Personalities of Travel Agents with Strong Sales Records in Taiwan |
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| Authors: | Nien-Te Kuo Yi-Sung Cheng Wan-Hui Chiu |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Travel Management, National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, No.1, Songhe Rd., Xiaogang Dist., Kaohsiung City 81271, Taiwan;2. Department of Hospitality Management, University of Missouri, 111 Eckles Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA;3. Department of Human Resources, Lion Travel Service CO. LTD., No.111, Ruihu St., Neihu, Dist., Taipei City 11494, Taiwan |
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| Abstract: | Studies have shown that a certain personality leads to higher job performance. This finding has led many companies to use personality traits when they hire employees. Despite abundant studies on personality, little is known about suitable personality traits for travel agents, especially in Taiwan. With 230 travel agents working in sales departments for corporate clients and transient travelers in Taiwan, their personalities, actual sales records, and managers’ performance evaluations were used to identify significant personality traits affecting job performance. The results reflect different personality traits for travel agents working with corporate clients and individual transient travelers. The results revealed that travel agents working with corporate contracts have strong commanding and continuative personalities but weak innovative and independent personalities. On the contrary, the agents working with transient travelers showed strong innovative, commending, independent, and sympathy personalities but a weak deliberate personality. Based on the findings, the implications are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | personality employee performance sales tourism travel agency |
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