Lessons learnt from TWC course

Throughout this whole course. we have discussed many different aspects of technology and its implications and drivers of those change.

Summary of this whole TWC course:

Change is imminent. I learnt that we have to be adaptable and react fast to change. Unlike in the past, when the rate of technological advancement was not as fast, the world today changes fast and new information are uncovered everyday. Hence, we need to be able learn quick and be willing to learn from others.

Receptive to new ideas. Just like what prof always says, we have to ask why not and not why. By asking why not, we are open to new ideas and there is no limit to the possibilities of what can happen. By adopting this attitude, we would be able to be more creative and the rate of technological advancement would be faster.

Companies need to adapt. Prof also introduced us the concept of the falling star and the rising star. Attitude is extremely important. Companies need to continue to improve their products and services. Research and development is also important although it is expensive. The problem with research and development is that some countries wait for others to invest heavily in it then they would just reap the fruits of their labour.

Throughout this course, we talked about information and communicative technology (ICT), healthcare and the bio medical sector, the agricultural sector, energy sources, emerging technologies and technology and forecast assessments.

I learnt that technology is like double edge sword, if humans use technology in the wrong way, it could cause devastating consequences. However, if its applied to correct way, it could help humankind improve our standard of living and even save lives. I feel that it is important to ensure that the poor also has access to technology. The socio-economic divide could seriously worsen quickly if the poor are not given access to the internet. The internet is an extremely useful tool as it allows one to access to a wide variety of content. Perhaps in the future, education could be provided to children in third world nations through using the internet.

In addition, i learnt that some technology are dangerous and extra caution needs to be taken. For example, the incident of the japan fukushima daiichi plant that had a nuclear meltdown, it caused catastrophic impacts on the environment. Hence, technology needs to be handle properly or it would cause more problems.

I have enjoyed this TWC journey and made many new friends. I have learnt to look things from different perspectives and i truly enjoyed this course and would apply what i learnt to my future endeavors! :)

Session 12

Today there were 5 groups presenting.

1. The future of Prosthetic
Interestingly, war is the factor that drives the research and development of this technology. In the past, prosthetic were used to provide a replacement to soldiers who have lost their limbs during combat. Much has improved since the first prosthetic was created. In the past, the prosthetic were made of wood. Compared to the present situation, where the materials used now are alloys that ensure that the prosthetic is light and portable. Moreover, there are more functions added to the prosthetic limbs. The arms for example are able to rotate 360 degrees around the wrist to make it look more like the actual arm. However, one problem that the group pointed out is that the user cannot control the amount of strength they exert while they hold items. This may lead to them destroying the items. A technology advances, users of prosthetic are able to have a sense of touch with the addition of mind controlled prosthetic. This also allows for better coordination. The group pointed out a good point that although, this technology may seem only accessible to the rich, over time, the cost of producing these prosthetic limbs will fall. Hence, the poor would still be able to access to it. Good and funny presentation!!

2. Trans humanism
The presentation was really interesting as i have not heard of this term before. Trans-humanism are when the humans are implanted with artificial prosthetic that enhances their ability.  This allows the disabled to be able to function normally as if they are normal. However, as technology is being used, sometimes the technology was so advanced that it gives the disabled a huge advantage that a normal human would not have.

3. Food for the future
The introduction to the presentation was really funny and relevant to the topic. The group then started to explore about the problem of world hunger. The situation is actually quite bad in countries like Africa and those underdeveloped countries where as many as 1 in 8 people go to bed hungry at night. There were a few ways in which the group proposed to eradicate world hunger. Currently, bio-technology, good food preservation techniques and agriculture are some methods that are implemented. Personally i feel that it is the wastage of food in wealthy nations that is worsening the problem of food shortage. If there was better food division, there would not be so many starving people in countries like Africa. This presentation also reminded me of the lesson where prof showed the video where farmers in India are committing suicide. Multinational companies are encouraging the use of genetically modified seeds and promised high yield of the crops.

4. Sex and advertising
This group focuses about how technology has affected advertising. They talked about the different types of advertisements. They mentioned that the advertisements are projected women as sex objects and some products have no relation to the advertisements whatsoever. I feel that these type of irresponsible advertisement would cause the a rise in problem of teenage pregnancy. Some advertisement also portray women as a weaker sex. This would give a wrong impression to young children. The future of advertisements are also interesting as there may be 3D advertisements.

5. Virtual reality
My group presented on virtual reality while focusing on 2 types simulation virtual reality and augmented reality. We looked at the current examples, future and implications of simulation virtual reality and augmented reality.

It is the last day of TWC lesson! I will miss the nice people i met there and I would always remember the things we learnt in class. Thank you for widening my horizon and helping me to understand the different perspectives! :)

Personal Rating: 10/10

Session 11

Session 11 and 12 are both presentation weeks!!

This week 3 groups presented their websites.

1. Futuristic buildings

The group talked about the futurist of buildings. I like the layout of their website as the design is really appealing. The group started off with discussing about the history of materials used to construct buildings. The early day’s people prop woods together to make a simple makeshift house for shelter. Later came the use of clay then followed by concrete. Currently, the exterior of buildings are usually made of glass to increase the aesthetic appeal. The group pointed out that the usual buildings that we now have are not resistant to natural disaster. In the case of a natural disaster, it would cause the building to crumble killing many lives. There was a lot of discussion about using sustainable materials to construct buildings. The group also looked at the buildings from different countries. I particularly like the design of Japanese homes. I prefer simple houses like those from the past where the houses are built lowly with nature surrounding it. However, this is not possible in Singapore where there are lands constrains and hence high rise buildings need to be made. The future of Japanese homes is especially interesting as it would incorporate technology and nature. The homes would be 100% eco-sustainable and this would benefit the world greatly. Imagine if the electrical needs of a home can be supported by harnessing the sun, this will greatly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. They did a great job with the website and the presentation was great!!!

2. Clean technology 

The group analysed the different case studies of the how some countries rely on clean technology. They also gave many different types of clean technology mainly the more common ones like solar and wind. However, they also mentioned about tidal energy which I think is great as they widen their scope of analysis. I feel that nuclear energy needs to be handled very carefully. As what the group mentioned, the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown has caused devastating impacts to both humans and the ecological system around the area. These compounds seep into the soil and are not easily removed and can remain underground for centuries creating harm spreading across generations. The group also pointed out that in the midst of shifting towards renewable energy, some countries are faced with other problems. For example, in China the three gorges dam had been constructed only to bring negative consequences to the area around it. Although the three gorges dam has indeed help to generate hydropower, it faces criticism. The dam slowed down water flow and the decrease in water flow causes an increase in pollution. The waste that could have been flush out using the water is now sunk to the bottom of the river. China is also investing heavily in the renewable energy sector as it foresees that China would need to tap on this energy to continue to allow the growth of industries. I think they group did a good job and their research was in depth to explain each part!!

3.Nanotechnology

The group created a website that is very easy to understand and interactive. They went through the different applications on nano-technology and focused on the part on nano-technology affecting the medicine industry. When nano-technology is applied to medicine, there is really a overhaul in how patients will be treated. There will be a rise in customized treatments and the side effects on different people can also be reduced. Nanotechnology can also be used to prevent cancer. Nano size particles can be added into sun screens so when it is being used, these particles would be absorbed into the skin and form a protective layer. The impacts of the use of nano-technology is also explored by the group during presentation. The growth market for this technology is still wide as there has not been any countries that is using it extensively as of now. Hence, in the future, this sector has the ability to create many jobs. The group also brought up a point which i think is relevant to consider. If nano-technology becomes the norm and is easily accessed, it would allow people to make their own mini-weapons that are capable of mass destruction. Hence, it needs to be decided who can have access to this technology. I think the group did a great job in exploring the different implications and the presentation was interesting!!

Overall, I learnt a lot from this session and I am looking forward to the next one in which my group will be presenting! :) 

Personal Rating: 10/10

Individual Paper

How has technology changed the hospitality industry and how will it continue to shape the industry?[1]

Clara Chu Yi Jia (clara.chu.2013@business.smu.edu.sg), 1^st Year student, Bachelor of Business Management, Singapore Management University

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 in the future. 

Introduction

2.1 Why is technology in hospitality industry revolutionary?

It is common to see computerised reservation systems being used in hotels. Although consumers do not feel that these technologies are significant, however it should be noted that computers have only been included in the hospitality sector in the last decade. In a short period of ten years, there are so many dramatic changes to the job scope and skill requirements of jobs. In addition to the fast introduction of new technologies, the pace of work is also increased due to the time and labour that are being saved when such technologies are implemented.

Moreover, the way consumers plan their holidays have also changed drastically. According to the article “Think with Google's '5 Stages of Travel'” on an average a traveller would survey about 22 travel-related sites before making a choice for holiday. Besides, around 70% of the business travellers would use their mobile devices to check in-to flight for convenience. (Vong, 2012) With technology, consumers need not rely on travel agencies to arrange travel plans for them. Travellers now have the option to choose their destination and have liberty to plan the types of activities they would like to do.

The rapid changes in the way people choose to travel and the way businesses operate due to the implementation of technology shows that technology has indeed revolutionised the industry.   

2.2 What drives this change that technology is now increasingly being used in hospitality?

The hospitality industry is expanding rapidly and it has one of the sectors that is has a fast growth rate compared to other sectors. The hospitality industry form as much as one-third of the total global service trade. (International Labour Organisation, 2010) Statistics have shown that international tourist arrivals have grown by 4.3 per cent between 1995 and 2008. (International Labour Organisation, 2010)

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 (International Labour Organisation, 2010) (see Figure 1)

Figure 1 Reproduced from International Labour Organisation (2010), Developments and Challenges in Hospitality and Tourism Sector.

From the year 1990 onwards, international tourists’ arrivals have been increasingly at a rate of 4.3 per cent on a yearly basis. The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has predicted that in the next 20 years, the hospitality industry would expect a growth rate of about 4 per cent per annum. (International Labour Organisation, 2010) Moreover, in 2009, the international tourism earnings amounted to US$852 billion dollars. (International Labour Organization, 2010) 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 use of technology in their daily operations to improve efficiency since technology would cut down the need for manual labour and improve customer experience.

Besides, 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. With the ability to expand their business partnerships to other countries, companies can now 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. This resulted in longer waiting 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. Hence, many service staffs are needed to cater to the needs of the guests.

However, this has all change due to the advancement and implementation of technology in the hospitality sector. There has been significant improvement to companies’ processes and there is a shift from labour intensive towards technology based systems. The hospitality industry has benefited substantially due to the internal operations being much more efficient and guest service quality also increases. Companies would try to exceed customers’ expectation to ensure that the experience of the guests would be unique and memorable. By doing so, it creates a sense of brand loyalty so that customers would come back periodically. When technology is implemented effectively, it can help boost the competitive advantage of the company and also build brand loyalty of future customers. (as cited in Beck, 2011)

With the proliferation of the internet, it opens up a whole new consumer market .Through online websites, hotels and restaurants have created a platform for potential customers to understand their products and service better. In a hectic world of today, convenience is an influential factor for most people. Since online reservations can now be done in the click of the button, convenience is brought to guests. Better computerised systems have also been created to facilitate the workflow of the company. Security systems have also increased in the hotel industry with technology. 

1.    History of the Hospitality Industry

In the past, the hospitality industry was in the form of inn-keeping. During those times, the facilities and development of hospitality were not as wide as what we have today. People built simple infrastructures to cater to passing travellers like merchants. In Greek, they had thermal baths in villages for travellers to rest. In Rome, mansions were used to house government officials. In China and Mongolia, there were inns to accommodate merchants who travelled long distances for business. Hence, since the olden times people were already making a living by providing passing travellers a place to rest. (The Global Hospitality Industry, 2010)   

It was during the 16^th-17^th century were there was greater emphasis on the hotel industry. In the early 15^th century, regulations were made mandatory for businesses to record the guests that stayed the hotel. In addition, guide books were published as a reference for travellers to know about the area. Restaurants also started to display signs as advertisements to attract more patrons. (The Global Hospitality Industry, 2010)     

The industrial revolution resulted in the construction of many hotels in mainland Europe, England and America. Hotels were 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 like lifts and entertainment rooms. More facilities were added to hotels and restaurants over time. Sanitation facilities improved with the addition of individual toilets to each hotel room. Restaurants also made improvements to their meals by having a wider variety of cuisines. (The Global Hospitality Industry, 2010)       

During the 20^th century, as the industrial revolution had helped increase people’s income level, there was an increase in the number of tourists travelling to other parts of the world. Consumer patterns started to change and some people wanted to travel to other parts to experience a different culture and some wanted to expand their businesses overseas. Countries were trying to differentiate themselves to attract tourist arrivals. Hence they built iconic tourist attractions that incorporate local culture and this helped them to stand out. For example, the Ritz and Savoy in London and the Taj Mahal in Bombay were constructed during the 20^th century. (The Global Hospitality Industry, 2010)   

Other than creating a competitive edge based on local culture, businesses also use facilities to differentiate themselves. The tourism industry has companies who specialise in providing a relaxing environment for people who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Hence, there are beach hotels for people who want to relax. In the 1960s, new tourist resorts were also built around Mediterranean, Spain and Greece. (The Global Hospitality Industry, 2010)   

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. (The Global Hospitality Industry, 2010)    

2.    Current Situation

In 2013, the Hospitality Technology magazine surveyed about the trend of using technology within the hospitality industry. The study found that it is essential for companies in the hospitality industry to have mobile websites and phone applications to market themselves. These platforms allow customers to post their reviews for potential customers to read and take reference from them. Moreover, 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, around 53 per cent of food and beverages companies in the hospitality industry do already have a mobile website whereas only 29 per cent of them have a mobile app. (Whitehorne, 2013) However, this trend of companies using such mediums is expected to increase. By 2015, it is estimated that 85 per cent of restaurants have a mobile website, and 70 per cent have a mobile application. (Whitehorne, 2013) For hotels, it is estimated that by 2015, 91 per cent of them would be having a mobile website, while 75 per cent to have a mobile application. (Whitehorne, 2013)

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.

2.1  Hotels

Positive Impacts

With the introduction of cloud computing, some portions of the IT functions can now be shifted offsite hence lowering the need for technical staff. This would help hotels cut down on large expenditures. Before the introduction of cloud computing, hotels used to invest heavily into developing the IT infrastructure. This causes hotels to not be able to make necessary changes to the system as an when it is needed to do so and often have to wait for a long time before it has the capital funding to make such changes. (Mayock, 2013)This puts the company at a disadvantage as change is imminent in today’s context. In order to keep up customer’s expectations, the company must be ready to change and improve on current business practices. Hence, cloud solution solves these problems as changes can be made to the system readily with little cost.    

Despite the economic downturn in 2008, hotel operators understand that it is essential that they invest in technology to ensure that they are at the fore-front of change. With technology, it provides the business the added advantage and it may help to differentiate them from all the companies in this competitive industry. Expectations of today’s guests are high as they want to have a different experience, enjoy new services and conveniences. (Hospitality Net, 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. 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 help potential customers to make decisions. Through websites, pictures of the hotel ambience and nearby facilities can be taken to allow the customer to look at them. By looking at visuals, it would be a better marketing strategy. Moreover, there is a choice of doing online booking instead of having to go through travel agencies. The websites also allows consumer to have the ability to select the dates and check if there are any available rooms for that period. This helps save cost for companies they do not need to rely on travel agencies to promote them. (The International Hotel School, 2010)

Computerised systems allow guests to spend lesser time at the reception counter to check in. This shortens the waiting time resulting in higher efficiency.  Besides using computerised systems, some hotels implemented the use of self-service check-in kiosks .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. (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 to enhance the guests’ experience. Traditional television does not tailor the content of shows to people. Rather, it would stream all channels at the same time.

There is a growing trend where companies try to improve customer experience by tailoring to the individual preferences of guests. This is evident in the case of using the IPTV. Upon the request of its viewers, IPTV would screen the selected specialised content. The viewer’s preference would be recorded and recommendations can be given to the viewer. This increases customers’ satisfaction as the contents are now tailored to suit their needs. An example would be the Omni Nashville Hotel. The guests have access to as many as 44 high definition channels to watch. The IPTV turns the guestrooms’ TVs into smart TVs where guests have the option to watch traditional TV or view their selected own Internet content. (Hotel Management, 2013) 

Technology can help speed up services for guests. Guests may loan an ipad from the hotel containing maps and suggestions of local restaurants and sightseeing for the tourists. (Weed, 2013) By doing so, it would help the environment. Usually, at the lobby of hotels there will be pamphlets on maps and nearby tourist attractions for the tourist to go to. Using the I-pad would cut down the reliance on paper products therefore the environment benefits. 

Besides that, some hotels have launched a GPS-like way-finding system to help guests easily locate the different facilities. In Mondrian Hotel in New York City's Soho neighbourhood, such a technology was applied to improve guests’ experience. The hotel management provides 270 rooms with an I-Pad which has various functions that can be used by the guests to order food, help plan their travel schedules. (Vong, 2012)

The proliferations of smart phones are so wide that when 2013 comes to an end, the number of smartphones in the world would outweigh the number of human beings in this world. Therefore, hotels are capitalising on this to connect with their guests. A new application called Fingi which presents a radical change giving rise to a new generation of mobile applications. This technology helps to connect the guests to the hotel services. Some hotels use this technology in replacement of using room cards and also allow guests to enjoy free telephone calls and internet services during their stay at the hotel. (Hospitality.Co.Uk.Industry, 2013)

The rise of social media has massive impact on the hospitality industry. It is so influential that it is able to affect the hotel’s image and reputation. Consumers are more inclined to believing review of past guests rather than the information that the hotel provides about its facilities. To reach out to clients, some hotels have made use of the internet and online networking sites (Facebook and Twitter) to manage their online profiles. Queries from the mass public can also be addressed quickly. Hence, hotels need to keep track of their profiles online so that they are able to publicise themselves through online networking sites. These platforms are particularly useful to address clients’ questions or their troubles quickly on a public platform. This helps to ensure that the reputation of the business. (The International Hotel School, 2010)

Negative Impacts 

A recent study by Forrester Research, Wi-Fi is the top facility that customers want. A significant amount of 90 per cent of consumers would want hotels that have Wi-Fi and 34 per cent will not book a hotel without Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi service is provided for guests to stay connected with their work or their families. While this may have a positive impact, however hackers can set up a fake hotspot with a misleading name like “Hotel WiFi” to trick hotel guests into using it. Once the user connects to it with his laptop or mobile device, he connects to the Internet through the hacker’s computer. This exposes the user’s passwords, and bank account and credit card account numbers. (Legnitto 2013)

2.2  Restaurants

Positive Impacts

Mobile 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.

A current article in the USA Today showed that restaurants in some states in the US for example, San Francisco, Atlanta and Chicago are starting to allow patrons to use i-Pads to place their orders. The use of mobile devices is extremely useful as not only do they improve service, they also can be used to monitor stock inventory, and help to facilitate the learning of new staff. (Vardy, 2012)

Moreover, technology has allowed social networking sites to play an important role in shaping other customers opinions about the restaurant. Foursquare is an example where customers can leave their opinions ether good or bad on a restaurant when they use the application. The reviews that they give can influence a significant number of users with just one comment. (Vardy 2012)

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) 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 the younger generations would mostly be accustomed to technology and hence will prefer using electronic order system. However, he believes that there is still a need for human interaction. The idea of dining was to create opportunities for social interaction which may be lost if technology replaces waitresses. (Leaders Online, 2012)

3.    Future Considerations

3.1  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. In the year 2011, the tourism industry contributed $22.3 billion to Singapore’s economy as shown from figure 2. (Singapore Tourism Board Annual Report, 2011)

Tourist arrivals were high as an estimated 13.2 international visitors visited Singapore. (Singapore Tourism Board Annual Report, 2011) Hence to cope with the rising level of tourists, the hospitality industry is setting up the necessary infrastructure to cope with the future demand from tourists.

Figure 2 Tourism Sector Performance. Reproduced from: Singapore Tourism Board Annual Report (2011)

For developing and under-developed countries, they are unable to fork out heavy capital to invest in such cutting edge technology. These countries currently need to tackle issues like ensuring its people have access to education, healthcare, food and water. Therefore, they are at a disadvantage. However, when overseas companies invest in their country 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 technology 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 help lessen the labour needed and save time. The manual tasks in food preparation are nowadays contracted out. A majority of the food preparation and production processes are taken over by machines. The significant improvement in ensuring that the food is fresh and of high quality makes such technologies even more attractive to restaurants. (Greenfield, 2007) 

The introduction of technology has lowered the demand for jobs which are routine in nature whereas it has increased the demand for jobs that require “non-routine” tasks. The skills sets needed for the routine and non-routine” jobs are on the extreme ends of the spectrum. (Autor and Dorn, 2013)

The “non-routine” jobs require one to have a certain level of education and specialisation. These people are those who innovates new processes through using analytical skills. Computers have benefited this group of people as the internet allows them to be able to access a wider range of information and helps them to process data faster. (Autor and Dorn, 2013)   

The routine jobs on the other hand, do not require such a high skill set. These jobs are usually repetitive in nature. However many people are able to do such jobs, hence their earning are not high. (Autor and Dorn, 2013)

Technologies have allowed for greater labour flexibility. Workers of today are required to have multiple skill sets and generalised qualification for them to be able to do multiple tasks.

Expectations of guests have also changed over the years, some customers may expect workers on the front desk to take their order instantly and respond to them fast. With these high expectations, customers may easily impatient. (Greenfield, 2007)

The high consumption of energy from the hospitality industry comes from lighting. By installing energy-efficient lighting is just one way that companies can reduce its energy bills and create an image that they have corporate social responsibility. This is helpful as they can market themselves to eco-conscious travellers at the same time. (The International Hotel School, n.d)

However, the excessive use of technology in hospitality may reduce social interactions between people. Lack of personal touch may cause some customers to feel alienated and the idea of improving customer service may backfire. The current technology is that companies are using I-pads, self-check in kiosks and these platforms do not allow customers to feel a friendly welcome. With the advancement of technology, in time to come there may be newer platforms like robotic service staff being used.  

3.2  Future of tourism

Technology also helped hotels and restaurants to reduce their carbon footprints 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. (Sustainable Tourism, 2012) 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.

It would be difficult for hotels and restaurants to provide the newest technology in guestrooms as technology gets obsolete very quickly. The crucial thing that the hospitality industry can provide is to ensure that the stay ahead and facilitate the guests use of their devices. Technology has become part and parcel of people’s life such that guests bring them around wherever they go. This trend could allow the hospitality industry to tap on and this would help facilitate their guests making it convenient for them during their stay.  

For example, the application named world lens, is extremely useful to help guests read the menu especially when the menu is not in English. Moreover, guestrooms may become enhanced with touchscreen mirrors in bathrooms where guests can conveniently check their emails and the weather forecast of the day.  The use of augmented reality would definitely increases the customer experience of the guests. (UCLA Conferencing and Catering, 2013)

Moreover, hotel futurists envision nanotechnology enabling a hotel room to adjust the setting by itself to suit guests’ needs. Molecular technology could indeed make a significant impact to hotel rooms. Upon request of the guests, for example a double decker bed, molecular technology would make it possible to change the existing bed to a double decker bed without the need to change rooms. This may happen only after a long while where technology have advanced significantly, molecular  technology can promise to create scratch-resistant furniture, self-cleaning coated glass and windows that filter UV/IR light. (Keating, n.d)

Besides, the role of tour guide would lessen in the future when augmented reality is implemented to tourism. As I mentioned previously, some hotels are already providing I-pad to their hotel guests to help them navigate around the area. With augmented reality set to revolutionise the world, it will have a significant impact on the tourism industry too. Tourist need to follow tour guides as using the I-pad and the augmented reality, the users would be able to read up about the history and origins of the historical buildings and places. Hence, the layer of information that the augmented reality brings allow tourist to be able to travel independently and at a pace that is comfortable to them.       

4.    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.          

Reference:

Autor and Dorn (2013) How Technology Wrecks the Middle Class. Retrieved from:

 http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/how-technology-wrecks-the-middle-class/?_r=0

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/

Gerard Greenfield (2007) New technologies and Hotel, Restaurant, Catering and Tourism Workers Retrieved from: http://www.amrc.org.hk/alu_article/labour_movement_and_the_internet/new_technologies_and_hotel_restaurant_catering_and_tour

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

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

Hotel.Co.Uk.Industry (2013) Revolutionary In-room tech. Retrieved from: http://www.hotel-industry.co.uk/2013/04/revolutionary-in-room-tech/

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

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

Keating (n.d) Hotels of the future Retrieved from: http://hotels.about.com/od/hiphotels/tp/future_hotels.htm

Leaders Online (2012) An Opportunistic Operator. Retrieved from: http://www.leadersmag.com/issues/2012.2_apr/Hospitality/LEADERS-Jonathan-Segal-The-ONE-Group.html

Legnitto (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/

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

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

Singapore Tourism Board Annual Report (2011) Retrieved from http://www1.yoursingapore.com/annualreport/pdf/stb_ar_2012.pdf

 

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

The Global Hospitality Industry (2010) Retrieved from: http://ncba.ie/student_and_teacher_resources_files/The_Global_Hospitality_Industry.pdf

The International Hotel School (2010) Technology driving Innovation in the Hotel Industry. Retrieved from: http://www.hotelschool.co.za/2013/06/technology-driving-innovation-in-the-hotel-industry/

The International Hotel School (2006) Technology trends in Hospitaility Industry Retrieved from: http://www.hotelschool.co.za/2012/09/technology-trends-in-the-hospitality-industry/

 

UCLA Conferencing and Catering (2013) The future of technology In hospitality industry. Retrieved from: http://uclameetings.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/the-future-of-technology-in-the-hospitality-industry/

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/

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

 

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&

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

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[1] Peer Reviewed by Katty Lim and Wen li

Session 10

Technology assessment and forecasting

This lessons talks about assessing and evaluating new technologies and forecasting the future to ensure that we stay ahead in the game. By being more aware of the future challenges and opportunities, we can be more prepared for the future.

Prof showed us a video produced by Siemens to kick-start the lesson. There are 2 mega trends mentioned in the video mainly, urbanization and demographic change. People are shifting from the rural areas to cities in search of better jobs. When people move into cities, they increase the demand for resources. People need to have clean access to a water supply hence water purification techniques are extremely important. Moreover, there will also be a rise in energy demand. The essential point here is that the energy of the future needs to be from a clean source and it needs to be renewable. Living in the cities, the cities needs to have a proper transportation system for people to be mobile. Mobility is now a success factor. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, people can do business with people living at the other side of the world. Hence, mobility is extremely essential. There is a huge number of cars on the road which causes an increased congestion. In addition, there is an increase in demand for security and also in healthcare. A high importance were also given to the quality of healthcare. As the medical industry moves towards using a more computerized system, more and more patient information are going to placed in electronics to allow easy retrieving of the files. In a situation where an emergency patient has been admitted to the nearest hospital, the patients medical history that are stored in other hospitals can be retrieved easily. Siemens is a company that is investing in the technologies of the future. It is open about its future plans as it produces the video that mentions the 2 mega trends that will be affecting the world most. This may be beneficial to Siemens as similar companies can get together and work together forming partnerships. On the flip side, your competitors would know about your future plans and try to affect them.

It is essential that one understands about assessment and forecasting. Assessment is focusing on specific technology whereas forecasting is about a wide range of technology. By ensuring that we can access and forecast, we are able to have good foresight. 

Since research and development of a product is expensive, we need to know and consider its viability before investments are made. Having a limited amount of resources, we need to narrow down the choices that are viable. Developing countries have to rank their needs. Problems like poverty and starvation should be given priority instead. The problem that some developing countries faced are that when resources are allocated to develop new technologies that do not help solve immediate problems are often faced with negative reactions.  However, if the right investment is made, in the future, the developing country will benefit.

Through this lesson, I learnt that before investments is made into a technology; a lot of consideration has been put in. 

Personal Rating: 8.5/10

Session 9

Emerging technologies

This session focuses on the technologies of the future and how it can change the way we live. In order to innovate and create new technology, having the right mindset is very important. Instead of asking why, by asking why not, your perspective is widened. One will consider the possibilities and this would help in innovation. An example of future technology is the rise of claytronics. Claytronics combines nanoscale robotics and computer science to create individual nanometer- scale computers that can interact with each other to form tangible 3D objects. In the video that Prof showed, one can see that claytronics can allow users to easily change and make amendments to the design.

The drivers for this future and emerging technologies are market driven and supply driven. Market driven research are that there is a gap in the present market for such a good and people would definitely purchase it if it exists. However, supply driven research is one where people do not realise that they would need such products. An example would be Walkman and 3D printing. In the past, people do not see the need for such a product. However when it is being mass produced, people find it useful and more and more people started using hence creating a demand for it. The is so for 3D printers. Perhaps people may not find it useful now but once they get to  use it, 3D printers can revolutionize the way people live. Toys could be customized for children and there could be a lot of personalized products.

Another emerging technology is the rise of flexible plastic electronic. Imagine using an ipad with a plastic screen, it would be very beneficial for consumers as it is now lighter and there is no fear if the device is dropped.

Prof also mentioned the analogy of a crumpled paper and a plain sheet of paper. Working ideas on a blank paper allows more room of imagination. Therefore, people need to be open to all possibilities and not limit themselves.      

Not only is the innovation of a new product is important, mass media and advertising is equally important. Marketing a new technology would create public interest to the product and people would want to try it out. 

Mass media and advertising have the ability to change people perception.

To ensure its successful, from previous sessions I mentioned that 4 essential factors is needed. The 4 factors are smart people, smart ideas, smart money and smart partnerships. Most people would want to invest in a product after its been successful however, the person who can predict which technology will be successful and invest it early is smart. Often, the cost of investing in a new product that just started is cheap. It is however extremely difficult to spot such products as only 1 in 10 ideas actually succeed. 

There are so many different areas of emerging technologies some namely are bio technologies, robotics, and nanotechnologies. Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make useful products. A branch of biotechnology is pharmacogenomics. Pharmacogenomics is the study of how the genetic inheritance of an individual affects his/her body's response to drugs. By doing so, customized medicine can be produced for the individual. This would also help to remove the side effects and make sure the patient would not reject the medicine. This increases the life expectancy of humans as people now have a better healthcare system. However, this sector has raised ethical concerns. For example, cloning. 

Biotechnology can also help to increase the  security systems. As seen in many spy and action movies, the vault is lock and only the person authorized to open the vault who have to scan his iris before entering. The use of iris recognition increases security. The speed at which it matches the eye is also very quick and its extremely hard to match falsely.    

Robotics is also one area to look into the future. Prof showed as this video where robots can be made specially for a person and can even be a perfect boyfriend/girlfriend. Robotics are useful as they may take over the place of humans in dangerous environments or manufacturing process. However, will the robots' artificial intelligent supersede that of the human brains? If robots are as smart as us, what would become of humans? 

Personally, i think that the surveillance technology needs to be handled properly. The production of spy drones and many other weapons can seriously threaten one's privacy. Indeed, it is definitely useful to be able to develop and enhance this technology further as it can help combat terrorism. For example, there is the Automated Warning and Response Engine (AWARE) from Abeo Technical Services. The software will actually analyze the video itself and spot for potential terrorist or suspected terrorist activities. No individual would want others to tap on one's conversation. Hence, it is essential to how is it technology going to be applied such that it does not infringe on personal space. 

Another interesting technology to me is the knowledge management technology. In such a connected world of today and the proliferation of the internet, one can now have access to a wide array of information. Companies of today are faced with huge amount of data and information. Hence, there is a higher demand for people who are able to analyse these data and understand the customer's trends. By understanding these information, the company is then able to make informed decisions.  

I came across this article written by John Pavuls and he talked about the 10 breakthrough technologies in 2013. One of which i found particularly interesting is the introduction of smart watches. The watch named Pebble watch allows users to check their e-mail or the weather forecast without taking out their mobile phones. Pebble uses Bluetooth to connect wirelessly to an iPhone or Android phone and displays notifications, messages, and other simple data of the user’s choosing on its small black-and-white LCD screen. Retrieved from: http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/513376/smart-watches/

As the world changes and consumer pattern changes, more products would be invented. However to ensure that new technologies are revolutionary we should always be open to possibilities and adopt the blank paper approach.

Personal Rating : 8.5/10

Session 8

Prof mentioned that knowledge was lost on many occasions, one being the burning of books by Qin Shi Huang. Hence, we are sort of at a stage where we are going backwards and forwards. As someone living in Singapore, I must say that our consumption per capital is very high. Based on the current consumption, there is simply not enough to supply us and the generations to come. Hence, it is inevitable that we need to retool and create an environment where the world uses sustainable energy sources.

In this lesson, we discussed about the different energy sources that we currently rely on and explore the new ways in which renewable energy can be developed. There are many different types of renewable energy that are available. For instance, there is biomass fuel, solar energy and wind energy. Biomass is biological material that is derived from living organisms. Solar energy is harnessing power from the sun. Wind energy is using wind to turn the turbines resulting in electricity produced from the kinetic energy of the turbines.

Prof started the lesson off with a video where humans shift from using fossil fuels as consumption to sustainable sources. In the video, it shows that as the world population increase, the consumption of energy would rise. Hence, we need to cultivate new habits, such as taking the public transport instead of owning cars. Moreover, the introduction of new technologies like using solar power, wind power shift the production of harmful pollution. In addition, we also have to think of new ideas to improve the situation.    

In the past when the West has their industrial revolution, they grew on consuming fossil fuels. In the process of building infrastructures for the country, the consumption of fossil fuel soared. This created a lot of problems. It resulted in global warming which is what we are experiencing today. Moreover, rising sea levels also threatens to submerge low lying nations. Developing countries (China and India) cannot follow this path as it will further exacerbate the problem. They would have to think of other methods. In the future, China would have to consume a lot more oil than the US as their population is higher than that of the US.

China foresees that they would need to rely on other sources of energy hence; they have been investing heavily in the research and innovation of ways in which renewable energy can be developed. However, there have been some controversies in relation to this. For example the construction of the three gorges dam was seen as destruction to the environment although it helped to create electricity for China. The dam brought about significant environmental impact for example earthquakes, landslides and a decrease in wildlife around that area.  

There is a problem of depleting amount of petroleum. Hence, we need to turn to renewable sources. 

Countries around the world are also doing something about this. Europe has made it mandatory to use energy saving bulbs and have banned the use of filament lamp. Germany has also been innovative and successful in using renewable energy to sustain their needs. Germany plans to generate about 35% of its electricity by 2020.     

The reason why the change towards using renewable energy sources is not happening fast enough is because fossil fuels are artificially priced lower. The price of oil simply does not include the opportunity cost that incurs when one uses oil. The environmental price to pay, when more carbon dioxide is emitted is not factored in the price of oil. Burning oil as fuel is wasteful when there are many other uses for crude oil. One of the most common products of crude oil is plastic. Therefore, when we take into account the opportunity cost of oil then the price of oil will rise. This in turn would be a major determinant to consumers. Using a combination of wind power, solar power, geothermal power, hydroelectricity and biofuels, Germany is moving towards relying on renewable energy. There are also government policies in place to support renewable energy. People who produce renewable energy can sell the electricity at fixed prices. Hence, this has caused a huge increase in production of renewable energy.

There is already a significant research done. I feel that the most important part is about implementing it to our daily lives. More focus should be given to constructing and ensuring that there are adequate facilities to support the people who are using such technologies.

Personal Rating: 9/10