Publications
Publications
- January 2012 (Revised March 2013)
- HBS Case Collection
Ctrip: Scientifically Managing Travel Services
By: David A. Garvin and Nancy Hua Dai
Abstract
Ctrip is a $437 million Chinese on-line travel services company with a scientific, data driven approach to management. The case explores Ctrip's founding and early growth, its expansion into multiple market segments including hotel reservations, air ticketing, leisure travel, and corporate travel, and the sources of its competitive advantage. The firm's culture, organization and call center operations are described in detail, as are its decision-making and business processes. At the end of the case, executives are considering whether Ctrip should actively pursue either the budget or luxury travel segments, which would mean shifting attention from the company's core customer base of Frequent Independent Travelers.
Keywords
Scientific Management; Data-driven Management; Management; Expansion; Business Growth and Maturation; Market Entry and Exit; Mathematical Methods; Business Processes; Information Management; Travel Industry; China
Citation
Garvin, David A., and Nancy Hua Dai. "Ctrip: Scientifically Managing Travel Services." Harvard Business School Case 312-092, January 2012. (Revised March 2013.)