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Gian Altamirano

New Green Hotel Tech Includes Smart Fireplaces, Lights With Memory || HotelChatter - 0 views

  • at Hotel 1000 in Seattle, they control what gets switched on and off using the system that tells them when a guest comes and goes. When a guest checks in, the heating or cooling kicks in, and when they go out for a while, the air con and other electrical appliances turn down to preset levels.
  • And the conference also talked a lot about putting solar panels on hotel roofs with government subsidies.
  • The system will remember how lights are set and if the fireplace is on and will shut down 20 minutes after the guest leaves and come back to the same setting when guest returns.
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  • cost them $8 million
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    With the trend of green hotels and technology growing rapidly in not only our industry but all industries in general, it is important for companies to stay up to date with new innovative green technologies. This article touches upon on hotel in Seattle named Hotel 1000. The hotel has begun implementing new technologies such as memory lights that shut down when guests are out of the room and then turn on to the same levels set when the guest returns. Also being implemented is a system that can switch air on when a guest arrives to the hotel. This controls the amount of time the air is in use as well as prepares the room pre-arrival.  Finally this article discusses the imminent idea of alternative energy solutions for hotels. Many hotels hope to receive government subsidies in order to begin implementing solar panels on their roofs providing more energy while cutting current electricity costs. Installation costs are high but will be offset over time.
Gerardo Collado

Disney, Biometrics and the Department of Defense - 0 views

  • The Department of Defense (DOD) has been interested in Disney Amusement Parks for decades. Known as Operation Mickey Mouse, the DOD has been studying Disney’s use of technology and coercion techniques. The DOD has also been working in conjunction with Disney to collect information on Beta testing operations that the popular theme park uses on their customers.
  • Through the Freedom of Information Act, the Disney Corporation hands over to the DOD all data on their customers. The DOD has an overabundance of information on the general public going back decades thanks to their relationship with Disney. After the DOD analyses and profiles their data from Disney, it is ready to be used to the US government for whatever purposes they deem fit.
  • The small cities Disney has created through their compound, although seemingly harmless, can harness quite a bit of private information on unsuspecting customers. All movements of patrons are tracked and traced through a myriad of cameras strategically placed throughout the theme parks.
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  • Photos, regardless of whether or not they are sold to passengers, are entered into a data base for future use. Because the photographs are legally property of Disney, they can be used at the corporation’s discretion
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    The arising topic of biometrics in the class in combination with Disney Amusements Parks has lead me to further explore details regards the topic. Disney is the first theme park using biometrics for their operations, prior to entrance in the Disney Parks; a digital fingertip is copied of the pointer finger of their customers. The justification for Disney implementation of the biometrics is in order to reduce or eliminate fraudulent and ticketing crimes. The Department of Defense (DOD) is working in cohesion with Disney in a focus to collect information, through the Freedom of Information Act, after Disney provides the excessive quality and quality of information to the DOD, which is after property of the United States' government able to use the information in their discretion. As well, Disney has implemented facial recognition technology in their cruise lines and private island, Casteway Cay, which is tied to a digital voucher card in the event that the customer would like to purchase photographs of their vacation, with or without permission the pictures are property of Disney.
anonymous

Insiders suspected in Saudi Aramco cyber attack | SciTech | GMA News Online | The Go-To... - 0 views

  • Hackers from a group called "The Cutting Sword of Justice" claimed responsibility for the attack. They say the computer virus gave them access to documents from Aramco's computers,
  • The hacking group that claimed responsibility for the attack described its motives as political
  • the group said Saudi Aramco was the main source of income for the Saudi government, which it blamed for "crimes and atrocities" in several countries, including Syria and Bahrain.
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  • According to analysis of Shamoon by computer security firm Symantec, the way the virus gets into networks may vary, but once inside it tries to infect every computer in the local area network before erasing files to render PCs useless.
  • Yet those sources say such protections could not prevent an attack by an insider with high-level access.
  • insiders were implicated in just 4 percent of cases last year.
  • The hackers behind the Shamoon attack siphoned off data from a relatively small number of computers, delivering it to a remote server
  • Because the virus wiped the hard drives, it is difficult for Saudi Aramco to determine exactly what information the hackers obtained.
  • The Shamoon virus is designed to attack ordinary business computers
  • . It does not belong to the category of sophisticated cyber warfare tools
  • Saudi Aramco has said that only office PCs running Microsoft Windows were damaged. Its oil exploration, production, export, sales and database systems all remained intact as they ran on isolated and heavily protected systems.
  • It is standard industry practice to shield plant operating networks from hackers by running them on separate operating systems that are protected from the Internet.
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    Saudi Arabias national oil company, Aramco, was attacked by a computer virus, Shamoon, and it is suspected that an insider or employee assisted the hackers. The virus spread through the network and infected about 30,000 PC business computers and wiped their hardrives. This is one of the worst attacks against a single business. The hackers who claimed responsibility, The Cutting Sword of Justice, were politically motived. The companies more important documents including plant operating networks were not affected by the virus because they were on a separate and higher security network. Recently, other Middle Eastern natural gas firms with relations to Saudi Arabia have been hit by cyber attacks. Because the Aramco hackers admitted their motives against the Saudi Arabian government income sources, I think that all the cyber attacks may be politically motivated. As a Middle Eastern oil company with relations to Saudi Arabia, this is a major indication to take precautionary measures and increase network security. This attack demonstrates that no matter how much security you have in place, if an insider is willing to assist hackers or provide hackers with necessary information, you are no longer protected. It would seem imperative that employees with this access are chosen carefully or network access is very limited.
LU DENG

Six questions hoteliers should ask providers of cloud-based systems | Tnooz - 0 views

  • Cloud/SaaS can bring many advantages over on-premise solutions for hoteliers. Among them: Conversion of CapEx (capital expenditure) to OpEx (operational expenditure); Access to the latest version without the pain often associated with upgrades; Removal of the burden of application and infrastructure management; and Potential for heightened security beyond internal capabilities.
  • In addition, the cloud is being used by the federal government and financial institutions, both of which likely have stricter, more complicated regulatory requirements than most hotels.
  • 1. Is it really cloud?
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  • But in evaluating whether to choose a cloud/SaaS solution over on premise you also need to do an honest evaluation of your own IT organization’s ability to manage your infrastructure. Google’s cloud-based Gmail service offers 99.984% availability, which is 46 times better than the average Microsoft Exchange implementation.
  • 2. Do you have Service Level Agreements on RTO/RPO?
  • 3. What are the availability SLAs?
  • 4. Is there an offline mode?
  • 5. What about integration?
  • 6. How can I get my data back out?
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    Cloud computing is becoming more and more popular in today's business world. What are the main advantages that cloud computing can bring to Hospitality industry? Through the article I found the answer which are also the concerns of hoteliers that are a lower cost and a higher security environment. For instance hotel companies can be access to the latest version of what they are using without paying too much to buy related software. Secondly since the cloud is being used by federal government and financial institution which have higher level of regulatory requirements than most hotels, hotel companies can feel more safety in applying this high-tech in their business. But nothing is perfect. The author mentioned in this article that before we choose cloud service, we should get to know some information about the hospitality software suppliers. As for me I concerned about whether they have an offline mode which can continue the business activities for a while when the internet disconnection happens. For example how could hotels make sure the check-in, check-out, and reservation activities go on successfully when something wrong with the internet. The second concern for me is how could I get my data back if I discontinue my service in certain provider. Hoteliers should have ways to protect their data and other business activities. Cloud computing is developing very quickly and it will benefit us a lot only when we get to know the right way to use it. 
Long Jin

Brands grind to push online presence in China - 0 views

  • More than 500 million Internet users reside in China, according to the China Internet Network Information Center, and hoteliers around the world believe the opportunities for online distribution are abundant as that number continues to grow.
  • Online distribution in China is quite complex and different from the rest of the world.
  • Government restrictions on social media are an added hurdle for hoteliers operating in the nation,
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    The article introduced about the opportunities and challenges if the hotels want to expand their ecommerce in China. As the China Internet Network Information Center said, more than 500 million Internet users reside in China while it is still growing, hotels around the world believe that it is a big opportunities to develop their online distribution in China. However, although this is a big opportunities, there are also many challenges which can influence the effect. As the author said, the challenges are government restriction, language and translation and lack of adequate technology. As many hoteliers said, in china, it is very hard to develop its ecommerce. The key issue is the language, only the companies can find professional staff to translate the system into Chinese, the ecommerce can be used. Also, as Chinese credit limits are very low, most of the overseas travel transactions are completed offline in cash.However, hoteliers are trying to find solutions to beat challenges like hiring local marketing agencies or developing in-house marketing teams. Also working with local partners has been more used in the industry.
augu010

5 Best Practices to Prevent Insider Threat - 0 views

  • Insider threat continues to be a problem with approximately 50 percent of organizations experiencing at least one malicious insider incident per year, according to the 2017 U.S. State of Cybercrime Survey.
  • While intellectual property (IP) theft, IT sabotage, fraud, and espionage have continued to appear as the primary forms of malicious insider threats, new research has led us to understand the patterns related to unintentional insider threats. These threats represent a significant risk for organizations and potential attack vectors for malicious insiders and external adversaries.
  • Know and protect your critical assets Develop a formalized insider threat program Deploy solutions for monitoring employees actions and correlating information from multiple data sources Clearly document and consistently enforce policies and controls Incorporate malicious and unintentional insider threat awareness into periodic security training for all employees
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  • The trust that organizations place in their workforce can leave them vulnerable to malicious insiders, who often use particular methods to hide their illicit activities.
  • Current technology allows seamless collaboration, but also allows the organization's sensitive information to be easily removed from the organization. A complete understanding of critical assets (both physical and logical) is invaluable in defending against attackers who will often target the organization's critical assets.
  • Critical assets can be both physical and logical and can include facilities, systems, technology, and people. An often-overlooked aspect of critical assets is intellectual property.
  • Formalized and Defined Program:
  • Organization-wide Participation:
  • versight of Program Compliance and Effectiveness:
  • Confidential Reporting Mechanisms and Procedures:
  • Insider Threat Incident Response Plan:
  • ommunication of Insider Threat Events:
  • Protection of Employees' Civil Liberties and Rights:
  • Policies, Procedures, and Practices that support the InTP:
  • Data Collection and Analysis Techniques and Practices:
  • Prevention, Detection, and Response Infrastructure:
  • Insider Threat Practices Related to Trusted Business Partners:
  • Insider Threat Integration with Enterprise Risk Management:
  • Organizations should ensure policies and controls provide: concise and coherent documentation, including reasoning behind the policy, where applicable consistent and regular employee training on the policies and their justification, implementation, and enforcement Organizations should be particularly clear on policies regarding acceptable use and disclosure of the organization's systems, information, and resources use of privileged or administrator accounts ownership of information created as a work product evaluation of employee performance, including requirements for promotion and financial bonuses processes and procedures for addressing employee grievances
  • wareness training for the unintentional insider threat should encourage employees to identify potential actions or ways of thinking that could lead to an unintentional event, including level of risk tolerance--someone willing to take more risks than the norm attempts at multi-tasking--individuals who multi-task may be more likely to make mistakes large amounts of personal or proprietary information shared on social media lack of attention to detail
  • Our intent was to develop a single definition for insider threat that covers malicious and non-malicious (unintentional) insider threats covers cyber and physical impacts applies to both government and industry is clear, concise, consistent with existing definitions of 'threat', and broad enough to cover all insider threats
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    This article goes into detail about various safe practices that can prevent cyber threats. Policies and procedures must be created in order to protect us from cyber crimes. Governments have worked hard to protect data from being hacked.
anonymous

11 Tips to Improve Your Restaurant's Cyber Security in the COVID-19 Era | FSR magazine - 0 views

  • wealth of client data on tap from places with lax security
  • unknowingly serve credit card data to hackers. Due to the volume of credit card transactions and CRM data available, restaurants need to take cybersecurity seriously before a criminal gets wind of the vulnerability
  • A hacker only needs to gain access to a restaurant's POS system and install malware to steal customer credit card details.
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  • Take Chipotle, for example. The company got devalued by about $400 million after they suffered a data breach.
    • anonymous
       
      Major consequences for restaurants if discovered as the link
  • because most go belly up six months after an attack.
  • Unprotected WiFi
  • Criminals pretend to be from the U.S. government and inform targets their COVID-19 stimulus check is ready, but they would need to verify the details of the recipient first before they can send it.
    • anonymous
       
      Low level scammer
  • CRM software data, which may include names, addresses, and even birthdays. One of the most common ways to achieve this sort of attack is via malware (malicious software). Hackers find a vulnerable backdoor to a restaurant's network to install malware on the POS system. Malicious code then records every transaction and every detail, sending it back to the criminal's server over the internet.
  • GrubHub drivers scam both the restaurants and the customers by marking the deliveries as complete and pocketing the tip money, without bothering even to pick up the order from the establishment.
    • anonymous
       
      AHHHH
  • Businesses are scrambling to find suppliers amidst the chaos, and criminals have been taking advantage of the confusion
  • Scammers are posing as representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and other public health agencies
  • social engineering on the restaurant staff to pull off phishing attacks.
  • PCI compliant.
  • conduct a risk analysis
  • hiring a security expert either full time or as a consultan
  • Secure your network and always change the free WiFi access point's password with a strong one every day.
  • latest operating system updates
  • Force multi-factor authentication
  • strong passwords
  • Ensure sensitive data encryption
  • web-filter to secure your WiFi network
  • Install a robust security software program on all computers and devices to block, detect, and clean malware.
  • Conduct regular cybersecurity training
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    Restaurants have always been an easy target for cyber security hackers, in particular, hackers who are looking for credit card and ID information. Restaurants provide hackers with a "wealth of client data" due to the high "volume of credit card transactions and CRM data available." Once given access, a hacker could simple install malware and duplicate all customer information. Already facing critical financial issues during Covid 19, restaurants large and small need to take a stronger presence in the protection of their data. If discovered to be the start of a breach, customers will tend to avoid that business. "Chipotle, for example...got devalued by about $400 million after they suffered a breach," and many small restaurants "go belly up six months after an attack." Below is a summary of the types of attachs restaurants face: 1. Unprotected Wifi 2. Social engineering and phishing attacks. This is actually the one that stood out to me the most because of how sophisticated these attacks can be. It is a reminder that we are all at risk, both the technologically challenged and gifted. 3. Malware 4. Covid 19 Scams 5. Grub hub scams 6. Supply chain scams *A particular issue for restaurants and commercial businesses right now as companies scramble to find new vendors who can supply them with the products they require. 7. Public Health scams 8. Government Stimulus scams 9. Technical support scams How can we fight against these? Here are the recommendations: 1. PCI compliance 2. Hire and IT security professional to conduct a risk analysis and if possible, keep on as a consultant or full time 3. Keep a secure network and change free passwords daily 4. Use the latest operating systems, force multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, and use encryption services for data storage and transfers 5. Install and use robust web-filters and security software programs 6. Maybe most important!!! Train your employees. 5.
marble_bird

Conditions Associated with Increased Risk of Fraud A Model for Publicly Traded Restaura... - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 12 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • Many restaurant industry examples provide evidence that as a firm’s internal control structure weakens and deficiencies are found, the opportunity for fraud increases significantly.
  • The main premise of the study tests the application of the fraud triangle framework constructs to publicly traded restaurant companies during the time period of 2002–2014, using proxy variables defined through literature. The proxy variables selected were company size, amount of debt, employee turnover, organizational structure, the Recession, inflation rate, interest rate, executive stock compensation, return on assets, and international sales growth.
  • growing pressures from both passive and active investors to constantly increase their stock value in a competitive world where meeting performance goals are necessary to maintain a competitive edge
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  • To meet targets, it is typical for companies to put additional stresses on their internal control structures by reducing head counts, requiring employees to perform more than one job, and rearranging risk profiles
  • The deceptive and corrupt business practicesofthesecompaniesandothersresulted largely from a failure of corporate governance and lack of ethical business practices, in which internal control mechanisms were circumvented by conflicts of interest that enriched executives and damaged shareholders
  • Deficiencies are often observed through review of the main business cycles: revenue and receivables, purchasing and payables, treasury and stock, and financial reporting
  • Internal controls are often the first avenue of protection in safeguarding assets and thwarting and discovering errors and fraud
  • Some research has been conducted in this area, and findings suggest that companies in the telecommunications, technology, financial, and services industries experience the most difficulty with SarbanesOxley compliance efforts because of increased risk of fraud from industry and company risk factors
  • Therefore, pressure resulting from expectations of financial performance, opportunity to circumvent internal controls, and rationalization coupled with certain inherent industry factors may contribute to increased risk of fraud
  • opportunity to engage in unethical behavior may stem from the macro environment, the operational features, and the specific nature of the business cycles
  • Because of this potential for fraud on the company, shareholders, and the public, examining the conditions that may prompt fraud is necessary for the efficiency of the restaurant industry, and namely, for those passive and active investors that are relying on the financial statements to be true and accurate
  • the restaurant industry is often susceptible to deficiencies because of its inherent characteristics and high control risk
  • Corporate scandals, misappropriation of assets and financial statement misstatement are all very real threats to the restaurant industry.
  • the central focus of this study is to understand the factors that contribute to increased risk of fraud to determine why fraud may occur despite the imposed regulation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
  • numerous researchers have found indication that executive stock option compensation provides encouragements for behavior that is fraudulent or corrupt
  • the study seeks to identify the factors that may provide the optimal criteria to engage in fraudulent or opportunistic behavior, using the incidence of a reported control deficiency as the measurable dependent variable.
  • The fraud triangle is the model that explains the factors that may cause an individual or a company to commit occupational fraud.
  • The differing classifications and definitions of pressure provide evidence that the construct is not directly observable; therefore, researchers in this field have measured the construct of pressure through proxy variables
  • consists of three constructs: pressure/motivation, opportunity, and rationalization. The three constructs offer an explanation as to why management commits fraud, and the dynamic relationship that underlies the acts of occupational fraud.
  • pressure may best be classified into four general types that may lead to fraud: financial stability, external pressure, manager’s personal financial situations, and meeting financial targets (
  • when considering measurements of external pressures relating to debt financing, the financial leverage ratio is the most common measurement of the amount of debt.
  • Both pressures and opportunities are often determined by factors that occur at both the individual and company level (
  • ROA, or asset composition, is an appropriate proxy measurement for the pressure of meeting financial targets.
  • according to the fraud triangle, it can be said that opportunity does not exist unless a pressure exists.
  • nonshareable problems could also motivate groups of individuals, representative of a company’s culture, to commit fraud.
  • Opportunity is described as an atmosphere or temporary environment that enables fraud to be committed, usually with a small perceived probability of being caught or reprimanded
  • In a study of Swedish restaurant companies, it is noted that competition is very high, often resulting in price wars among different companies that reduce prices and then try to compensate through increased sales
  • Some risk factors include the susceptibility of the industry to market changes as well as the nature of the industry, coupled with the specific operations of the company such as whether there are significant or complex international operations; how effective management is at monitoring activities within the organization; and the level of complexity that exists in the organization
  • This environment is therefore dependent on the discretionary income of consumers, and this increased pressure may lead to earnings mismanagement through overstatement.
  • Public companies in the restaurant industry are susceptible to opportunities for fraud on the basis of the aforementioned opportunities
  • The ability to commit fraud in the restaurant industry results from inside knowledge of processes and procedures, and the ability to circumvent controls through weaknesses (
  • strong evidence has also linked the CEO position to fraud when the CEO is also the Chairman of the Board. In incidences like this, the CEO is the dominate decision maker for an organization that may provide an increased opportunity for fraud.
  • The underlying reason for these three categories of increased opportunities for fraud is the state of the internal controls structure, and management’s commitment to strong corporate governance
  • Rationalization is essentially an attitude, belief, or position of the mind or ethical personality that enables an employee or group of employees of a company to intentionally misappropriate assets and then defend their dishonest activities
  • Weak corporate governance structures are often presented through ineffective monitoring of management.
  • A quantifiable means of capturing this could be through review of executive stock compensation measures.
  • excessive use of discretionary accruals may lead to poor audit opinions, providing a rationalized thought for business activities.
  • the nature of the restaurant industry is often described as a periodic, seasonal, and cyclic trade
  • Defining parameters for financial reporting can also have an effect on reducing the rationalized behavior and the opportunity to commit fraud
  • Because these conditions have an obvious effect on earnings and measures of success, this seasonal variability and volatility should be considered when analyzing pressures in the restaurant industry
  • For restaurant companies, this means that rationalizations and attitudes can be managed by assessing the internal control environment and understanding the pressures and opportunities that exist for employees.
  • Some restaurant industry pressures that may impact profitable sales growth include a lack of understanding of the consumer’s perception, including the relevance of existing brands, and delays in opening new restaurants. Likewise, an inability to consider cost pressures, including increasing fees for supplies, utilities, and health care providers contracted by restaurants, as well as an incapability of obtaining economies of scale in procurement, could compress margins and negatively impact sales and operations profit margin.
  • The value in the application of the fraud triangle to the restaurant industry provides an opportunity to extend theoretical contributions that originated from mainstream accounting to hospitality literature, which is severely lacking in the current literature
  • Likewise, restaurant companies that are smaller (and therefore may not have strong internal controls) with increasingly complex transactions create additional opportunities for fraud to be committed
  • competitiveness is a condition that makes meeting financial targets difficult and provides opportunity for fraudulent behavior. External pressure from analysts and investors may create an incentive to misappropriate assets, which, in turn, distorts common financial measures of success such as return on assets.
  • when debt financing exists, in order to address past and future obligations, and remain competitive, restaurant companies are at an increased risk of fraud especially when disruptions in financial and credit markets exist.
  • Studies have revealed that restaurant company victory and demise is eventually correlated to restaurant leadership abilities and intentions; therefore, it can be stated that executives and managers’ intentions are of utmost concern in understanding risk of fraud
  • firms with increasingly complex operations coupled with changes in organizational structure have less resources to put into internal controls and are therefore at an increased risk for accounting errors.
  • .Internationalgrowthissubjecttorisks such as international political and economic conditions, foreign currency fluctuations, and divergent cultures and consumer inclinations
  • This study will focus on the variables most pertinent to the restaurant industry on the basis of the inherent characteristics of U.S. publicly traded restaurant companies, as previously described in this section.
  • a s a result of workforce diversity and the presence of many perceived low-skilled workers. In addition, as companies within the industry respond to declining performance, publicly traded restaurant companies may be subject to activist investors who wish to see a change in the executive management team. If a shake-up such as this would occur, the organizational structure of the company may become unstable, resulting in much greater opportunities for fraud to occur at all levels.
  • this study looks to assess the relation between the amount of debt a company has occurred and the incidence of reported internal control deficiencies.
  • Variables relating to rationalization are present in the restaurant industry when considering the motivations and attitudes of management. It is noted that in difficult times, such as the Recession, aggressive financial reporting tactics may be used
  • this study seeks to understand the effect of substantial stock compensation on increased fraud risk.
  • this study also hypothesizes that poor ROA could increase the risk of fraud, as the pressure provides executive management with the motivation to manipulate earnings.
  • this study suggests that the organizational structure of the company may provide opportunity for increased fraud risk through a unitary tone at the top.
  • this study analysed the disclosures of publicly traded restaurant companies to determine whether a company has a higher probability of increased fraud risk on the basis of the presented variables.
  • The results of the applied probit model reveal for the entire population set of publicly traded restaurant companies that the macroeconomic factors of the Recession, interest rate, inflation rate and unemployment rate all have a significant impact on the increased risk of fraud, as evidenced through a reported internal control deficiency.
  • As noted in the overall model, the results reveal that the model as a whole is a significant fit to the data. Although the company-level variables were not significant in the overall model, external factors were each significant.
  • Therefore, it can be said that the results of this study empirically support the intuition that changes in macroeconomic conditions may impact increased risk of fraud for companies in the restaurant industry.
  • It can be said that there is a significant relation between increased risk of fraud and the macroeconomic factors of interest, inflation, and unemployment rates.
  • from a managerial perspective, the study provides evidence that macroeconomic conditions that might affect consumer demand may increase the risk of fraud for publicly traded restaurant companies.
  • In addition to the high costs of compliance, it is also important to recognize additional managerial characteristics that may heighten the effects of the macroeconomic conditions on increased fraud risk.
  • As indicated by the results of the study, however, many times executive management does not recognize the problems associated with the macroeconomic conditions because of systematic perceptual filters that play the crucial role in the functioning of the company.
  • By focusing on the changing macroeconomic conditions that may have an empirical effect on demand, executive leadership will be able to streamline processes to avoid incidences of reporting internal control deficiencies when exposed to the macroeconomic conditions.
  • In the restaurant industry in particular, information is also not readily quantifiable, which makes it even more difficult to transform into meaningful and timely information for executive management. Particular examples include consumer insights and how well new promotions are received and moved throughout the market.
  • it should be noted that reported internal control deficiencies are indicative of increased fraud risk, but not necessarily conclusive that fraud has occurred. Therefore, just because a company has reported a deficiency, it does not indicate fraud, necessarily.
  • According to the model, the managerial factors are only exacerbated by the presence of macroeconomic factors.
  • the identified conditions could help managers to improve internal control when a high risk factor is realized. The contribution of this study may allow restaurant companies to deter activities that may result in increased risk of fraud.
  • Because the study revealed that the macroeconomic conditions were significant for the entire population of restaurant companies, an area of future research might explore the relevance of the co alignment model (Olsen &R o p e r , 1998) to strategic management decisions to reduce the risk of fraud.
  • for purposes of this study, privately traded companies are excluded. This is a limitation of the study because the results may indicate a problem that is more or less pervasive since the sample is representative of a small number of companies in the United States.
  • the model is limited in application because it does not take into account fluctuations among the variables over time.
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    This article covers the methodology and findings of a study conducted to examine the factors contributing to fraud risk in publicly traded restaurants. The article discusses factors in the fraud triangle, macroeconomic factors, and internal company factors that may contribute to fraud despite protections implemented per Sarbanes-Oxley. The study ultimately finds that internal company factors are insignificant when considering the impact on fraud risk, while macroeconomic factors, such as inflation or unemployment, drastically impact the level of fraud risk that a company may face.
chunxia gao

Green Initiatives: Cost, Achieving ROI Challenge Hotels · Environmental Manag... - 1 views

  • The biggest challenges or barriers hoteliers face in implementing green lodging practices: 1. Having enough capital to invest
  • The biggest motivations for implementing green lodging practices: 1. Environmental benefits and building guest loyalty (tie)
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    This is a three year old survey on Green Intiatives by American Hotel & Lodging Association. It talks about : (a) Challenges or barriers faced by hoteliers. (b) The biggest motivation for implementing green lodging practices. (C) The top ten things hotels are doing well relating to green initiative. (d) Top ten green things hotels can improve on.
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    The American Hotel & Lodging Association's Green Assessment Survey results reveal the top 10 green initiatives hotels are enacting, the top 10 motivations for implementing green lodging practices, the top 10 green things hotels are doing well and top 10 green things hotels can improve on. In the challenges and barriers part, the biggest one facing in implementing green lodging practices is having enough capital to invest; in addition the whole world is in financial crisis now. Money is a big problem. As we know, before implement green practices, hotels need large amount money to buy equipment and need a lot of time to train employees to use it. In high season, they are busy to serve guests, to earn money. In low season, they may have time but no money. In the motivation part, environmental benefits and building guest loyalty rates to first place. But I think most hotels deciding to implement green practices are because financial savings. In addition, implement green practices can preempt government regulations and improve hotel reputation. It is also a good way to advertise. To do and not to do lists, hotels should keep and improve their recycling and reuse program and pay more attention to the power save program.
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    This is a great article that collected all top 10 related to GREEN. It makes me realize what we are doing well and what we need to improve in the future. And also it lists the top 10 challenge that we are facing. I agree with you that implement green practices can preempt government regulations and improve hotel reputation.
mtedd003

UN report: Time to seize opportunity, tackle challenge of e-waste | UNEP - UN Environme... - 0 views

  • The world produces as much as 50 million tonnes of electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) a year, weighing more than all of the commercial airliners ever made. Only 20% of this is formally recycled.
  • worth over $62.5 billion
  • Global e-waste production is on track to reach 120 million tonnes per year by 2050 if current trends continue,
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  • $62.5 billion, more than the GDP of most countries.
  • Less than 20% of e-waste is formally recycled, with 80% either ending up in landfill or being informally recycled – much of it by hand in developing countries, exposing workers to hazardous and carcinogenic substances such as mercury, lead and cadmium.
  • improper management of e-waste is resulting in a significant loss of scarce and valuable raw materials, such as gold, platinum, cobalt and rare earth elements.
    • mtedd003
       
      The resources not consumed but still existing in landfills.
  • circular economy in which resources are not extracted, used and discarded, but valued and reused
  • Nigerian Government, the Global Environment Facility and UN Environment announced a $2-million investment to kick off the formal e-waste recycling industry in Nigeria.
  • 100,000 people work in the informal e-waste sector in Nigeria.
  • PACE is a public-private collaboration mechanism and project accelerator dedicated to bringing about the circular economy at speed and scale.
  • The UN E-waste coalition is a group of seven UN agencies who have come together to increase collaboration, build partnerships and more efficiently provide support to Member States to address the e-waste challenge.
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    The Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) is a public-private group consisting of more than 50 heads from various internal and external organizations. The group intends to fight the route cause of e-waste by repairing the method for which technology is recycled. The plan of action is to establish a circular economy. Materials are consumed, trashed, and eventually sent to landfills or sent for workers in toxic unsafe conditions to extract the precious materials. The world produces 50 million tons of e-waste annually, accumulating a worth of almost $62 billion. 80% of e-waste is improperly recycled in dangerous polluted conditions, creating an environmental hazard and unethical work conditions. Valuable resources such as gold, are also lost due to this poor method of recycling.Nigeria is one of the many countries that has exploited thousands of workers in the recycling of e-waste. In an effort to reform this issue, the Nigerian government has invested $15 million to employ PACE's circular economy. The design of a circular economy allows for products to be either made for longer use or recycled in a sustainable way. The circular economy will allow for a more efficient and environmentally friendly method of harvesting these resources while providing sustainable job opportunities.
Rui Zhu

Event Marketing Software & ROI tracking - Marketo - 0 views

  • Setting up and categorizing events Connecting the event to a webinar or partner system such as Cisco WebEx® or Salesforce.com® campaigns Cloning an event, including emails, forms and landing pages, to minimize configuration for future events Managing event check-ins with our unique iPad app. Analyzing the effectiveness of the event with easy-to-use flexible reports
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    Some differences exist between organisations that run events for profit motives and those that are not-for-profit oriented. Government grants are seldom achievable by for-profit enterprises. Small scale events run by not-for-profit organisations are likely to be funded by participant fees. Larger scale events, whether run by for-profit or not-for-profit enterprises will likely need substantial support through commercial sponsorship. In many cases, fees paid by people who spectate can be a worthwhile source of income.
shuo zhang

Feds Offer Best Practices for Customer Privacy | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

  • Hospitality industry operators often collect information to better serve their customers.  Information may be collected during various touch points, including employee-guest interactions, the company website, and through business partners, and may include personal identifiable information, preferences, groups with which customers are affiliated, etc.  While customers understand that sharing their personal information helps businesses better serve their needs, they also have a right to know how that personal information is being collected, used and shared.
  • Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change:  A Proposed Framework for Business and Policymakers
  • This final report calls on Congress to enact general privacy, data security and breach notification, and data broker legislation in order to protect consumer privacy.
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  • The privacy framework applies only to commercial entities that collect non-sensitive data from more than 5,000 customers per year
  • This element recommends that entities build in privacy at every stage of product development. Substantive protections include data security efforts such as encryption, reasonable collection limits, sound retention and disposal practices, and data accuracy. Policies and procedures should be designed that:
  • •Protect personal information from unauthorized access; •Keep personal information accurate and up-to-date; •Require that business partners with which information is shared exercise reasonable efforts to maintain the confidentiality of personal information about customers; •Educate employees regarding privacy and best practices for protecting customer information; •Protect personal information transmitted via websites during online transactions or when using other technology.
  • : A customer should be offered a choice at the time, and in the context, that his or her data would be used.
  • A customer should be provided with reasonable access to company-maintained data.
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    The problem of the security in the internet is always risky for companies. Even though the customer trust the companies, but acctually, the companies sell your information without ask you if you want to share your information. For me, the organization for keeping the customers' information secured is useful and make sense, but I don't believe any companies want to pay for such service. They want to get income through selling the customers' information to other for comercial using. However, if the government make policy and establish law for protecting the customers information, it will be different. I think it will become a trend to promote. 
anonymous

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and O3b Networks Expand Business Partnership to Provide Gu... - 1 views

  • Royal Caribbean was the first to enlist O3b's new maritime offering O3bMaritime aboard, Allure of the Seas' sister ship, Oasis of the Seas when they signed a contract last summer. Now guests and crew aboard Allure of the Seas will be able to enjoy lightning fast download speeds and performance that is anticipated to also be four times more responsive than existing and planned GEO satellite systems. O3bMaritime will be the only satellite system capable of enabling cruise line guests and crew broadband services on par with onshore telecommunication standards.
  • Royal Caribbean was the first to enlist O3b's new maritime offering O3bMaritime aboard, Allure of the Seas' sister ship, Oasis of the Seas when they signed a contract last summer. Now guests and crew aboard Allure of the Seas will be able to enjoy lightning fast download speeds and performance that is anticipated to also be four times more responsive than existing and planned GEO satellite systems. O3bMaritime will be the only satellite system capable of enabling cruise line guests and crew broadband services on par with onshore telecommunication standards.
  • O3b Networks has signed a second historic, multi-year deal with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to provide high-speed satellite-delivered broadband service
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  • "The partnership between O3b Networks and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. continues to expand, and the real winners are the guests and crew aboard the most innovative ships at sea. The alliance is based on a shared mission built on the belief that the Internet should always be within reach - on land and at sea."
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    Royal Caribbean and O3b Networks have again signed a multi-year contract. O3b will once again be providing "high-speed satellite-delivered broadband service" to the Allure of the Seas. The system used is O3bMaritime and Royal Caribbean was one of the first cruise lines to use this system. This system will be on their two largest ships the Oasis and the Allure based in the Caribbean. It is also the only system that is on par with telecommunication standards on land. Soon O3b will deliver more bandwidth on these two ships than on all other cruise ships in the Caribbean. I personally feel internet access really lacks on many of the cruise lines right now and feel Royal Caribbean is taking a step in the right direction with O3b. My family and I like to cruise a lot and have received very spotty internet access around the globe. In today's world many people still have to check up on work while on vacation or keep in contact with family, it only makes sense for cruise lines to start working on faster internet comparable to on land. I read various cruise line message boards and this is a common complaint about slow internet access or virtually none. In the current economy where all the various lines are in competition against one another, this gives Royal Caribbean a leg up in the competition. Additionally, my understanding the only region where satellite internet is unavailable is off the coast of Japan due to government regulations. This system makes sense to have available one day in more regions.
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    I for one am very happy to hear this news. I too have experienced the snail-paced internet "access" on cruise ships. With the high cost per minute and slow speeds, cruisers can't help but feel that they wasted their money. This definitely gives Royal Caribbean an advantage over Carnival, NCL and other large cruise lines. By implementing O3b networks on their two largest and most popular ships, they will reach their target consumer and help spread the word.
Lu Zhang

Hotel Security in an Insecure World | Past Issues | Past Issues - 0 views

  • For the last nine years, the concept of heightened security has guided our nation ever since we witnessed the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
  • With the violent November 2008 hotel attacks in Mumbai, India, the September 2008 attacks in Islamabad, Pakistan, and the July 2009 Jakarta, Indonesia, bombings of American-branded hotels, the need for a new security awareness is now finding widespread acceptance across the U.S. lodging industry.
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    The cases of terrorist attacks of hotels increasing. To reflect this situation, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) cooperate with Department of Homeland Security to classify the security situation and work on security environment of lodging. To improve the security environment, the AH&LA had meetings discussing about attacks alert, security apparatus, and practical and logistical aspects to hotel security. For many years, AH&LA provided e-mail notices to its members alerting hoteliers improve the immediate security environment. With more and more terrorism and tremendous risks, AH&LA coordinated media and government, and produced security training to help hoteliers to protect and guard the hospitality industry.
Michelle Munne

NoWait Helps Restaurants Master the Wait in Augusta - 0 views

  • Home News Center Blog Login Create Account United States United Kingdom France China Front Page Arts Business Education Environment Government Industry Lifestyle Sports Tech OtherAutomotiveComputerEventsHealthHome and Family Legal / LawMediaMiscellaneousOpinion / EditorialPodcasting ScienceSociety Friday, March 22, 2013 RSS E-mail Newsletters Put PRWeb on your site NoWait Helps Restaurants Master the Wait in Augusta Mobile waitlist technology to replace outdated restaurant pagers and grease-pen wait list systems to manage massive crowds; NoWait to donate to Augusta Warrior Project
  • The company, NoWait, is working with Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver to equip the city’s restaurants with an army of iPads outfitted with NoWait’s seating management technology.
  • Because NoWait’s system is phone-based, customers can move freely between local establishments while they wait. That is revenue we wouldn’t normally receive...revenue that means jobs.”
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  • In no-reservation restaurants, NoWait’s cloud-based, mobile seating service streamlines operations and optimizes turnover thanks to its ease of use, speed, and overall simplicity.
  • Smartphone holders also may view their place in line via a link inserted in the instant confirmation text.
  • Once the table is ready, the diner receives a text to return to the restaurant to be seated without delay.
  • The training and product are very easy to use,
  • According to Ware Sykes, NoWait’s New York City-based CEO, the company is now seating more than a million diners a month, with plans to roll out significant enhancements to its system over the next 60 days.
  • About NoWait NoWait is a mobile seating management service that enables restaurant owners and managers to get a view of the queue and optimize turnover, while diners have the freedom to “Wait Where You Want” until their table is ready for seating.
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    This article is about a company, NoWait, that is quickly expanding throughout the U.S. and Canada.  They provide technology in the form of software or apps on an iPad that helps busy restaurants to maximize table turnover and minimize wait times for guests.
Laura Alonso

Biometrics | Homeland Security News Wire - 0 views

  • In a study which evaluated some of the latest in automatic facial recognition technology, researchers at Michigan State University were able quickly to identify one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects from law enforcement video, an experiment that demonstrated the value of such technology.
  • Under controlled conditions, when the face is angled toward the camera and if the lighting is good, this technology can be up to 99 percent accurate.
  • While the technology has made great strides in recent years, it does not mean that improvements are not needed. Also, more police agencies have to put the technology to use.
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    This article talks about how with the help of Biometrics technology, one of the Boston Marathon bombers were identified. This is a great example as to why biometrics technology is crucial in today's society. It has helped law enforcement and government agencies track down and arrest criminals. 
Yuting Peng

Tech-Laden Hotels Call for Modern Disaster Plans - 0 views

  • the plan has assumed a new life as both a disaster prevention and action schematic for all physical plant systems, computer systems, appliances and all normal uses of the facility. The plan revolves heavily around backup generators and battery power for electricity, as well as services that run on electrical power.
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    It often happen in hotel that the physcial plant system has some problem.The plan resolves heacily around backup generators and battery power for electricity. Lota's plan contain every system, if hotel obey the plan I think they can operate better.Make sure every physical plants in a good working condition.
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    It is realize that the potentially harmful effects that utility service interruptions can have on the hotel's many operating systems. With the Y2K threat just a memory, the plan has assumed a new life as both a disaster prevention and action schematic for all physical plant systems, computer systems, appliances and all normal uses of the facility. The plan revolves heavily around backup generators and battery power for electricity, as well as services that run on electrical power. If a fire, earthquake or other disaster causes a blackout, guests will most likely have to be alerted via the intercom. That system has a battery backup. The phone system also uses backup generators, which can also power message lights on the individual units if there's a problem.
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    The duty engineer is also supposed to walk through all machinery spaces to check for any flooding or hazardous conditions. If the outage is of an unspecified "long duration," the duty engineer is also bound to continually check the fuel level of the emergency generator and request that the manager call the contractor for more fuel when the fuel level reaches half-full.
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    The Sheraton hotel in California is the place for business travelers in the high-tech and government sectors. And to avoid the potentially harmful effects that the utility service interruptions can have on the hotel's many operating systems, the manager came out with a detailed engineering contingency plan. This plan is originally intended in prat to address potential Y2K woes. The plan assumed that a new life as both a disaster prevention and action schematic for all physical plant systems. 
alibaba0512

Online privacy: Difference Engine: Nobbling the internet | The Economist - 1 views

  • The congressional measure, approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Judiciary Committee on November 29th, would require criminal investigators to obtain a search warrant from a judge before being able to coerce internet service providers (ISPs) to hand over a person’s e-mail.
  • Cheap storage, wholesale access to the internet, powerful mobile phones and ubiquitous social networking have dramatically increased the amount of private data kept online.
  • As a consequence, the international telecoms treaty that emerged focused on how telephone traffic flows across borders, the rules governing the quality of service and the means operators could adopt to bill one another for facilitating international calls.
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  • The main objective of the conference in Dubai is to broaden the definition of “telecommunications” to include the internet—in the name of bridging the digital divide and bringing the full benefits of the web to the poor of the world.
  • In ITU jargon, the current treaty relates only to “recognised operating agencies”—in other words, conventional telecoms operators. The ITU wants to change that to simply “operating agencies”. Were that to happen, not only would Google, Facebook and other website operators fall under the ITU’s jurisdiction, but so too would all government and business networks. It seems the stakes really are as high as the ITU’s critics have long maintained.
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    The international regulation for Internet can change whole industry even whole world. Due to the prevalence of internet, the regulation of telecommunication can play an important role for the field.  However, like normal privacy, internet privacy can be treated as the same way. Nowadays, only after getting a warrant from a judge can a police coerce internet service providers (ISPs) to hand over a person's email. 
jingyaoxie

property management system - 0 views

  • One of the most important features of a Property Management System is its ability to keep track of inventory
  • Having a Property Management System allows modern businesses to operate smoothly with a minimum of waste in man hours or inventory
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    This paper describes the PMS definitions, characteristics and applications in many industries. For example, the real estate, the hospitality industry, government offices, manufacturing and many other agencies and industries. As for the hotel industry, it provides timely and effective information to the front desk clerck what are required of the guests in hotel room. Also, it helps hotel staff handling reservations, checking guests in and out, assigning rooms and managing room inventory, and handling accounting and billing. Based on my internship experience in Raddison Hotel of Tianjin, China, the PMS increase efficiency and maximize profits. This hotel use the Opera PMS, which connected with the Internet, the information provided are in time and accurate. What's more, it's easy for hotel employees to learn and use in daily work.
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    Property management systems, also known as PMS, have been around for centuries but with the introduction of computers, they have been streamlined and optimized to save both time and money. These systems are used in many industries to increase efficiency and maximize profits. For computerised systems, some people also termed them as property management software. Property management systems, also known as PMS, have been around for centuries but with the introduction of computers, they have been streamlined and optimized to save both time and money. These systems are used in many industries to increase efficiency and maximize profits. People do use them for personal property but property management systems are also used in real estate, the hospitality industry, government offices, manufacturing and many other agencies and industries. Property Management Systems exists in many different terms, for example, hotel management system for the hotel industry; real estate management system for the real estate industry. For computerised systems, some people also termed them as property management software.
Rixon campbell

Measuring the Economic Impact of Special Events - 0 views

  • The local economies of many towns depend on the revenue, employment, and income that festivals and events bring to the community.
  • he Peter Anderson Arts Festival has effectively used intercept surveys to discover that its economic impact is not just local but regional; the event attracts visitors from several states. The study found that the economic impact of the festival was $13 million.
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    Event planning is one of the vital areas in hospitality. Many guests travel for various reasons and one of them is entertainment or special events be it festivals or weddings. These occasions have to be planned and well executed for repeat business. According to the article event planning such as festivals are great economic generators to local communities; for example the Anderson Arts Festival, an annual event in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. With eyes twinkling and listeners enthralled, Miller talks about the first economic impact study of the event, conducted in 2010, which revealed that the annual festival grossed $13 million in a town of 18,000 people. The multiplier effects of event planning such as festivals are the life blood for many families and businesses, and in many instances these events are supported by local government because of the economic impacts.
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