Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Stephanie Hoon

Abstract

The inefficient use and knowledge of direct, on-demand air taxi/air charter flights in the United States was the topic of this dissertation. The general problem studied was the inefficient use of air transportation options by business travelers in the United States. The specific problem was how business travelers in the United States learn of and thereby elect to embrace a newer air travel option. Using Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory as the framework, the dissemination of air travel choices made by business travelers using ImagineAir air taxi service in the United States was explored via a qualitative case study research design methodology. Thirty-five semistructured interviews and matching customer database information provided data for the study, Data were later analyzed for emergent themes and codes using MAXQDA software. Key research questions included communication of the innovation, business travelers' perceptions of the innovation, timeframe of innovation adoption, business environment enabling the innovation adoption, and the Rogers self-described adopter type. The results showed that compatibility, relative advantage, risk, and complexity influence the perception of business travelers about air taxi services. Based on the research, the course of action suggests that business travelers will most rapidly embrace air taxi service via internet dissemination of this new option. With continued success in dissemination, positive social change will come in the form of efficiencies as business travelers use more than 5,000 virtually idle airports and over 7,000 on-demand air taxi aircraft as highlighted by U.S. government studies further bolstered by this research.

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