Fred J. DeMicco

Mature travelers to Thailand: A study of preferences and attributes

As the median age of populations of countries in the West rises, the viability of mature travelers as a market segment is increasing significantly. Thailand has been a very attractive destination for travelers from the West. This study evaluates preferences and attributes of hotels and the destination as a whole using a sample of visitors to Koh Samui in Thailand. The study finds significant differences in hotel and destination preferences based on gender, profession, nationality and age. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Handheld Wireless Point of Sale Systems in the Restaurant Industry

Abstract As surprising as it may seem, handheld ordering systems have been around for over 20 years. The first handheld system that came on the market used numeric keypads to enter the PLU codes from items and infrared transmitter/receivers to relay the information between the handhelds and the point of sale (POS) system. Handheld wireless POS systems are a portable version of a POS system which is defined as the time and place in which a transaction is made. Point of sale computer systems include: cash registers, optical scanners, magnetic card readers, and special terminals. Handheld wireless POS systems used for hospitality, more specifically food service, will be the main focus for this paper. This includes events such as taking food orders and the inventory/ordering process. Customers are the reasons restaurants are in business, and the time saved by using a handheld device (versus waiting in line to place an order on a traditional POS system that averages over four minutes per order) can be used to better serve the guests. Those four minutes also lead to drinks and meals being ready quicker and, throughout an evening, those minutes equate to greater table turnover and more profits.It is these benefits which lead to cost savings and return on investment for the purchase of a handheld POS system.

Website Accessibility of U.S. Based Hospitality Websites

The Internet has become an essential part of our society as we are continually embracing this technology to better facilitate our business and social lives. Hotels and restaurants have established websites providing functions such as room availability, menu description as well as online reservations. However, many of the hospitality web designers have neglected the difficulties that visitors with disabilities like visual impairment may have when they visit the websites. This study evaluated the current accessibility situation of current U.S. based hospitality websites and studied the potential problems those websites may have when presenting information to visitors with disabilities. By evaluating the sample hospitality websites under the criteria of Section 508, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, colorblind filter and text size flexibility, the study has found that the current accessibility of hospitality websites in the U.S. is low and failure in providing alternative text for non-text elements is the primary problem. Implications of possible reasons and future research suggestions are discussed accordingly.

Managed services’ developmental areas within acute care hospitals

Health care institutions are increasingly outsourcing services to managed service companies. As a result, the span of control for managers of these services (departments) can increase rapidly. This research investigated the developmental areas needed by managers as they assume multiple departments within acute care hospitals. The research identified 23 training areas from qualitative research on multi‐department managers in acute care hospitals. Analysis of variance was then used to test whether three distinct groups of management differed significantly in their perceptions of the importance of the training areas for their successful career development. Significant differences were found for nine of the 23 training areas. In addition, the ability to achieve a level of expertise through development in several diverse areas was found to be far more important to todays managers in managing multiple departments in hospitals than tenure in a position of management.

The Eco-Restaurant of the Future: A Case Study

With today’s focus on natural resources and energy, restaurants are seeking new ways to establish a sustainable strategy. This case study describes a new paradigm for an entrepreneurial incubator and educational model. The new eco-restaurant concept facilitates recycling waste, oil, and paper and using less resources and energy. Is this the right strategy for the future?

The Microsoft Home: applications for the lodging and restaurant industry today and in the future.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the effects of home technologies on guestroom technologies. After analyzing the evolution of home technological innovations and the flow of these technologies into hotel guestrooms, the technologies featured in the Microsoft Home of the Future will be examined and their likelihood of making the transition into hospitality industry will be discussed. The Microsoft Home of the Future uses the latest in current and futuristic software and hardware including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), electronic wallboard, light projection devices, and voice recognition.

Using Global Positioning Systems as a Marketing Tool: An Analysis of U.S. Consumers' Use and Perceptions

This article explores the current and potential use of global positioning system (GPS) devices as a marketing tool from the consumers perspective with special attention to services for travelers. Two hundred randomly-selected online consumers were surveyed about their use of, and attitudes toward, GPS. Two-thirds of the respondents used a GPS device in the last 12 months. Nonusers cite cost as the biggest reason for not using a GPS device. Results indicate that GPS devices are used as marketing tools; however, many consumers are resistant to the idea of having businesses solicit them by GPS. Cluster analysis of the data identifies four different types of GPS users.

The BizCafe Interpretive Simulation case study to teach strategic entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT The BizCafe Interpretive Simulation is a good resource for teaching a restaurant business start-up. The simulation replicates the real life business of running a coffee shop. Each student will assume the role of coffee shop manager, and will make all the decisions necessary to survive in a competitive environment. The decisions encompass several aspects of the restaurant business. In the start-up period, determining the hours of operation, coffee prices, and wages are among the decisions. As in real life, some of the decisions—like whether or not to buy a pastry oven—are irreversible, with ramifications that will impact revenues and costs throughout the duration of the simulation. However, coffee prices and wages can be changed, based on analysis of the competitive set. As in any business venture, this is a contest to see who can survive. In this competitive set, there will be winners and losers, based on who has made the best decisions.

Cracker Barrel: A Strategic Case Study in Restaurant Management

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is a publicly traded company which consists of a restaurant with a gift shop. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The gift shop area offers a variety of decorative and functional items. As of 2012, the company operated 620 Cracker Barrel stores located in 42 states. Cracker Barrel operates in the full-service segment of the restaurant industry. Faced with intense competition, and if Cracker Barrel is unable to continue to compete effectively, their business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. This case study examines the complex and dynamic competitive landscape and pressure to grow as a publicly traded company, and the intensive forces key shareholders can bring to impact Cracker Barrel’s strategic direction and future growth.

Economic Indicator Research Using Reuters: Analyzing Hospitality Trends

The possibility to predict economic peaks and downturns is always attractive to business people because of the opportunity to make wise decisions and rational investments. This article applies the concept of environmental scanning to determine those economic indices that are most relevant and important for managers to keep an eye on for proper business decisions in restaurants and hotels. Three initial indicators of the U.S. economy were determined for the analyses are gross domestic product, personal income, and unemployment rate. These indicators are used as dependent variables to be correlated to both the Dow Jones US Food and Beverage Index and the Dow Jones US Hotel Index. Furthering the notion of examining indicators, the study proceeds to examine the three initial indicators in relation to two corporations, Darden Restaurants and Marriott International. The study was conducted utilizing Reuters 3000Xtra. The results indicate the importance of developing strategic methods for forecasting the industrys paralleled relationship to the economic cyclical path.