The influence of business travel on the family: Moderating effects of family characteristics and perception of business travel

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to propose and test a model examining the relationship between family characteristics and the impact of frequent travel on family. Nearly 400 business travelers and their spouses were asked to fill the questionnaires. In general, the findings indicate that frequent business travel would have less influence on families with positive family characteristics, namely cohesion, flexibility and communication, than those without. Familya??s perception regarding frequent business travel was found to have a moderating effect over the relationship between family characteristics and the influence of frequent business travel on the family. The study makes theoretical contributions to the traditional family systems theory, family stress theory, ABCX theory and spillover theory and has practical implications for the government, organization, international human resource managers, frequent business travelers and their families.