Summer is a big time for reading lists, usually focused on lively page-turners for the beach.  But it’s also a good time to catch up on books about business, management and new ways of looking at our rapidly changing world.  So, with the summer winding down, I wanted to recommend a few books - both new and old - that have influenced the way I think about business and management.

A good place to start is with the latest book by Wired editor Chris Anderson, Free: the Future of a Radical Price (2009).   Its thesis is that in a digital world, price is rapidly falling to zero.  The new world he describes is the digital equivalent of the Gillette model of selling razors at a loss and making money on the blades.  We’re seeing this with everything from software to photo sharing and editing sites, where online businesses attract customers with free basic services and make money on more feature-rich premium services.  It’s a model engrained in those under 30, who are accustomed to getting their information for free.

A good example is the recent decision by online travel companies (OTC) like Orbitz Worldwide to eliminate booking fees.  For a decade, the OTCs believed they needed to charge consumers to book flights in order to make money.  The fees had the effect of leading many consumers to find a flight on the OTC but book it on the airline’s own Web site.  Since eliminating booking fees, more consumers are booking their flights through the OTCs.  At Orbitz Worldwide, for example, air transaction grew 22 percentage points in the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2009, when fees were still in place. Read more »

Jeff Clarke

Jeff Clarke is Chief Executive Officer and President of Travelport and serves as a Director on the Travelport Board of Directors, appointed in May 2006. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Orbitz Worldwide.

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One of the most interesting trends in business in the past decade or so has been the growing importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR).  Companies are no longer expected just to earn a profit.  We’re also judged on what kind of contribution we make to the world around us.  And by contribution, I’m talking about more than traditional corporate philanthropy.  It’s also about doing our part to help address social, economic and environmental challenges – not at the expense of our business, of course, but as part of making our companies and communities stronger.

The challenges have never been greater.  The global economic crisis has deepened the needs of communities around the world.  Government can help by stimulating economic activity and reinforcing social safety nets.  But the scale of the problem is too great for government alone.  Communities also need the support of businesses and individual employees, working hand-in-hand with local organizations.

I saw a lot of that with our own employees over the holidays.  Many of them substituted community service projects for their traditional holiday celebrations.  Like employees at other companies, they identified a need and acted on it, contributing their own time and money.   They’re demonstrating that individuals and teams of employees – encouraged and supported by their companies – can have an enormous impact on community needs.

Corporate social responsibility, of course, requires more than a focus on immediate needs.  It has to be balanced between today and tomorrow.  Such key issues as sustainability, education and economic development require a long-term view and a long-term commitment – as well as long-term partnerships with other organizations and institutions. Read more »

Jeff Clarke

Jeff Clarke is Chief Executive Officer and President of Travelport and serves as a Director on the Travelport Board of Directors, appointed in May 2006. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Orbitz Worldwide.

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Welcome to Passport, the Travelport blog. Think of this as a modern version of the travel log – in this case, a place to share thoughts and ideas about the travel and tourism industry.

Every week in this space you’ll find a new entry by senior management and industry experts at Travelport – on topics ranging from travel trends to technology to tourism and sustainability. There’s no shortage of issues and opinions in a dynamic industry that touches billions of people and generates more than $1.2 trillion in revenue globally each year.

Travelport is a relatively new company, formed in 2006 from the Travel Distribution Services assets of Cendant. You may be more familiar with our businesses, which include such well-known travel brands as Galileo and Worldspan, our global distribution systems, and GTA, a wholesaler of hotels, ground products and services. They have years of experience in travel services and the expertise to provide a well-informed perspective on the industry.

You’ll hear from me as well as from Gordon Wilson, president and CEO of Travelport GDS, Ken Esterow, president and CEO of GTA, Sue Powers, CIO of Travelport GDS, Mike Rescoe, the CFO of Travelport, and many others. Read more »

Jeff Clarke

Jeff Clarke is Chief Executive Officer and President of Travelport and serves as a Director on the Travelport Board of Directors, appointed in May 2006. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Orbitz Worldwide.

Read more entries by Jeff Clarke |   RSS Feed for Jeff Clarke