Draft 1

Individual Paper Topic: How has technology changed the hospitality industry and how will it continue to shape the industry? 

1.    Executive Summary

This paper will explore about how technology has evolved the hospitality industry. It also delves about how the importance of incorporating technology into business due to the fast paced society the world has become. In the past when transportation was not fully developed yet, guests were usually from the nearby geographical regions. However, with the development of air transportation and cheaper air flights, the hospitality industry is catering to guests that may come from all parts of the world. The hospitality industry has transformed from relying heavily on manual labour to relying on machinery to get things done. The implementation of technology has mostly brought about positive impacts despite causing some negative impacts too. Furthermore, this paper will discuss about the economic and social implications of introducing technology into the sector. This report will also delve into the possibilities of how technology will continue to shape the industry. 

2.    Why is technology in hospitality industry revolutionary?

It is not uncommon to see computer technologies like centralised reservation systems, time-and-attendance software, and automated phone services in most hotels of today. Consumers may see these technologies as a given however, it should be noted that computers have only been introduced in the hotel, restaurant, catering and tourism sector in the last ten years. In the short span of ten years there are so many dramatic changes to the structure and organisation of work, job content, and skill requirements. Not only has the introduction of new technologies been fast, but the emphasis on 'time-saving' and 'labour-saving' technologies means that the pace of work is faster too.

Besides that the way consumers use technology to plan their holidays have also changed drastically. According to Think With Google's '5 Stages of Travel,' the average traveller visits about 22 travel-related sites prior to booking a vacation and 70 percent of business travellers will check into their flights and hotels via their mobile devices. (Vong, 2012) This is a big change as consumers now need not rely on travel agencies to plan trips but rather they can have the ability to choose their destination and the types of activities that they do. Hence, technology has revolutionised the hospitality industry. Hotels and restaurants around the world are increasingly being accessible to the world.

 

3.    Introduction

The hospitality industry is one of the fastest growing sectors compared to other sectors of the global economy. It accounts for more than one third of the total global services trade. Statistics have shown that international tourist arrivals have grown by 4.3 per cent between 1995 and 2008.

Due to factors like globalisation coupled with the constantly falling relative costs of travel, the demand for travel has increased substantially. In the 2008, the travel industry recorded 922 million international tourists’ arrivals a significant jump from 25 million in the year 1950 (see Figure 1)

Since 1990, international arrivals have increased by 4.3 per cent annually and the World tourism organisation (UNWTO) expects them to rise by 4 per cent per annum over the next 20 years. Moreover, in 2009, the international tourism receipts amounted to US$852 billion dollars. This shows that there is a massive potential in the hospitality industry and companies are making preparations to ensure that they are in a strategic position to capture a substantial portion of the market share. One aspect is to improve on the use of technology in their daily operations to improve efficiency, cut down the need for manual labour and customer experience. (International Labour Organization, 2010)

Advancements in communication technologies like video conferencing have allowed companies to do business with their counterparts in the other parts of the world.  

Therefore it creates a more interconnected world. The ability to expand their business partnerships to other countries, the companies can earn more revenue and its employees enjoy higher incomes. (Global Sherpa, n.d)

In the past, the hospitality industry relied heavily on manpower to ensure the operations of companies. There was also a great reliance on paper work. For example, service staff in restaurants would need to take down your order with a pen and paper. Hence a longer time is needed to serve the patrons their food. Moreover in the past, hotel guests needed to fill up manually personal particulars on paper before check in.

However, that has all change due to the rise of technology has helped to improve these processes and there is a shift from labour intensive towards technology based systems. The hospitality industry have benefited substantially as internal operations are more efficient and guest service quality also increases. Guest service quality often involves exceeding expectations in an attempt to increase the experience of the guests and create a sense of brand loyalty so customers would come back periodically. Technology is helping to build this brand loyalty as it gives a competitive advantage. (as cited in Beck, 2011).

With the proliferation of the internet, a whole new consumer market is now being opened up. Through websites, hotels and restaurants have created a platform for potential customers to get to know their products and service better. Online reservations and booking can also be done in the click of the button. Better systems have also been created to help facilitate the process of companies. Securities have also increased in the hotel industry. 

4.    History of the Hospitality Industry

The hospitality industry has evolved radically from its centuries old tradition of Inn-keeping. Up till the Middle Ages, people in different parts of the world built simple infrastructures to cater to passing travellers. For example, the Greeks created thermal baths in villages for people to rest. The Romans built mansions to provide accommodation for travellers on government business. Around the year 1200, staging posts for travellers and stations for couriers were set up in China and Mongolia.

The 16^th -17^th century saw the start of the hotel industry. At the beginning of the 15^th century, the law in France made it mandatory for hotels to keep a register of all their guests and the British also introduced similar rules for inns around the same time. Guide books for travellers were also published and signs about the restaurants cuisines were displayed. 

The industrial revolution which occurred in the 18^th-19^th century resulted in the construction of many hotels in mainland Europe, England and America. Hotels were also built in prime areas of city centres. Significant improvements were made from just providing a simple bed for travellers to rest to having a hotel that encompass facilities such as installing lifts and providing electricity to its rooms. The Tremont House on Boston was the first deluxe hotel in a city centre with inside toilets, locks on doors and an al carte menu. In New York, the New York hotel was the first to be equipped with private bathrooms.

During the 20^th century, many of the iconic tourist attractions like the Ritz and Savoy in London and the Taj Mahal in Bombay were constructed. Moreover, there was also a diverse concept of tourism as businesses try to create a competitive edge for themselves.  City and beach hotels helped developed countries infrastructure and allow them to attract more tourist. In the 1960s, new tourist resorts were also built around Mediterranean, Spain and Greece. It was during the 1990s that technology started to make an impact on the hospitality industry. With the implementation of computer systems, reservation and check-in systems became more sophisticated and the method of manually recording down information was phrased out. As the environment and energy conservation becomes an important part of businesses, the technology is brought in help. (http://ncba.ie/student_and_teacher_resources_files/The_Global_Hospitality_Industry.pdf)    

5.    Current Situation

A recent survey done in 2013 by the Hospitality Technology magazine reveals technology trends within the hospitality industry.  The study found that mobile websites and phone applications are a must have for companies in the hospitality industry. These platforms allow customers to post their reviews for potential customers to read and take reference from them. Moreover, this mobile technology allows customers to make reservations, collect guests feedback and search for coupons. Currently, restaurants are already investing in mobile websites and apps. According to the study, 53 percent already have a mobile website and 29 percent have a mobile app. 85 percent of restaurants expect to have a mobile website, and 70 percent expect to have a mobile app by 2015. 76 percent of hotels have a mobile website and 40 percent have a mobile app. By 2015, 91 percent of them expect to have a mobile website, while 75 percent to have a mobile app. (Whitehorne, 2013) (http://associationsnow.com/2013/09/technology-takeaways-from-the-hospitality-industry/)

The introduction of technology has resulted in an increased competition in the industry. Therefore, it is imperative that companies create a distinct edge for themselves that allow consumers to identify them from the majority. This section will look into the two main aspects of hospitality which is about (a) hotels and (b) restaurants.

5.1  Hotels

Positive Impacts

With the introduction of cloud computing, certain IT functions can now be shifted offsite and the need for technical staff is lowered. The hotels can also save on large-scale expenditures. By investing in an expensive IT infrastructure, hotels cannot make necessary changes to the system constantly and has to wait for a long time before it has the capital funding to make such changes. (Mayock, Jun 2013)This puts the company at a disadvantage as change is imminent in today’s context. To keep up customer’s expectations, the company must be ready to change and innovate current business practices. Hence, cloud solution solves these problems as changes can be made through the system readily with little cost.    

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/3572/4-technology-trends-for-the-global-hotel-industry

Despite the economic downturn in 2008, hotel operators understand the need to invest in state-of-the-art technology as a way to differentiate itself and remain competitive in this crowded and lucrative industry. Expectations of today’s guests are high as they want to have a different experience, enjoy new services and conveniences. (http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4048071.html,  2010)

In a bid to satisfy guests, companies use technology to ensure there is a greater variety of choice. In addition, the overall hotel experience also increases.

There is a greater variety of choice which technology provides. Technology has helped bridge the gap between guests and the hotel. With the use of information and communication technology being rampant these days, there is real customer engagement as people gather and share information. The vast amount of information on the Internet allows the consumers to make informed choices. Hence, reviews of past customers can act as a reference for potential customers. Websites of the hotels would allow the customers to have a look at the ambience of the place. Moreover, there is a choice of doing online booking instead of having to go through travel agencies. Online bookings are fast and efficient as with a click of the button, guests are able to select the dates and view the available rooms for that period. (http://www.hotelschool.co.za/2013/06/technology-driving-innovation-in-the-hotel-industry/)

Computerised systems allow guests to spend lesser time at the reception counter to check in. This shortens the waiting time and there is higher efficiency.  The use of self-service check in kiosks also shortens the waiting time. This reduces the number of traditional check in counters needed and also free up more service staff. This self-service technology provides an alternative to repeated travellers who do not want to spend time queuing to check in. (http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/2652) (Mayock, 2010)

Better in room service entertainment is installed in hotel rooms to improve guest’s experience.  There is a trend towards using Internet Protocol (IPTV) solutions to leverage the Internet for an enhanced experience. Traditional television streams all channels or content at the same time. Upon the request of its viewers, IPTV would screen the specialised content that is being selected. This increases customers’ satisfaction as the contents are now tailored to suit their needs. (Rock, 2010) ( http://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/9475/title/hotel-tech-trends-that-meet-guest-expectations.aspx) For example, the Omni Nashville Hotel is using the IPTV solution. Guests at the hotel would have access to 44 high-definition channels on the in-room televisions. This turns the guestrooms’ TVs into smart TVs where guests have the option to watch traditional TV or view their own Internet content on the largest screen in the room. (2013) (http://www.hotelmanagement.net/technology/ibahn-to-install-iptv-services-in-omni-nashville-hotel-21137)

Technology can help speed up services for guests. Guests may loan an ipad from the hotel which has maps and suggestions of local restaurants and sightseeing for the tourists. (Weed, 2013) Besides that, some hotels have launched a GPS-like way-finding system to help guests easily locate the different facilities. Another example would be the Mondrian Hotel in New York City's Soho neighbourhood provides each of its 270 rooms with an iPad specifically for guests to use as a means to order food, plan their travel and coordinate transportation.  (Vong, 2012)

The proliferations of smart phones are so wide that by the end of 2013, there will be more smartphones than human beings in the world. Therefore, hotels are capitalising on this to connect with their guests. A new application called Fingi presents a revolutionary new generation of mobile applications used to connect their guests with their hotel services. Some hotels uses this technology to replace the room key and allows free telephone calls and internet messaging guests and the hotel both on-site and off –site. http://www.hotel-industry.co.uk/2013/04/revolutionary-in-room-tech/

The rise of social media has massive impact on the hospitality industry. It concerns the hotel’s image and reputation. Hotels that monitor and manage their online profiles are able to reach out to clients in their online space and deal with questions or complaints quickly and on a public platform. (Jun. 2010) (http://www.hotelschool.co.za/2013/06/technology-driving-innovation-in-the-hotel-industry/)

Negative Impacts 

According to a recent study by Forrester Research, Wi-Fi is the top amenity that customers want. 90% of consumers wish hotels had Wi-Fi and 34% will not book a hotel stay without it. Hotels provide guests with free Wi-Fi service for their guests to stay connected with their work or their families. However, hackers can set up a fake hotspot with a generic name like “Hotel WiFi.” Once the user connects to it with his laptop or mobile device, he is connecting to the Internet through the hacker’s computer. Everything the user does online can be captured – including user names, passwords, and bank account and credit card account numbers. (Legnitto, 2013) (http://www.privatewifi.com/hotel-customers-want-wifi-but-most-ignore-the-risks/)

5.2  Restaurants

Positive Impacts

Moblie applications can be downloaded and recommendations can be made as to where good food can be found. Moreover, reservations for seats at restaurants can also be done through the application on the phone. This removes the problem of an overload in the call service of the restaurants and eliminates the frustration that patrons experience when they call to make a reservation but cannot get through due to a busy phone line. Therefore, the significant convenience that the mobile apps bring helps improve efficiency.   

PDA phones are used to take down orders and system would send them to the kitchen. This saves time and the food can be prepared faster. An example would be Marche where customers are issued cards when they enter. The price of food that the customer eats gets credited into the card. At the end, the consumers then head to cashier with the card to pay for their meal. Customers can enjoy their meal and do not need to go through the hassle of having to pay multiple times at the different stalls. The patrons experience greatly increases with the implementation of such technology.

According to a recent article in the USA Today, restaurants in San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and in other parts of the United States are starting to allow patrons to use iPads to place their orders. The use of mobile devices is not only limited to the serving side of things. They can be used to track inventory, regular checklists, and can go so far as to be used in a similar way we use in our own home kitchens – as a way to help out new kitchen workers get a handle on the restaurant’s menu items. (Vardy, 2012) (http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/22/how-technology-changing-restaurant-industry/)

Moreover, technology has allowed social networking sites to be play an important role in shaping the other customers opinions about the restaurant.  With Foursquare, customers can leave their thoughts (good or bad) on a restaurant when they check-in. They can influence a lot of users with just one update. (Vardy, 2012) (http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/22/how-technology-changing-restaurant-industry/)

Negative Impacts

Research has shown that some restaurants feel having restaurants review sites poses a problem to them. It gives customers the ability to write whatever they want even when it may not be true. (Vardy, 2012) (http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/22/how-technology-changing-restaurant-industry/) 

Restaurants that rely too much on technology may cause their patrons to lose the personal touch and customers may not feel that they have good service. An interview with Jonathan Segal, owner of The ONE Group, reveals that perhaps in the next 2 generations people who are accustomed to technology will prefer using electronic order system. However, he believes that there is a need for human interaction. The idea of dining was to create social interaction which may be lost if technology replaces waitresses. (http://www.leadersmag.com/issues/2012.2_apr/Hospitality/LEADERS-Jonathan-Segal-The-ONE-Group.html)

6.    Future Considerations

6.1  How does the introduction of technology affect countries economically and socially?

For countries that face labour shortages like Singapore, the implementation of technology in this industry is beneficial as there are economic benefits that can be reaped. Technology helps as they take over the manual labour of the job freeing up more human resource for service related work that needs people. Moreover, the use of technology would ensure that there are few mistakes as compared to when a human does it. Therefore, the efficiency level increases. Tourism contributed $22.3 billion to Singapore’s economy in the year 2011-2012.  An estimated 13.2 international visitors visited Singapore last year. Hence, to cope with the rising level of tourists, the hospitality industry is setting up the necessary infrastructure to cope with the future income.

Although the implementation of such technology is not cheap but the developed countries have the capital to do so.

For developing countries, they are unable to fork out heavy capital to invest in such state of the art technology therefore, they are at a disadvantage. However, when overseas companies invest and install such technology, the lesser manual labour needed hence, there will be a labour surplus. Some employees would have to be retrenched. However, if one looks at it at a different perspective then there also may be benefits to the introduction of technology. More human resources would be available to cater to the growing sectors of the developing countries.

Hotels and restaurants have benefited economically from this as productivity level increases and the need for manual labour decreases. Therefore, there is higher revenue earned. However, the initial capital outlay to build the technology in is very high. Since lesser labour is used, this poses a problem to developing countries and under-developed countries. In such countries, the skill sets of their labour are low and only few have higher knowledge. Therefore, the introduction of technology in the hospitality industry in such countries would result in people losing their jobs.

In the hospitality industry, new technologies have allowed many labour-intensive, time-consuming and so-called 'menial' tasks in food preparation to be contracted out. For example, new pre-cooked food/vacuum-packaging technology has meant that agribusiness corporations have taken over most of the food production and preparation process.

De-skilling and a decline in the quality of many kinds of jobs in the hospitality industry have also resulted from those technologies which have allowed greater labour flexibility. Workers no longer need to have specialised skills, but must have more generalised qualifications that enable them to do multiple tasks, and constantly move from one to the other.

Moreover, the expectations of customers have changed. Customers expect workers on the front desk or workers taking orders to respond to requests instantly, believing that computer technology has made everything possible within seconds. With these expectations, customers may become impatient more quickly.  (2007, http://www.amrc.org.hk/alu_article/labour_movement_and_the_internet/new_technologies_and_hotel_restaurant_catering_and_tour)

For instance, it’s estimated that 42% of energy use in the hospitality industry comes from lighting, of which up to 70% is inefficient. Installing energy-efficient lighting is just one way that a hotel or hospitality venue can reduce its energy bills and appeal to eco-conscious travellers at the same time. (http://www.hotelschool.co.za/2012/09/technology-trends-in-the-hospitality-industry/)

The excessive use of technology in hospitality may reduce social interactions between people. Lack of personal touch may cause customers to feel alienated and the idea of improving customer service may backfire.

6.2  Future of tourism

Technology also helped hotels and restaurants to reduce their carbon footprint and be more cost efficient. A 2012 report by The Travel Foundation and Forum for the Future found that 75% of consumers want a more responsible holiday. (http://www.sustainabletourism.net/resources.html) Hence, there are an increasing number of travellers that are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint when travelling.

 Due to greater awareness about sustainable tourism, travellers are more concern about how their actions would impact the environment. The use of energy saving bulbs would help the hotels and restaurants save electricity. Investing in technologies aimed at decreasing carbon footprint is hence beneficial for the hospitality industry. Despite increasing a destination’s attractiveness to tourists and business travellers, it also saves money too.

7.    Conclusion

The hospitality industry has undergone lots of changes over the years but the speed at which change is occurring now is the fastest due to the introduction of technology. The rise of smartphones, social media invokes changes that the hospitality industry has to adapt to. Overall, the hospitality industry has benefited greatly from the use of technology despite some negative impacts it brings. The main benefits would be improved efficiency and creating a better customer experience.  

Currently, there are some problems for example the widening of the income gaps between the developed and the developing countries when technology is used. The workers that lose their jobs to technology should be given opportunities to re-skill and learn new knowledge so that they are able to take a higher level job. Moreover, there is the problem of social alienation if there are no waitresses in the restaurant or when there is no reception desks in a hotel. In the future, companies should think about how technology can be used without removing the personal touch that a receptionist brings.          

Bibliography:

Global Sherpa. (n.d). Globalization, Sustainable Development and Social Impact in World Rankings, Countries and Cities. Retrieved from: http://www.globalsherpa.org/globalization-globalisation

International Labour Organization (2010). Developments and challenges in the hospitality and tourism sector. Retrieved from: http://t20.unwto.org/sites/all/files/docpdf/gdfhts-r-2010-08-0058-1l-en.pdf

BPP Learning Media. (2009) The Global Hospitality Industry Retrieved from: http://ncba.ie/student_and_teacher_resources_files/The_Global_Hospitality_Industry.pdf

Adam Beck. (2011) Can technology improve guests’ service quality in hotels? Retrieved from:  http://htihospitality.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/can-technology-improve-guest-service-quality-in-hotels/

Samantha Whitehorse (2013) Technology Takeaways from The Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from: http://associationsnow.com/2013/09/technology-takeaways-from-the-hospitality-industry

Patrick Mayock, (2010) 4 Technology Trend for the Global Hotel Industry. Retrieved from: http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/3572/4-technology-trends-for-the-global-hotel-industry

Hospitality Net (2010) Hotels Invest in Technology Despite the Economic Downturn due to its Positive Impact in the Industry. Retrieved from: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4048071.html

The International Hotel School (n.d) Technology driving Innovation in the Hotel Industry. Retrieved from: http://www.hotelschool.co.za/2013/06/technology-driving-innovation-in-the-hotel-industry/

Patrick Mayock (2010) Checking in on Self-service Kiosks Retrieved from: http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/2652

Hotel Management (2013) iBahn to install IPTV services in Omni Nashville Hotel. Retrieved from: http://www.hotelmanagement.net/technology/ibahn-to-install-iptv-services-in-omni-nashville-hotel-21137

Julie Weed (2013) The “Smart” Trend in Hotels. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/business/electronic-smarts-at-hotels-attract-guests.html?pagewanted=all&_r=3&

Private Wifi (2013) Hotel Customers Want WiFi but most ignore the Risks Retrieved from: http://www.privatewifi.com/hotel-customers-want-wifi-but-most-ignore-the-risks/

Mike Vardy (2012) Resistant to the inevitable: How technology is changing the restaurant industry. Retrieved from: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/22/how-technology-changing-restaurant-industry/

Hospitality. (n.d) An Opportunistic Operator. Retrieved from: http://www.leadersmag.com/issues/2012.2_apr/Hospitality/LEADERS-Jonathan-Segal-The-ONE-Group.html

Sustaining Toruism. (2013) Sustainable Tourism. Retrieved from: http://www.sustainabletourism.net/resources.html

http://www.amrc.org.hk/alu_article/labour_movement_and_the_internet/new_technologies_and_hotel_restaurant_catering_and_tour

Katherine Vong (2012) How Technology in Tourism is Taking Travel to the Next Level. Retrieved from: http://www.trendreports.com/article/technology-in-tourism

 

http://www1.yoursingapore.com/annualreport/pdf/stb_ar_2012.pdf

Thank you!

Session 7

This session was a continuation of the previous lesson of Bio-Business. This week's blog is focused on agriculture, environmental life sciences and industrial biotechnology.

Prof mentioned that the building blocks of life is the fairly similar for all life forms. Its amazing how the building blocks of life can form so many different species.  

Many of the tools that are designed and implemented through the bio medical industry first then its applied to other sectors like agriculture. Prof also introduced to us the different colours of bio-technology. There are the red, blue, white and green biotechnology.

Red bio-technology: Applies to humans  
Blue bio-technology: Applies to marine life
White bio-technology: Applies to industrial
Green bio-technology: Applies to plants

The first video we watched shows how humans are destroying Earth by exploiting the Earth's resources. The video compared humans to parasites. Personally, I feel that this view that humans are parasites are too extreme. Yes indeed, humans have been irresponsible in the past where we exploit natural resources for our own selfish gains. This is evident from all the deforestation and global warming that affects the world now. Humans have now begun to realise that harmful impact their actions have on the world. Hence, we are trying to make amendments and change the way we do things. The rise of awareness of the need to create a sustainable environment in order to allow future generations to lead a comfortable life.
     
If everyone operates the same way we will not have enough resources. But if we are able to produce the resources we need by ourselves, it is possible for us to consume as much as we want. However, we are now using non-renewable resources to sustain our standard of living.

As the world population increases, it is increasingly difficult for us the sustain the kind of living standards that we have now. People who lived in the rural areas are now migrating to cities in search of better jobs. Currently, slightly over 50% of the world population lives in cities. This trend is going to continue for the years to come and there would be challenges that we will face.

As farmers change jobs and work in cities, their energy consumption level increases and the resources that they consume would indefinitely increase. However, there may be benefits to live in the cities. Farmers can grow their own food and this is more healthy. As the world population increases, a higher production of food is needed to sustain the world's population.

There have been many advancements in the production of food for example there are organic food and genetically modified food.

Here's a question how much are you willing to pay for organic food? I will be willing to pay around 10-15% more for organic food.

Genetically modified food caused quite a discussion as some people feel that it is not right the modify food and there may be health consequences. In the US, the government stand on GM food is that no labeling is needed. However, Europe feels that labeling of GM food is needed to allow the consumers to know the type of food that they are consuming. I feel that labeling of food products is needed as the consumer should be aware of the food what are they consuming. They can then make the choice of whether they want to consume GM products.

There are many opportunities with the change in production of food. Food processing is one area as food are now chopped up and packet for the convenience of people. Families who are too busy to cut and prepare food can now purchase such products.

Food biotechnology is also another area where there are significant improvements. One of the presentation this week was about using sewage mud to produce meat. This presentation was really interesting as I did not know that this could be done. However many challenges need to be overcome before it can be widely implemented. The most significant problem is that people have to first overcome the psychological barrier of consuming meat that is made from sewage mud.

In terms of fishery, there are farmed and wild fishes. I was quite surprised to know that over 70% of the fishes that we eat are farmed. Wild fishing only constitutes to a small part of human consumption. Lumbering causes a lot of resources to be lost.

As the number of people working in the agricultural sector decreases and the pressing need for more food due to an increase in population, machinery and technology helps to replace manual labour and increase productivity in farms. With better knowledge, big industrial farms can captialise on economies of scale and maximise output.

But should we focus on producing food or energy resources?

Corn cobs can be used as form of energy resource and it can also feed people. Many plots of land that have been used to plant food are now used to grow crops for energy resources. With millions of people in the world with no food to eat, it is wasteful to use food as an energy resource instead of giving it to the people. There is already an even distribution of food in the world. The developed nations are having accessed to more food than what they require. Hence, using food as an energy resource further depletes the food source. Therefore, i don't think we should use food as an energy resource.

The lesson was really interesting and I learnt more about the agricultural sector and the problems that it faces. Through it, I am reminded again that we should all try not to waste food and only order what we can finish.

Overall rating: 9/10
 

Session 6

Just a recap of the things when learn so far J

Technology is the way of applying knowledge.

Innovation: Deals with change and developing new ways of doing things

Sustainable development: Ability of meeting generation needs without compromising the needs of the future generations.

Bio-business is a very broad sector as it encompasses healthcare, agriculture and the biomedical areas. Just some facts about bio-business, it occupies 25% of GDP and employs some 40% of the population. The bio-business has a lot of potential to be further developed.

In this session, we focused on mainly the healthcare and biomedical sector. As the world becomes more globalised, the standard of living of people increases as well. Many people move from the rural areas to live in cities in search for better jobs. The increase in population living in the cities would cause the demand of healthcare would increase greatly over time.

There are different disease pattern throughout the years. In the past, where the lack of facilities saw people living with poor sanitation conditions which cause problems like respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases and perinatal conditions. However, as the infrastructure gets better over time, most people now have access to a clean supply of drinking water hence the number of such cases greatly decreases. People of today are plagued with health problems such as heart diseases and depression. This may be due to the type of food we consume. The increase in consumption of unhealthy fast food which is high in fat content causes problems like high cholesterol which in turn leads to heart diseases. Obesity is also another problem that is on the rise. This is due to people becoming more affluent causing them consume more. Moreover, the rise of technology (video games and television shows) results in people leading a more sedentary lifestyle. All these contribute to the worsening problem of obesity.

If this problem is not addressed, we will be the first generation where the next generation live shorter than their parents. Hence, this is actually an opportunity for companies to create weight loss solutions.  

There is a difference between infectious and chronic diseases. Infectious diseases are diseases that are transmittable through contact however; people usually get chronic diseases when they are older. It is astonishing that more than 60% of the world’s diseases were infectious diseases.

During the session we also discussed about how ICT (information and communication technologies) and healthcare are closely related. Robots are increasingly being used in hospitals to facilitate the provision of healthcare. An example would be robots being used to sanitise room in hospitals. The hospital has the presence of superbugs which are harmful to patients hence with this robot, the room can be better sanitised with the use of UV rays to kill bacteria that is unseen to the naked eye.

Prof also mentioned about the problems facing the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry is a very profitable sector. The challenge the sector faces is to decide which types of drugs to focus and make. There is a rise in preference for specialised drugs that is designed for each individual. In the past, the industry manufactures drugs for the mass public to use. However, that has changed. There is more specialisation in the types of drugs and research is done about nano-medicine.

Just a thought but with all these advancement in medicine and healthcare, is there still a place for traditional medicine?

I feel that the effects of the Chinese traditional medicine are only showed after a long time of using them. The western medicine is however is based on science. I have seen the Chinese physicians before and the medicines they give are usually bottles of black liquid. But it amazes me that it actually works but the effect is only shown after a long period of time. There has also been an increase in the number of people learning this traditional form of medicine. So, I do think that there is a place for traditional medicine in today’s world and also the future.    

Personal Rating: 7/10

Session 5

This week’s lesson was on Information and communications technology (ICT). Being connected to the Internet we are able to access information from a wide source and are no longer limited to the area we live in. A globalised community is also formed due to ICT as each one of us has the ability to use this knowledge to innovate and bring impact to the world.

In the past, news/information is usually disseminated through the word of mouth. This resulted in a one way of communication (usually from the government to the public). With the rise in ICT, people are becoming more informed and aware of issues. Hence, they give feedback by providing their perspective of the issue through the various platforms namely, blogs, online forums and social media. Companies captialise on ICT to and advertise to raise awareness of their brand. It has been found that consumers rather trust online reviews of previous customers rather than the company’s website. Hence, the consumers are now getting more weight and are able to influence companies to create better products by giving feedback on existing products.

The ICT also led to a situation where people are bombarded by wide range information.  Thus, we have to discerning and critical of the information we read. Since literally anyone who has access to the Internet can post their views, we should read the information and judge for ourselves whether the information is true.

I still remember when I was in primary school; my family was still using dial-up connection. In those days, the internet was not really advanced hence, the websites only disseminates information but there was no outlet for a feedback. Then things started to change when the websites became more interactive.

Prof introduced us the new future of Internet which is called Web 3.0. It’s being dubbed as the internet of things and services. Web 3.0 can help to customise your personal needs. For example, before travelling, Web 3.0 would help plan and suggest an itinerary.

However, being able to obtain information so easily, this would have an impact on our privacy. Hackers are able to get important information about you through your computer or hand phones.  No doubt that there are many benefits that ICT has brought but the advancement of technology like the GPS system allows people to track your location hence invading your privacy.

Social networking is the main reason there is a growing number of people using the internet. Sites like facebook, twitter and instagram allows users to share what’s happening in their life and there also can be immediate response to these posts. It helps one to keep in touch with their friends and there will not be a drift in friendship. Moreover, from the video Prof showed us, these sites helps one to connect to a network of people that was initially “invisible” to them.

Crowd sourcing is where companies do not patent/copyright their ideas and instead allow members of the public (the whole world) to comment and help solve problems associated with the idea. This way, the final product would be good as people from different parts of the world are able to share their ideas and give different perspectives to the idea.

Gaming is also another part of ICT that has grown tremendously. Gaming has totally changed the ball game. It is used in areas for education, helping soldiers to deal with post-traumatic stress and also in the healthcare industry. Children have been proven to learn better when a game is played and they retain more information too. Story telling has also changed. With ICT, storytelling can be done in 3D on computers. Gaming is also to help soldiers with psychological stress sustained during wars.

One aspect of ICT I like was the creation of cloud computing. Instead of storing data into hard drives of computers, we store data into a cloud system. This allows one to be able to access this information whenever we go as long as there is an internet connection.

 However, the ICT has not been used fully to help alleviate poverty. There is still a wide digital divide. ICT could be a medium where education can be brought to people living in the third world countries. By developing literacy programmes, people in less developed countries can also receive quality education.

In the past, people are valued by what they do with their hands (craftsmanship) however, in today’s society people are valued when they use their brains to come up with innovative ideas.

The rise in ICT has resulted in automation of systems and there may be problems arising because of this. The problem of unemployment would occur for people who do not have the skills and knowledge as their jobs are increasingly being taken over by technology.

There are also potential risks that ICT brings. There may be espionage if companies/countries use captured data to gain strategic benefits for themselves. 

Key takeaways:

1.   ICT can help bring education to the less developed countries and more should be done to facilitate this process.

2.Each individual should be discerning about the information they come across the Internet.

Personal Rating: 9/10

Session 4

This week’s session was on about drivers of change, change management and change leadership.

Prof shared with us that we should not alienate ourselves and put the blame on others and conveniently exclude our responsibility. We have to come together and recognize that there is indeed a problem and initiate change to solve the situation. The individuals make up the government and industries hence there should not be a clear distinction as to which group (Government, Individual and Industries) should take up responsibility and lead change. There is a misconception that Singapore is a small country and that our small population does not significantly contribute world problems such as depletion of natural resources like crude oil.

Charles Darwin studies about evolution by observing species around the world. He noted that the fittest animal is not the most adaptable to change. Surprisingly, the least fit animal is the most adaptable.    

Prof also shared with us a few quotes. The quote that caught my attention the most was the quote from George Benard Shaw. “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” A reasonable man would only adjust himself to live with the conditions that he does not like. However, an unreasonable man is not satisfied to live with such conditions hence he will stand up and make the necessary changes. To be able to live in better conditions, one needs the courage to stand up and push for change and not wait for others to initiate changes.  

Prof introduced the different kinds of drivers in different arenas for example, economic growth, national security and climate change. A driver is one who changes the ball game.  These drivers can significantly change the way the world works. Countries that are previously closed and resistant to change (China and Vietnam) have realised that only by opening up and learning from other countries will they be able to improve and gain economic growth. Like what Prof emphasize greatly in previous lessons that “Change is the norm” and that it’s essential for us to embrace change and adapt to it to ensure that we remain as a dominant player or a rising star. In the case of China, once it started opening its doors to the outside world, they benefited greatly and grew exponentially.

A new concept was also introduced to us- the concept of being an eagle, an ostrich and a dodo bird. An eagle is proactive in searching for opportunities whereas an ostrich is one who pretends that he does not know anything going on around him and lastly, a dodo bird is one that did not adapt and move with change leading it to be extinct or a falling star.

People who are resistant to change find themselves unable to get better jobs. The economy does not always stay the same; it changes and evolves over time. Machines have been invented to take over repetitive jobs that previously were done by manual labour. Some jobs present today were not even present in the last decade. Hence, people have to retool and improve on their skill sets to ensure that they stay relevant.

As the world moves from an industrial age to a more knowledge based economy, workers have more power to decide for themselves if they would like to stay in the company or not. Workers now are equipped with different skill sets as compared to the past where an individual specializes in certain skills and are limited to that particular job. It is essential for companies to create incentive for workers to stay.

Next, we discussed on leadership and management. Prof showed us 2 videos of people leading change. The first video showed that a leader must be able to persist in what he believes in and if there are like-minded people, they will start to follow the leader and slowly, a whole crowd forms and a movement is created. One thing that I learnt was that a follower is as important as a leader. Without followers, there will be no leader. The difference between a leader and a manager is that the leader creates the paradigm and helps to give the organisation a good vision. However, the manager is someone who works well in a paradigm and facilitates the implementation on this vision. Both roles are equally crucial for a company to function well.

To respond to changes, one is being reactive. When we are leading change, we are being pro-active. We give ourselves the chance to explore the unknown and be a fore frontier. 

In one the readings of week 4, it emphasizes that gone are the days where companies stick to their 5 year plans rigorously. The “freeze, refreeze and freeze” method cannot be used as the world is evolving so quickly that the company need to be on their feet and respond to market changes quickly.

Another idea that Prof brought in is the Pessimism Time Curve. At first, people would be very excited and eager to embark on this new idea that they thought of. However, as more in depth research is done, the excitement starts to die down and some give up halfway. Through the process of researching, many obstacles start to surface out and one gets dejected. If there’s great persistence, there will be a time where the curve would drop and that’s the time where the idea is on the way to become a successful innovation.

Key takeaway messages:

·         Change before its necessary.

·         Be open minded and be willing to learn new skills

Personal Rating: 7.5/10

Individual Paper Outline

How has technology changed the hospitality industry and how will it continue to shape the industry?

 Executive Summary

This paper will explore about how technology has evolved hospitality industries (mainly hotels and restaurants) through improving efficiency, service for guests and allow the companies to gain more consumers. The introduction of technology has impacted the hospitality industry both positively and negatively. Furthermore, the report will delve into the possibilities of how technology will continue to shape the industry. 

Background/Introduction

In the past, the hospitality industry relied heavily on manpower to ensure the operations of companies. There was also a great reliance on paper work. For example, service staff in restaurants would need to take down your order with a pen and paper. This resulted in a longer time needed to serve the patrons their food. Moreover in the past, hotel guests needed to fill up manually personal particulars on paper before check in.

However, the rise of technology has helped to improve these processes and there is a shift from labour intensive towards technology based systems. The benefits reaped from these are that more emphasis can now place on customer experience instead.

With the proliferation of the internet, a whole new consumer market is now being opened up. Through websites, hotels and restaurants have created a platform for potential customers to get to know their products and service better. Online reservations and booking can also be done in the click of the button. Better systems have also been created to help facilitate the process of companies. Securities have also increased in the hotel industry.  

 Current situation

Currently, the introduction of technology has resulted in an increased competition in the industry. Hence, it is imperative that companies create a distinct edge for themselves that allow consumers to identify them from the majority.

Positive impacts that technology brings are:

·         Variety of Choices

The Internet allows consumers to able to compare prices of different hotels before making a choice. Informed choices can be made as consumers are able to access the vast amount of information. Reviews of past customers can act as a reference to potential customers.

Hotel aspect: Pictures of the hotel rooms and the available facilities can be included in the hotel websites to allow guests to have a look of the ambience of the place.

Restaurants: Mobile applications can be downloaded and recommendations can be made as to where can good food be found.

 

 ·         Convenience

Hotel aspect: Online booking is fast and efficient. Guests are able to select dates and see if there are available rooms for that period of time. Computerised systems allow guests to spend lesser time to check in. Systems would reflect the available rooms that are ready for guests. 

Restaurants: Kiosk that has systems where consumers can use to order food (yoshinoya) and the food will be delivered to their doorstep.

 ·         Greater security of hotel doors

The use of card scanner replaces the use of keys and locks. This increases security as keys cannot be duplicated.

·         Improved efficiency

Hotel aspect: Better management systems. Computerised system allows front service staff to know what which room is available and has been cleaned.

Restaurants: PDA phones are used to take down orders and system would send them to the kitchen. This saves time and the food can be prepared faster. Marche- Customers are issued cards when they enter. The price of food that the customer eats gets credited into the card. At the end, the consumers then head to cashier with the card to pay for their meal. Customers can enjoy their meal and do not go through the hassle of having to pay multiple times at the different stalls.

Negative Impacts

 Data security compromised :Hotel provides guests with free wifi service. Tapping into the internet through the wifi, hackers can hack into phones and obtain private and vital information.

Restaurants that rely too much on technology (self-service) may lose the personal touch and customers may not feel that they have good service. 

Future considerations

Hotel industry:

Personal touch can be given. Hotel guests are able to set the conditions (air conditioner and water heater) of their hotel room even before they step in the hotel. (Similar to smart homes)

Perhaps phones can instead be used as the hotel keys instead of the card system that is currently in use.

Improve security of networks

Restaurants:

Menus in restaurants need not be hard copy instead it can come in the form of a tablet. For people who are travelling to places where English is not used as the main language of communication, the tablet can also translate the whole menu to a language of their choice. 

Conclusion

Use technology to improve hospitality, in turn boost economy through tourism.