Integration Project: Charles Baker-Clark

Project Overview

I intend to pursue three primary objectives during the summer semester. The first objective is to create an instructional web site that will have a broad spectrum of "link" pages that may be used by students enrolled in classroom-based and WWW-based courses in our curriculum. I also intend to design a WWW-based section for another course in our curriculum, HS 234, Information Management for Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Managers. Finally, I intend to design an email newsletter that will be sent to students, faculty and staff associated with the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management Program.

Project Details

HS 234 Assignments

There are a wide assortment of resources available on-line. For some information, you might want to review the page on hospitality associations or the page on hospitality programs. Additional information may be accessed on the hospitality business technology link page.

Submitting Assignments

You may copy your written assignments and paste them into the body of an email message, or you can send them as attachments. My email address is c.baker-clar@morehead-st.edu.

If you are using this page as part of a classroom-based course, please feel free to also submit your work via email. In addition, you can submit your work as a word processing document on a disk.

Assignment 1

In assignment one, I want you to develop an appreciation for the importance of information technology in the hospitality industry. For this assignment, review the NRA article The Tech Revolution Speeds Up. In addition, read the article by UNLV's Brewer. Technology involves more than storing information. Read about Cracker Barrel's use of IT for employee training in an article about a trip to grandma's restaurant.

In a brief paper, about 1 page, indicate what you think is an important technological element of the hospitality industry.

Assignment 2

For the next several lessons, we will examine the application of information technology to the lodging industry. Begin by reading the article Wired Accommodations. This article will provide some general ideas about technological applications in the lodging industry.

Write a brief paper, about 2 pages, double-spaced and discuss how technology applications vary between two different segments of the lodging industry. For example, how would technology differ between a Ritz-Carlton property and one operated by Motel 6? You might want to refer to the page on different lodging operations to get a sense of the services they offer.

Assignment 3

Hotels can be managed through the use of different information technologies. The property management system (PMS) acts to integrate the many different types of information technology found in a hotel. Visit the property management page of this web site and click on several links to the sites of organizations that produce this technology.

Review the information on property management systems and create an outline of their functions. For each function (e.g. reservations) provide a brief description of how the hotel benefits from this technology.

Assignment 4

Continue with your study of property management systems. How do think these will change in the future? What will hotels with new technologies look like in the future? These questions and more are answered in several articles. Not Your Father's PMS describes the next generation of property management systems. Another glimpse of new PMS technology is described in the article, Future Gazing.

Refer back to your outline of property management systems and write about the skills you might need in order to operate a PMS of the future. Which skills are most important? Why are they important?

Assignment 5

We will continue to examine different technology applications for lodging operations. Let's begin with the Internet. According to one article, on-line bookings are ready to explode. Review this article. Return to the lodging operations page and review at least two lodging web sites. Focus on the ease by which you could navigate through the site. Review the reservation systems. How do these sites compare with each other? What would you add? Write a brief paper of approximately 1 - 2 pages in length.

Assignment 6

We want to continue to focus on the Internet and examine the role of this communication medium on procurement. Imagine you are a purchasing manager for a hotel. Consider how the phenomenon of e-procurement would affect your job. Are you unfamiliar with e-procurement? Review the article, Industry Perspective: Improving Your Work With e-Procurement. A second article, Online Procurement in the Hotel Industry, will furnish additional information. Next, go to the WWW and review the GoCo-op web site. Excavate this site for information. It is an interesting site. You may want to look into their Procurement Solutions page.

Assignment 7

The use of technology applications can help with the management of many different aspects of lodging operations. Three more areas include locking systems, environmental controls and telephone systems. Read an article on hotel door locks, How Smart Are Your Doors? Another article, Energy-Management Systems Provide More Than Savings, will provide information on how energy controls can be crucial. Finally, there is an article on telephone systems, PBX systems address diverse hotel needs.

Review the information that you have on e-procurement strategies and apply them to procurement of door locks, environmental control systems and PBX systems. Hunt the Internet for a supplier for each of these products. Write a 2 - 3 page paper on the three suppliers and the major features of each product. Comment on the service they offer. You might want to contact them via email to obtain additional information.

Assignment 8

Think of the application of hospitality information systems to foodservice operations as similar to those in lodging operations. In fact, in hotels with foodservice and beverage operations, some technologies are identical. Let's return to the WWW for an examination of restaurant web sites. For this, you may wish to examine the foodservice links page in this site. In addition, read the article, Top 10 Restaurant Sites.

Assignment 9

With a continued focus on the Internet, let's revisit the topic of e-procurement. Earlier, you read about hotels and e-procurement. Now, we'll consider this in the context of a foodservice operation. Keep in mind that this is not limited to commercial foodservice operations such as restaurants. E-procurement is also used by institutional organizations. For this topic, read the article about Sysco and CriticalArc.

If you were in charge of purchasing for a foodservice operation, what are the products you would most likely procure with e-commerce? Why? What would be least likely to purchase through this form of distribution? Why? Limit your answers to a single page.

Assignment 10

With the rapid changes in hospitality technology, you may want to consider outsourcing your information management systems. A recent development in this area has emerged in application service providers. Read about this phenomenon in the article, Application Service Providers: Are They for You? Another article, The Viability of ASP Solutions, will provide additional information. A case example of the use of an application service provider is found in the article, Smart Alex. The services described in this article are provided by a business called Mirus. You should visit their web site to learn more about this technology.

Write a short position statement about this technology. Would you outsource or would you purchase and maintain your own information management system? This assignment should be about one page in length.

Assignment 11

We can move from Internet applications to the different software options available to foodservice managers. Read an excellent article, The New Order, that describes different technology alternatives that can be used by managers. In that article, the author makes reference to a web site that can provide additional information. In their web site, there is a page dedicated to hospitality information systems. Explore the sites they provide.

Write a checklist of important features of your foodservice management system. This can be a bulleted list. Indicate why each option is important. Which is the most important? Why? This should be approximately one page in length.

Assignment 12

Whether or not you utilize a foodservice management system, you will probably need to consider using a point of sale system (POS). Review the links located on the POS page of this web site.

Choose a supplier for a POS system. Indicate your reasons for this selection. Limit your response to a single page.

Assignment 13

An important feature of foodservice management is the ability to organize reservations. This includes management of events such as banquets. Read the article, Up Close and Personal, for an overview of how reservation systems are evolving. Read about Reserve Interactive, a system produced by Efficient Frontiers.

Assignment 14

While information technology is an important element of hospitality management, it is not a silver bullet that will cure all problems. Before you commit your assets to any technology system, you need to determine if it will justify its expense. Read the article, Does IT Pay Off?

Assignment 15

As information and IT become more central to an organization's operations, so too does the need to protect IT systems and stored data. Read the article, Feeling Safe Wit IT Security Deals. In addition, read the article about e-surance. Write a bulleted list of ways by which you will protect your system and data. This should be no more than a single page.

Assignment 16 - Final Paper

This last assignment will help you to integrate the information you have covered throughout the course. In a paper of approximately 4 - 5 pages in length, describe a hospitality business you might manage. Limit the description to about 1/2 page. Use the balance of the paper to list the different types of information technology you would recommend.

• For each type of technology, specify the person (e.g. executive chef) who will be responsible for its operation, as well as the people who will receive information. For example, the rooms division manager might manage the PMS, and a variety of people would receive information--front desk, accounting, general manager, etc.
• How will each system provide value to the organization?
• What security measures will you take to protect your technology and data?

HBN -- Hospitality Business News

Morehead State University

Agriculture/Human Sciences

Charles A. Baker-Clark
316 B Lloyd Cassity Hall
Morehead State University
606.783.9315
c.baker-clar@morehead-st.edu

Volume 1, Issue 1

Greetings:

This is the initial issue of Hospitality Business News (HBN). HBN is designed to provide useful information to students enrolled in the Human Sciences program at Morehead State University. This is a bi-monthly publication that contains information regarding on-line resources, financial aid and other important news. If you have information you wish to be published in the newsletter, please contact Charles Baker-Clark, LC 316B (c.baker-clar@Morehead-st.edu).

On-Line sources of information

CriticalArc provides software that enables managers to track invoice payments more efficiently.

http://www.criticalarc.com/poprocessing.html

Employment & Co-op Opportunities

A comprehensive listing of restaurant employment opportunities can be found at:

http://www.restaurantjobs.com/.

Another source of information on employment opportunities in hospitality business is located at:

http://www.hmscareers.com

Announcements & other information

For those of you who think of foodservice as a form of warfare, check out an article in USA Today about a restaurant that is being opened by one of the Iron Chefs http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20011109/3611389s.htm.

The New Zealand Herald has an interesting article about on-line marketing by quick service restaurants (QSR’s). http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=226768&thesection=technology&thesubsection=&reportID=56524

The Agriculture and Human Sciences Department is considering sponsoring a chapter of Eta Sigma Delta, an organization for students in hotel and restaurant management programs. This organization is affiliated with the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE). Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Please contact Professor Charles Baker-Clark (783-9315) if you have any questions.