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This lengthy article provides a grim outlook for the lowly skilled/paid worker in the workforce when technology has been applied to improve outcomes in management. The article insinuates that companies/employers benefit likely at the expense of employees who are affected by technological innovation. Three key points are emphasized in that surveillance capitalism, disruption innovation and techno-solutionism are behind the pushout of low-skilled workers. And companies are not providing a solution to improving a sustainable economy and sustainable workforce which are goals of the United Nations. However, the United Nation's goals are not keeping up with societal trends. Surveillance Capitalism can be construed as digital monitoring in the workplace. Used as a way to control and manipulate performance outcomes which may shift to automation if employees don't perform. Further disruption innovation is defined as a "disruptive product that has particular benefits that focus on the cheap and easy that have the power to overturn markets". This is seen with automating basic tasks in food service such as ordering. Finally, the use of technology as an excuse to "rationalize" cost-cutting/management changes is what is considered Techno-solutionism. This article highlights various technologies already in use in the industry, most with much success and a few that did not pan out. Trial and error, but at the cost of retaining employees.

Tourism is paying a heavy price to accommodate a growing trend making "people" expendable. The competition isn't comparable and unless we change our processes and thinking in how we use technology more jobs will be gone. We can't be an all-knowing, 24/7 never tires robot. The industry is undermining the value of a person. Ridding themselves of them has larger implications for society and our future. Eventually, it could be us too. What value do we offer? And how do we enhance humans over technology?

The article talks about the switch companies are making from in-person to virtual event platforms. With the current pandemic and the increase of remote working, virtual events are gaining in popularity. They are convenient and allow attendees to network and connect with sponsors, performers, and exhibitors digitally. Virtual event platform companies are using the cloud to integrate customizable solutions for clients. They are also engaging in collaborations and strategic partnerships with innovative companies to incorporate new technology solutions such as AI and Deep Learning into their platforms. This technology also enhances data collection from your attendees that businesses and organizations will use to identify consumer sentiment and deliver customized and improved solutions on future events. Vendors will use this data to develop new strategies for technology enhancements and modifications to their virtual content to adapt to businesses' changing needs. This technology isn't just being used in the hospitality industry. End-users in many different sectors such as banking, financial services, healthcare, and academia, are using this technology to stay connected for high profile meetings and share information to provide better research on COVID-19. These businesses are partnering with networking and connectivity providers to gain technical support and collaboration. This will be a trend that will significantly impact events in the hospitality field as it provides convenience for attendees and cost savings for the companies as they do not need to spend on venues, F&B, and hotel accommodations.

This article outlines the discussion about whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should change their policies that were enacted in the Telecom Act of 1966.  At the COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2012 Convention and EXPO, Larissa Herda, the Chairman, CEO, and President of tw telecom urged the FCC to adapt to the new competitive technologies.  She emphasizes the importance of change going forward and discusses the Intelligent Network as an example.  She calls for the adoption of new IT Strategies for cloud services and solutions.  Above all, this article discusses the convention as a platform for the discussion of change in the tech world.

This article tells us How to Select Human Resources Information Technology. The need for HR information technology systems is increasing. With HR staff finding a vast array of options in HR information technology systems, it is increasingly important to analyze and weigh all options available. Choosing an HR information technology system should be looked at as an investment that will grow with the department and company's needs.  Here are 18 questions that a HR manager should ask when selecting a HRIS.

Human Resources information technology (HRIS) is essential for companies to manage their benefits plans and their employee information. Benefits management technology is no longer a nice to have, but a necessity to help HR manage both a sea of information and the money spent on benefits plans, as HR faces limited resources and constantly changing data. But how do HR and other executives know they are selecting the best HR information technology to manage all of the details, and that the solution they select will stand the test of time?

This article mainly talks about a new free software called Globa.li for small hotels. For the smaller establishments, they can not only get a sustainable rate, but also it is hard to manage the relationship with their customers. Globa.li can help these kind of hotels to have a good situation when they compare with big corporates for online bookings. This software can manager the rates, availability and bookings online, even from smart phones. It even can book online for properties.

WebRezPro, "a powerful and cost-effective Cloud-based property management system designed to meet the front and back office needs of single independent hotel groups and chains," is celebrating their 10th anniversary of providing their clients with property management systems. It is now known as one of the hospitality industry's leading Cloud-based property management systems. To celebrate, WebRezPro will be launched an improved user interface this year. It will focus on increasing mobile-optimized functions for smartphones. 

This is an article that discusses the technology and how it can enhance the customer experience. With this new RFID technology, hotels can understand the movements of their guests (while not being intrusive) and thereby enhance their experience from pre-arrival to post-departure. It becomes a completely customized stay, if the guest chooses to engage with the venue.

Marketing and E-business for tourism industry A good marketing plan is important to the success of businesses. There are several guidelines and ways to use electronic medium to stay competitive. A business has to always take care of the existing customers and their needs without forgetting to attract new customers. Tourists are using internet to shop for new destinations so an online presence is very important for consumers so they will be able to find out information about the business. There are several guidelines to consider: * Promptness people expect to get a response within a reasonable time. * Quality means that your website should be able to compete with other websites on the internet and this means that it should have good quality photographs and professional tone to the websites. * Consistency means a good consumer service and a professional image. There are many ways to promote services online: email newsletters and promotion, building traffic by working with other websites, offer deals, get involved in discussion sites about the industry you are in. During an off season bookings, simplicity of booking should be a priority. Tourism operators should join travel and tourism "mall" to offer their products and host their site and use these low cost services. Companies can also promote their products online by offering auction style sales that helps consumers have some kind of control over the prices of the different services in tourism. One of the perks of online shopping for travel services is the price transparency and the fact that costumers have choices of different prices in front of them. Company should Increase a web marketing pull by offering different services and also advertising with other companies. Promote and minimize the costs of the services by adding "do-it-yourself" features. A list such as: A FAQ, maps of location of other area attractions and local guides for rental outlets. To improve the way you market your products and

this article talks about the merger between Sabre and Passkey in creating a new system for improved group reservations. this new technology benefits directly meeting planners and hotels by creating an automated system that communicate reservations directly to the property management system. some of the benefits include real-time reports and tracking, ability to maximize attendance and therefore revenue, greater efficiency, and direct communication.

With so much emphasis this week on the negative environmental impact of computers, I found an article that points hoteliers in a direction on how being green can improve your bottom line. The idea is quite simple; you implement energy or resource saving methods, you pay less utilities. Customers recognize that you are being eco-friendly and are more loyal to your brand. Over time your revenue goes up, there are less expenses and thus impacting your net profits in a positive manner. Then you get to repeat the whole process with newer technology again with the increased profits. Sounds easy right...? So what things should you implement? One idea was Portfolio Manager web tool that tracks all of your hotels energy consumption all while taking in consideration of operational and local weather factors. This is one piece of the solution of on going concerns of environmental destruction taking place industry wide. If everyone contributed in some small way, hopefully we can see a large impact.

Fujitsu today announced that it has worked together with the major Japanese drug store chain, Tsuruha Holdings, Inc., to develop a retail system for its first store outside Japan, which opened this July in Thailand. Tsuruha Holdings is currently strengthening the expansion of its business outside Japan, prompting the need for flexible support for additional retail locations. Fujitsu Systems Business (Thailand) Ltd., which boasts a rich track record in systems deployment is providing comprehensive support for the introduction of the new system, ranging from systems integration development of the POS systems, to deployment, maintenance and support.The new system comes equipped with a host of features that accommodate the business practices of Thailand, including sales promotion methods, storage of receipts in an electronic journal, and settings for days when the sale of alcoholic products is restricted for religious reasons.

A resort and club in Boca Raton introduces a Boca Meet 360 degrees meeting app-- this app features a virtual site tour of the resort, its meeting facilities, accommodation styles, leisure activities and amenities. The app also provides 15 key points of interest to meeting and weeding planners-- this is a wonderful use of an app that I think a lot of conference centers and hotels lack for instance, the feature includes a video and photo galleries, property maps, meeting space with spec and floor plan, 360-degree tours of guest rooms and an interactive meeting planning tool and contact information.

Nicole, I completely agree with your statement that this is a wonderful use of an app and technology as a whole. In this fast-paced world of technology, hotels need to keep up. This interactive guest technology is just the way to do this. It really enhances the guests' experience as well as increases overall convenience. I posted an article similar to yours and it really summed it up by saying that guests are able to do many things on their own now. This technology could really change the way hotels operate and hotel service for the better.

This article explains the many questions surrounding the GDS or global distribution system. More importantly, the article explains how smaller hotels can use the GDS system to their advantage. The GDS system is more commonly used by larger entities such as the airline industry, larger hotels, travel agents, etc. However this does not mean that the GDS system cannot be used for a smaller hotel. Using a GDS may be able to greatly benefit those smaller hotels.

I really enjoyed reading this article, because it gave me more insight as to why we travel agents are still important even with advanced technology(GDS). Then it also explains how people use the GDS system and don't even notice it. Last tells you what it thinks the future of this GDS will will bring worldwide.

In this article it talks about how the Global Distribution System is a tool used for travel agents. Agencies get information from a airline, hotel, car rentals, through the GDS system. I learned that the three main GDS system are Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport. Travel agency uses GDS system way more now because it is easier for them to look for the best rates and accommodation that they can for their client. Today, GDS are still big business and companies will continue using it. The GDS system puts your hotel in front of a lot of travel agents and travelers. It is very important to put your company on the global market because clients are traveling more frequently and traveling farther everywhere. The GDS is not the answer for every company because it does cost money.

This article gives us a glance at six different technological trends being used and "revolutionizing" the hospitality industry. The six trends are cloud/software services, mobility, social media, personalized systems, integration, and globalization. The trends are all seen across the board in hospitality nowadays and are making huge changes in the industry. We have been talking about cloud computing and the pros and cons of using a cloud to store information and even with all the controversy, companies are investing and using the cloud. The use of tablets and smartphones has changed the way we interact with technology and the hospitality field is not staying behind. They are developing mobile sites and apps to help customers look at pictures and reviews about a place, check in and check out or make other arrangements. Social media is also revolutionizing hospitality by creating a reputation for businesses whether they be positive or negative. People can freely post about whether they enjoyed their stay at a certain hotel and helps build the online reputation of the company. In addition, more and more companies are looking to become more personalized experience. When I think about this part, I think mostly of the new systems rolling out at Disney World that scream personalization, guests can select their Fastpasses ahead of time, can use MagicBands to purchase things, get into their hotel, get into the park as well as to utilize the Fastpass system and every time a MagicBand is scanned at a touchpoint, the cast members know the person's name and whether they are celebrating something. With integration, customers and staff can access information from different departments all on one system and with globalization companies are trying to use systems that are global and used worldwide. 

Technological developments continue to have a great effect on all aspects of our lives, the hospitality industry not being an exception. Calum McIndoe in his article "Six Technology Trends Revolutionising the hospitality industry" outlines areas of technology that managers within the industry need to take advantage of. Cloud technology, though this concept is fairly new it can provide great financial benefits to companies as it cuts cost greatly due to the fact that it eliminates the heavy hardware requirements traditional technology offered. Mobility, the fact that portable devices can add a competitive edge to the service offered. Think traditional services being provided on the go away from a fixed station. Social; the popularity of social networking sites have changed the face of hospitality and tourism marketing completely. Properties are now forced to monitor social networking sites to learn about customer demands and to also learn about the image their company has out there and how they can improve it. According to Mr. "for any hotel to not at least monitor social medis is tantamount to willingly flying blind." Personalized systems; value for customers within this industry has to do greatly with the personal touch added to the service delivered. These merged systems allows properites to use data to ensure that guest needs are met. Integration; the joining of isolated systems used in all areas of operations on the property. The use of integrated systems allows for the pulling of data from the different departments thus ensuring proper management of services delivered and revenue management. Globalisation; It is important that hospitality companies adapt to changes and trends brought about by globalisation. Whether the current global outlook is taken into consideration when considering how a company operates can greatly impact the final product.

((NOTE: The author already highlighted the article in yellow when I found it, my personal highlighting is in PINK. Sections 5 and 6 are not highlighted in pink because I agree with the parts that the author highlighted yellow in those sections; Diigo toolbar will not let you highlight over something that has already been highlighted.)) This article mainly focuses on the technological changes in the hotel industry in pertinence with storing hotel information versus the traditional method(s) used by hotels that involved little to no technology at all. The article lists six different points or examples and states that businesses, especially small or upcoming businesses, need to follow by these six trends. The part of the article that stood out to me the most when reflecting on the lectures and power points for this week is the first trend. The first trend speaks about a "cloud" software (which I am not really familiar with so excuse me if my explanation is not 100% sound) and announces that "around 85% of the queries we see from hospitality companies and hotels include a serious look at cloud computing". The author lists a few reasons why such a high percentage of hotels are doing it this way. He basically says that you do not need special staff or special training to maintain the system; the system maintains itself so you can have more time to focus on your guests and trends in their patterns. Also, as far as the cost is concerned, "upfront investment is lower with the cloud as there are no initial hardware costs or associated expense…". Even though I am not very familiar with this service just yet, I like the idea of freeing up employee time to go and interact more with the customers; attending to the customers' needs is the most important thing in my eyes. The article goes on to list mobility, social media, personalized systems, integration, and globalization as all equally important parts to this revolution of technology pertaining to the hospitality industr

A PMS system should greatly increase the efficiency of a small hotel that is using manual booking techniques. The cost of a hotel PMS system usually varies according to the amount of features it has and is paid either through licensing fee, monthly subscription , or commission on sales. Some of the most important characteristics of a good PMS are portability and flexibility (making cloud based systems extremely popular). The functions a PMS should achieve include: increasing revenue per guest, managing sales channels, improving efficiency, guest communication, manage international bookings, automated inventory management, and much more. When selecting a PMS software provider, it is also extremely important to consider the level of technical support that is offered. Nicholas Reynolds

Facebook is becoming more and more popular around the world and it is becoming a social media requirement for companies to utilize for their customers. Grand Millennium Kuula Lumpur realized this and became the first hotel in Malaysia to use Facebook as a booking engine, allowing its 30,000+ followers to book hotel accommodations comfortably and in a secure environment with a special fans only rate. Friends of the hotel's Facebook page feel confident when booking through this mechanism because the page links directly to the hotel's real-time reservations system, allowing customers to check availability and book rooms instantly. This is all done without ever leaving the Facebook page. Sabre Hospitality Solutions understands the growth of social media and is helping hotels engage guests through this new technology by providing the most comprehensive social media optimization solution available. They are helping hotels build loyalty, tap into new market segments, build buzz and grow their business through online communities. This is a very important and relevant marketing tool for Malaysia because their total number of Facebook users at the end of 2011 grew to over 12 million.

LEED is developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Its responsibility is to promote sustainable building and development practices through a suite of rating systems for buildings that implement better environmental and health performance. There are two new LEED certified hotels opened in Los Angeles. One is the Shore Hotel. This hotel a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) registered property that offers eco-friendly accommodations with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Shore Hotel owns some sustainable features such as 50% of construction waste was recycled or salvaged, wood used in the project is from sustainable forests, 10% of all building materials are from within a 500 mile radius of the project, 'Low flow' water fixtures, significantly reducing water consumption and native landscaping, reducing the extent of required irrigation. The hotel took significant measures to ensure that the design, construction and operation of the facility will reduce the impact on the environment. Another is Hotel Wilshire. It has the sustainable features such as use of building materials with high recycled content. For example, carpeting was made of recycled materials and installed without harmful VOC adhesives, high efficiency HVAC systems route heating and cooling throughout the building based on individualized, local controls using much less energy than traditional temperature control systems and all lighting is LED or compact fluorescent, significantly reducing electrical usage.