Evolutionary trends of travel agencies’ franchising system: the role of information in the sub and sovra - systemic relationships

In the recent years the creation of network of franchised travel agencies has represented a managerial tool important to pursue horizontal growth strategies tense to make the distributive network of turist products therefore less fragmented and so more efficient. Such a relational model is based on a capillary presence on the territory, with consequent “proximity” advantage for the final consumer, a high brand image and a complex system of Franchisor-Franchisee relationships able to guarantee value creation inside of the tourist row.The quick diffusion of information & communication technology, together with the growing attitude of the consumer to recognize in such technologies valid relational interfaces with the system of the enterprises and not only, , with always greater evidence, above all in fields like the touristic one with a strong content of immateriality, make easier the roadmap towards the distribution through the telematic direct channel and the creation of new models of on-line distribution. The possible trend to the disintermediation, united to diffusing itself of shapes of "virtual intermediation", seems potentially in a position to putting under discussion the sustainability of the traditional business models in within of distribution of the tourist product, also based on franchising; that essentially for two reasons: the reduced economic justification of the presence of an economic subject between producer and final consumer on one side, the enlargement of the horizontal competition in relation to incoming new types of intermediaries, more advanced on the technological and commercial point of view, on the other side. The growing complexity inborn in such new competitive challenges demands to the traditional intermediaries the redefinition of their own business models also through the location of a new strategic guideline in a position to valuing its own presence inside the tourist row. According to these aspects, typical of the specificities of the field being surveyed, the relational model based on franchising seems to show some managerial inefficiencies due to the difficulties that the franchisor meet in the development of an ex-ante selection of the franchisees that are in a position to guaranteeing one costance in terms of quality, produced and perceived from the final consumers to the inside of the network. With such considerations, after having checked, based on the proposed methodological approach proposed by the recent fundamental theory of the viable systems (Golinelli, 2000), the characteristics that a network of travel agencies in franchising must possess for being identified like a "viable system", the study has proposed to analyze the guidelines that the organo di governo of such system must adopt for being able to face the new challenges generated from the environmental complexity them. The method selected for the research is the inductive one and is characterized by the application of some principles of the foretold systemic - viable theory to the results of a survey on some case-studies: Frigerio Travels, Le Marmotte (the Beavers), Pinguino Travels, Domina Network, HIT/Parmatour Sestante and Travel Division. The tool for the analysis of the cases has been the interview, realized through the submission of questionnaires to the manager of the franchisor enterprises. Through such interviews it has been attempted to perceive how can be modified, in virtue of the evolution of the environmental context, the relations between the enterprise organo di governo of the network (franchisor) and the operating sub-system (franchisees) with the aim to keep and, where possible, to improve the elements of sistemic consonance and resonance; the objective was to reach, in such a way and where possible, the definition of a behavioural model type that identifies a new business model able to value the relational expertise typical of the franchising formula.