the community lodge so that they will be able
to source their own guests directly in near future. Women’s also participates to manage and
handle the sustainability practices and to promote the services of the company. In this way, the
company is able to participate in decision-making process (Sigala, 2014).
Effective future managerial strategies and recommendations
Intrepid Travel company implements several unique and effective managerial future
strategies to gain various competitive benefits in near future that have been stated below.
Promotional and advertisement strategy: The company must use promotional and
advertisement strategies to inspire and encourage people in the world. It helps to increase sales
and profits of the firm. It will also help to make a good image and goodwill in the global world
(Sigala, Christou and Gretzel, 2012).
Pricing strategy: This strategy should be used and initiated by Intrepid Travel Company to
attract more and more travelers. The firm should set appropriate prices for trips and travel
services. It will help to hit the competitors globally and will provide a good option to make a
dynamic image worldwide.
Cross-cultural training strategy: The organization should use cross-cultural training strategy to
understand and recognize the culture of different nations. It will also help to reduce and eliminate
cross-cultural issues and barriers.
Apart from this, the firm should appoint an effective team to provide various information related
to trips and packages to the customers. They should collect feedback from customers to improve
and enhance the services of Travel Company.
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Conclusion
On the above-mentioned study, it has been analyzed and concluded that sustainability
plays an integral role to carry out business operations and activities of tourism and travel
company. Intrepid Travel is largest adventure travel company. In today’s competitive world, the
firm is exploring and flourishing its business activities worldwide. Planning, human resource
management, leadership and value chain management are the significant part of the firm.
Effective planning helps to maintain sustainability within the organization. On the other hand,
HRM, leadership styles, value chain and logistics management also help carry sustainability
practices effectively and efficiently. It is recommended that the company should focus on the
marketing strategies to grow and explore its business in near future. It will also help to stand out
against the rivalries in the international market.
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