17: A Qualitative Survey Technique to Explore Decision Making Behaviour in New Contexts

Much research on travel behaviour has been based on theoretical constructs that often reflect more the decision framework of the researcher than that of the traveller. Paradoxically, while it is readily admitted that travel decisions are the outcome of complex decision processes, in practice researchers sometimes cling to well-worn ideas, overlooking issues that are considered too difficult to explore using traditional survey techniques. In the process, important travel behaviour determinants are often simplified or even ignored.

This can be particularly pertinent when travel behaviour models are transferred from developed to developing countries: a procedure often consisting of re-estimating the same model structure on new data. Important underlying differences in decision-making behaviour due to cultural or historical factors are often not examined.