The Bereavement Journey :: essays research papers

The Bereavement Journey Breavement is handeled differently in different generations. Weather it is a kid that has a terminal illness or an elderly person who is diagnosed with a terminal illness, each breave differently. Breavement deals with not just someone clsoe dying but, someone themselvs who is diagnosed with a life threatening illness. Kids are more afair of death than adults are. Kids do not underdstand death like adults. In one of our class discussions , Dr. Bradshaw told our class a story about how he went to Yale New Haven hospital (I think) and Dr. Bradshaw stated that a young boy who was a terminal cancer patient drew him a picture of a tank going after him. When Dr. Bradshaw told our class this , it was then clear to me that a child does not understand death as well as adults. But there are also ways a parent can help a child with breavement like buying the child a pet and when that pet dies, explain to the kid whay the pet died and that it can not be replaced. â€Å"childeren are capeable of experiencing greif† (DeSpilder 359). Childeren tend to be more quiet when dealing with a death of someone close. Childeren like to forget the sight of a dead one and try and move on without talking to anyone. Adults experience greif more open. When a certain person reaches adult hood , more and more people that he or she knows is going to die, a parent can die, a friend, and even a child. The most extemem death a parent can experience is death of a child. â€Å" the death of a child may be experienced as the ultimate lack of protection and nuture, the ultimate breakdown and failure in being a â€Å"good parent†Ã¢â‚¬ . When and adult experiences a deah he or she will be more open and go to counceling or actually talk to someone, and talking to somneone about your problems is a good way of breavement. Elderly when dealing with deaht and breavement is also an extreme. An elderly is close to death as is, but his or her friends are starting to die repidly and most of all a spouse is very close to end of life.

How Are Syariah Laws Being Currently Applied in Malaysia Essay

Islam had been established in Malaya by the 14th century. Malacca, one of the Malay States in Malaya, emerged as a Muslim Kingdom under Sultan Iskandar Syah and his successors. By the early 15th century, it had become a power of great importance in South East Asia. This brought an end to the political control and cultural influence of the Hindu and Buddhist powers over the Malay Peninsula. This brought an end to the political control and cultural influence of the Hindu and Buddhist powers over the Malay Peninsula. Malay society and its laws were influences by thought and ideas from various Muslim countries. This because Islam itself came to this region from different countries, namely the Arab countries, India and even China. The law used in Malacca was Muslim law together with Malay customary law. Malay customary law may also referred as to as Adat Melayu. In 1511, Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese. However, it’s difficult to provide a satisfactory account of the legal development during that period. Although Malay customary law was preserved under Portuguese rule and later by the Dutch, during their conquest of Malacca in 1641, it was ultimately replaced by English law during the British colonization of Malaya beginning from 1786. Evidences and traces of Islamic legal thought and institutions are present in Malay law. Terminology and ideas from the Islamic legal system found their way into the numerous treatises on traditional Malay law. They are found in the Melaka Digest (Undang-undang Melaka or Risalah Hukum Kanun of 1523) and the Pahang Digest of 1596 with a later supplement, and in the Kedah Digest dated 1606 containing port rules. Further evidence is found in the 18th century, 99 Laws of Perak and in the Johor Digest of 1789. Finally the orthodox Muslim works of the Shafiee School of Islamic Law, such as the treatises on the law of marriage, divorce and legitimacy of children were translated in Malay. The Majalah al-Ahkam al- Adliyyah (The Mejelle), a set of Muslim civil laws of the Ottoman Empire, was also translated into Malay and recognized as the law to be followed by the Johor courts in 1914. Islamic law, being an imported law, evolved through a period of 6 centuries of development. Its impact on the country’s legal system was far reaching, even until the early part of the present century. This is well illustrated in the case of Laton v Ramah, where the Court of Appeal held that Islamic law in Peninsular Malaya was not foreign law but local law, the law of the land which every court must take judicial notice. But during the post British colonial period, Islamic law has been reduced in importance and its significance has further declined after the independence. The ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, Legislature Lists (List II- State List) states: ‘The Islamic Law is under state authority. Each state enacts its own enactment with jurisdiction over it. Every state has its own Council of Islamic Religion and Malay Custom and the Kadis Courts. These courts have limited jurisdiction on persons professing the Islamic religion, and only included in this list, but shall not have jurisdiction in respect of offences except insofar as centred by Federal Law’. The Muslim Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction ) Act 1965 [No. 23 of 1965] provides that the jurisdiction of the Shariah Courts : ‘ Shall not be exercised in respect of any offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding 6 month or with any fine exceeding one thousand dollars or with both’. It’s been a questioned among the people about the application of Hudud law in Malaysia since there are different types of religious and beliefs the nations uphold. Many people agreed with the implementation whereas some disagreed with the issue. Basically, Hudud is the most severe and strict Islamic law for resorting to punish those offenders through physical means. The provisions of the Hudud law cause Malays feared the law and they are not ready for the implementation of Hudud laws as there are lack of understanding on the need of a proper model on the Islamic criminal law. According to Professor Dr. Mahmood Zuhdi Abdul Majid of IIUM, he said ‘If we do not politicize it, we Malays are definitely ready to implement hudud in Malaysia, but if we were look at Hudud as a political issue, then it becomes a problem’, He also stated that criminal laws should be imposed on all citizens because Islam does not discriminate on whether you are a Muslim or a non-Muslim. Besides, PAS had decided that it will seek constitutional amendment in the Parliament to apply the Hudud law once the Pakatan take over the federal administration. According to our Former President, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, had stated his dissatisfaction on the implementation of Hudud laws in Malaysia which will create an injustice judiciary system. For an instance, a Muslim who committed an offence will be punished according to Hudud law, which is a severe punishment whereas the non-Muslims who committed the same offence will be punished according to civil law which is much lineal. He also commented that there is nothing mentions in the Quran about the severe punishments and he urged Muslims to follow the primary sources of Islam, Quran instead of the Sunnah or Hadith which are basically those interpretations of the Quran. Furthermore, Nibong Tebal MP, Tan Tee Beng said Kita president, Zaid Ibrahim confessed that non-Muslims can be punished under the Hudud criminal code enactments. He added that Shari’ah laws that being practiced in Malaysia are based on civil and family legislation, which governs individual Muslim matters. The issue is controversy as Hudud law can be applied if the Federal Constitution amended which requires majority votes from the members of Parliament. Based on UMNO Minister, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom view, he stated that Hudud Law will never give any impact on Non-Muslims. The government is alert that there are distinctions of views and thoughts on this issue among Islamic scholars and jurists and a research need to be done before the Hudud law implemented in Malaysia, so that the penal code is fair to all, complies with Allah’s conditions and is in accord with the Malaysia legal system. He also added that if Hudud law is to be applied in Malaysia, the Syari’ah Court would only have jurisdiction over those who practice Islam in accord with the Federal Constitution, the Supreme law of the Federation. Though the issue on the application of Hudud law in Malaysia is indecisive stage, the application of Shari’ah law does not lose its position. The Islamic law that is in force in Malaysia totally is not genuine Islamic law but may have been influenced by written laws judicial decisions and customary law. For an instance, the written laws, especially, those enacted before independence, may reject Islamic law. Thus in Ainan v Syed Abu Bakar, it was held that the legitimacy of a child should be determined by the Evidence Enactment (F. M. S. ) and not accordance with Islamic law.

Leaders, Leadership, And Leadership - 900 Words

To Be a Leader Leadership is something that can come naturally to some, but challenging to others. Some struggle to find their voice, while others are heard too much. In a busy world like today, it is easy to spot leaders and their â€Å"followers†. But this is especially challenging for our younger generation due to many things. But all young leaders and leaders in general, possess similar traits that make them the leaders that they are. In my short essay, I will go over the commitments and traits of a leader, challenges of being a young leader, and why do I consider myself to be a leader. Being a leader is something that everyone â€Å"puts their own spin on†. Everyone has a different approach to being a leader (some more effective than others). But all leaders have the same traits, whether you see them or not. One of the traits that a leader can possess is the ability to communicate with others. This is a key trait, because how will a leader plan or teach something t o others if you can’t communicate with another. But a leader must consult with others before making a decision and a leader must be some-what persuasive. Another trait that a leader must possess, is the ability to put personal problems aside. By doing this, a leader can make a better choice and be a role model to others. A leader must also have commitment. No leader should ever leave his/her â€Å"followers† if something goes wrong. A leader must be focused and determined to complete the project or problem at hand. AShow MoreRelatedLeadership As A Leader : Leadership1645 Words   |  7 Pagesmuch about leadership through the semester. Each chapter I learned something new about leadership. In this paper I will reflect on what I’ve learned chapter by chapter and how what I’ve learned has shaped my style of leadership. Being a leader: I never thought much about leadership prior to this class. I knew what leaders were in the sense of that they were the people in charge. That’s all I knew about leadership; leaders were people in charge. While that’s not necessarily untrue - leaders are peopleRead MoreLeadership Definitions Of Leadership As A Leader1224 Words   |  5 Pageslife, someone is required to become a leader; many organisations and specific situations require a leader (Northouse, 2014). No matter the profile of the individual, there are demands placed on the individual which require them to deal with many responsibilities and duties which can be both challenging and rewarding at the same time but this depends on how well the individual handles themselves in these situations. The important question is; â€Å"what is leadership?†. Many people question what this termRead MoreLeadership As A Leader?1348 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The term leader and the concept of leadership are used in virtually every aspect of human life. We are captivated by leaders and leadership to the point of obsession. Consider our fascination with business leaders such as Warren Buffet, Sir Richard Branson or Steve Jobs. Do a Google search for movies on Steve Jobs and the results will include several documentaries and feature films over a twenty year period. Our lives are filled with guidance, suggestions and direction from leaders such as DeepakRead MoreLeadership As A Leader?1495 Words   |  6 Pagesmany definitions of leadership. The Oxford dictionary defines leadership as â€Å"the action of leading a group of people or an organization.† Yet effective leadership is much more than that. A leader can be the CEO of an organization, or a high school student who leads his or her group to success behind the scenes. A leader might lead through official authority and power, yet just as often great leaders lead through inspiratio n, persuasion and personal connections. So what is leadership? One great definitionRead MoreLeadership As A Leader And Good Leadership1292 Words   |  6 Pagesorganizations we are incorporated to there are leaders whether at the top most level or the junior levels. The prime purpose of their existence is to offer guidance and control over certain things. However, it has been argued that not everyone can become a leader. This is because there are certain traits believed to be existent in someone that makes them qualify for the leadership post. Some have however disagreed with this concept saying that anyone suits to become a leader if though they are given the platformRead MoreLeaders and Leaderships1577 Words   |  7 PagesLeaders and Leadership An Analysis of Kevin Rollins and his Leadership Style             MBA 517 –T Outcomes This paper will discuss some elements on what makes an effective leader and how their leadership style can transform a company. This paper will specifically discuss the leadership style of Kevin Rollins, who was the chief executive officer of the computer giantRead MoreLeadership As A Leader Of A Group, Organization, And Leadership1378 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Webster’s, leadership is a position as a leader of a group, organization, etc.; the time when a person holds the position of leader; the power or ability to lead other people. We are living in a world where our achievements and failures are either accredited or confounded to the leaders of organizations, religion, political leaders just to name a few. We should be observing leadership in an unconventional viewpoint since all of us are leaders in one way or the other; in our personalRead MoreLeadership As A Leader Of A Country1059 Words   |  5 PagesLeadership is a concept that many probably think is a clear-cut subject that is well understood and extremely recognizable. Many would picture an all-powerful individual in a leadership postion, such as a chief execuative officer (CEO) of a company or a leader of a country. These individuals, most people would identify as obvious examples of people who have qualties, skills, or traits that have set themsleves apart from â€Å"the common man† and propelled them into the positions they now hold. It wouldRead MoreLeadership As A Good Leader854 Words   |  4 Pages1. Introduction There are always chances and possibilities to become a good leader regardless the odds against you, gender, age, race, education, previous experience, etc. This paper defines what leadership is and it explains the relationship between leadership and influence. It also highlights the importance of finding opportunities to develop skills and creating strong to become a good leader. It is also emphasized the power of influence that comes from motivating your team, to improve performanceRead MoreLeadership As A Good Leader946 Words   |  4 Pages1. Leadership is the ability to create an environment in which people want to put their best efforts forward. Creating this environment takes trust which is gained by leading by example, setting standards and holding people accountable. To set these environments leaders must understand what motivates the people they lead. People are motivated by different styles and a leader must understand the individuals needs and tend to those needs. Leade rship is dynamic and a good leader changes to meet these

Evaluation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care...

The foundation during the Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency was the health care reform of the U.S. health care system. It was not until a month later into his presidency in the year 2009 that President Obama addressed the issue of the high rising cost of health care and the millions of people in the United States being uninsured. It was not until March 23th 2010, after much debate that President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the U.S. health care reform legislation. The primary objective of the PPACA act is to â€Å"provide quality affordable health care for Americans† (Centers for Medicare Medicaid). Furthermore, the PPACA has the potential to â€Å"improve the role of public programs, improve†¦show more content†¦If this bill becomes a law Americans will have to obtain health insurance since there is a clause in the bill that would mandate them to do so. The consequences of not obtaining health insurance and violating the clause could result in penalties, fines, and even jail time. But some states are using Police Power as a weapon stating that â€Å"States wield what is called police power: the authority to make laws for the health, safety and morality of their people. The federal government, on the other hand, has limited jurisdiction. If the Constitution does not grant a specific power to the federal government, then the 10th Amendment reserves it to the states or the people (Klukowski, Ken).† The government is in no position to make an individual purchase a service. If we compare the PPACA with car insurance, which is required, there is a big argument as to why the government is mandating health insurance. In the case of car insurance, by the act of driving you have other people lives in your hands in the sense that if you get in an accident someone could result dead. Car insurance requirement makes sense because you are and other are covered in case of an accident. Then it get even more justifiable to mandate car insurance because an individual may chose to drive while under the influence an hurt someone, then it makes a lot of sense that people should not be out there driving without protection. But even in the case of autoShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act1331 Words   |  6 PagesHR 4872- HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION RECONCILIATION ACT This bill makes a number of health-related financing and revenue changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and modifies higher education assistance provisions (â€Å"HR†¦2010† 2010). TITLE SEC. 1202. PAYMENTS TO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS. IF ANYTHING IS HAPPENING IN THIS AREA CURRENTLY CY 2017 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule with Comment Period This was placed to be presented at the Federal Register on July 7, 2016. It updatesRead MoreA Comprehensive Overview Of The Affordable Care Act1713 Words   |  7 Pagespresident Barack Obama, signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President after long legislative debates, the Affordable Care Act s main purpose is to provide access to affordable and comprehensive health coverage to millions uninsured Americans who do not have coverage or adequate coverage, those who would be denied coverage under the previous insurance practice either base on pre-existing condition, gender or age, while controlling the cost of health care. (New York Time, October 26, 2014) The purposeRead MoreImplementation Of The Institute Of Medicine Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pagesbut with new initiative of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) by the president, these individuals can receive care through affordable healthcare. In 2010, the report by the implementation (IOM) future of Nursing came into reality. Many individuals in United State were not just happy, but more productive as the reform was so helpful to them and reduces the number of uninsured and the underinsured individuals together (IOM, 2010). In this health care reform, the crucial, vital andRead MoreThe Affordable Care Act And The Utilization Of Nurse Practitioners2381 Words   |  10 PagesThe Affordable Care Act and the Utilization of Nurse Practitioners: A Policy Analysis Stephen Zombil University of Massachusetts Amherst Abstract The face of healthcare has been changing over the last decade. The role of nurse practitioners has become ever more important. This paper conducts a policy analysis as a systematic investigation of alternative policy options, for the emerging nationalized healthcare plan and the increased use of nurse practitioners. It looks at theRead MoreThe Title X Family Planning Program1143 Words   |  5 PagesThe Title X Family Planning program was enacted in 1970 as Title X of the Public Health Service Act (Public Law 91-572 Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs). Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs (OPA) oversees the Title X program (U.S. Department of Human Services, 2014). ServicesRead MoreInstitute Of Medicine Report On Quality1432 Words   |  6 PagesInstitute of Medicine Report on Quality Introduction In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) initiated a campaign aimed to evaluate and improve the quality of care for health care systems in America (Bielaszka-DuVernay, 2011 p.2). Consequently, IOM Committee on Quality Health Care outlined strategies to improve patient safety by preventing medical errors that are caused by individual and system factors in a report titled â€Å"To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System† (1999). Furthermore, IOM‘sRead MoreObamacare And The Uninsured Elderly1719 Words   |  7 Pagesbecause they could not afford insurance? â€Å"ObamaCare, officially called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) but more often called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for short, reforms the health insurance industry and the American health care system as a whole† (ObamaCare Facts). Barack Obama and the Supreme Court ruling in 2012 gave Americans better rights and more protection for access to universal affordable quality healthcare t o the uninsured population. ObamaCare was not designedRead MoreHealth Policy Analysis Paper : Healthcare2073 Words   |  9 Pagesalong with an evaluation of the impact of these alternatives. Once an evaluation of alternatives is complete, these alternatives are then ranked in order of which would be most effective in meeting the needs of nationalized healthcare. Lastly, a discussion regarding monitoring the implemented policy is given. Nationalized Healthcare Definition and Challenges: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama, on March 23rd, 2010. This historicRead MoreObamacare : The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act947 Words   |  4 PagesOBAMACARE† at best The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as â€Å"Obamacare,† was signed into law March 23, 2010, by President Barrack Obama and has been at the center of highly and critical debate in healthcare coverage since than. The Affordable Care Act (AAC) purpose is intended to provide a large majority of uninsured Americans including those with insurance with reasonable and fair health care coverage that is affordable, adequate and accessible to high quality treatmentRead MoreHcs 455 the Policy Process: Part I Essay1489 Words   |  6 Pages2011 Rich Jones The Policy Process: Part I Patient access to affordable health care is an ongoing issue in the United States. The first portion of the policy process involves three different stages, the formulation stage, legislative stage, and the implementation stage. Three main stages exist in the process to transform a topic into a policy (Morone, J. A., Litman, T. J., amp; Robins, L.S., 2008). Coupled with the implementation stage is an evaluation of all the stages to determine effectiveness

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) - 1531 Words

The Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Introduction HIV, also known as the human immunodeficiency virus attacks and destroys the CD4 cells of the immune system. The CD4 are a type of white blood cell that have the role of preventing disease, when the level of these cells reduces due to the HIV virus the ability of the body to fight and prevent disease also reduces; at this stage a person is said to have the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDs). Epidemiology According to the world health organisation (WHO) there were 35.3 million people living with HIV in 2012. In the same year WHO had reported that 1.6 million had died due AIDs associated illnesses. (WHO, 2014) The country most affected by HIV is Sub Saharan Arica, it was reported†¦show more content†¦(AIDS.gov 2012) Transmission of HIV HIV can pass from person to person, there are many ways in which this happen, the main way in which HIV is transmitted is through sexual contact; according to the Health Protection Agency in 2011, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV acquired the virus through sexual contact. Other ways In which HIV is transmitted include sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, a child can obtain the HIV virus from the mother during child birth or during breast feeding, a less common way is which HIV is passed on in the UK is during blood transfusions however this way of transmission continues to remain a problem is less developed countries. Clinical presentation When the HIV virus first starts to develop, most people experience flu like symptoms such as sore throat, headaches, rash and swollen glands. It’s been reported that about 80% of people that infected with HIV experience this. As the immune system responds to the virus, the level of the CD4 cells start to increase again and because of this many people don’t experience any symptoms for several years. However as the virus continues to spread the CD4 cells continue to be destroyed. Eventually the immune system will be completely damaged if HIV is left untreated. At this stage immunity is lost making a

Clarence Thomas Essay Research Paper Clarence Thomas free essay sample

Clarence Thomas Essay, Research Paper Clarence Thomas is a Supreme Court Justice, who has been under unfavorable judgment since the twenty-four hours that he was appointed. Thomas has been chastised for his positions on Affirmative Action and his positions on Afro-american s development into the mainstream of our society. Chief Justice Thomas, since his assignment has been marked as a far right conservative. In the beginning of his term of office he was labeled as Chief Justice Scalia s, 2nd ballot. Since so Thomas has removed himself from this shadow to demo penetration on his ain conservative thoughts. Clarence Thomas was born on June 23, 1948 in Pin Point, Georgia. Thomas is a kid of Mr. M.C. Thomas and Leola Anderson. He grew up in a single-mother family. Thomas s father abandoned him and his female parent, Leola, when he was two. Timess were difficult for his household, and his female parent subsequently sent him and his brother to populate with his gramps, Myers Anderson in Savannah, Georgia. His gramps instilled in Clarence that instruction would be his key to unlocking the door to a successful life. He wanted him to get the better of the colour boundaries that were present during this clip in America s history. Clarence Thomas has an extended educational background. Thomas attended an all black high school in Savannah before dropping out and inscribing at St. John Vianney Minor Seminary. Thomas withdrew at his grampss pressing to go a curate. After his graduation signifier St. John Vianney Minor Seminary he was accepted to Immaculate Conception Seminary. However, he one time once more withdrew, this clip because of the racial events that had occurred while go toing. At this clip Holy Cross University began enrolling black pupils and he was accepted. Thomas worked difficult to non merely win and graduate, but to stand out in his categories. He graduated 9th in his category at Holy Cross, in 1971. While at Holy Cross, Thomas met Ms. Kate Ambush and they subsequently married. Thomas merely kid ( Jamal ) was as a consequence of this matrimony ( Clarence and Kate subsequently divorced in 1984. He has since married to Virgina Lamp, in 1987 ) . Clarence Thomas decided that he wanted to progress hi s instruction and applied to Yale Law School. Again, Thomas applied to a university were a minority plan was implemented merely a few old ages before, and he was accepted. After graduating from Yale Law School Thomas s hereafter looked bright. While at Yale his accent dealt with revenue enhancement and anti-trust jurisprudence. Upon Thomas graduation from Yale he went to work for John Danforth, the lawyer general of Missouri. While working for the lawyer general Thomas worked in the revenue enhancement division. In 1977, Danforth was elected to the Senate and Thomas went to work for Monsanto Company as a corporate attorney in the pesticide and agribusiness division. After a twosome of old ages of work for Monsanto, Thomas became a legislative helper on energy and environmental undertakings for Senator Danforth. During this clip Thomas attracted much attending from the Reagan disposal, which landed him a occupation as helper secretary for civil rights in the Education Department. President Reagan so promoted Thomas to caput of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. While at the EEOC, Thomas put the bureau in place to implement jurisprudence. He besides changed disposal, policies, and implemented new processs to better the bureau. Thomas success as caput of the EEOC led to a President Bush assignment to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. as a Judge in 1990. He merely served 17 months before being nominated to the Supreme Court by President Bush after the retirement of Thurgood Marshall. An assignment to the United States Supreme Court is for a life term. Therefore, it makes since that the procedure used to name the justnesss is complete and thorough. The assignment of a Supreme Court justness is made by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There can be many grounds why a individual is to be chosen as a justness to the highest tribunal in the land. Presidents have appointed certain people because of their political political orientations, judicial doctrines, gender, faith, or race. The latter ground played a large function in the assignment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall, appointed by President Lyndon Johnson as the first black-American to function on the tribunal, retired in 1991. ( Infoplease.com encyclopedia ) Then President George Bush, felt force per unit area to replace this well known minority figure with another Afro-american. Marshall had served the tribunal from 1967 to 1991, and many minority and political groups, including the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus felt that another minority should take his topographic point. Clarence Thomas was the obvious pick for President Bush, but the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus, who tend to be more broad, did non needfully desire Thomas to be nominated because of his conservative positions. Preside nt Bush nominated Thomas for his legal makings, and backed his run on assuring to merely appoint persons who will construe the jurisprudence, instead than make it. After the President made this determination, all that was needed was the Senate blessing. However, it was non that easy. Possibly no other recent assignment to the Supreme Court was more controversial than that of Clarence Thomas. The Senate was ready to corroborate Thomas assignment when the Senate Judiciary Committee reopened the hearings to look into charges of sexual torment blamed on Thomas. A colleague named Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexual torment while they worked in two different federal bureaus, the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC ) . ( MSN Encarta.com encyclopaedia ) Suddenly, many jobs surrounded Thomas command for the Supreme Court. The timing of the accusals could non hold been worse. Although the timing cast a inquiry upon Anita Hill herself. If the supposed torment took topographic point in the 80 # 8217 ; s, why was she merely now coming frontward? Ms. Hill s reply was that she could non acquire herself to speak about the subject until she felt obligated to make so. In the Senate hearings Ms. Hill, a jurisprudence professor, h ad this to state: I thought that by stating no and explicating my grounds, my employer would abandon his societal suggestions. However, to my sorrow, in the following few hebdomads he continued to inquire me out on several occasions. He pressed me to warrant my grounds for stating no to him. These incidents took topographic point in his office or mine. They were in the signifier of private conversations which would non hold been overheard by anyone else. ( Hill Testimony Transcripts ) This statement makes the accusals his word versus hers. Thomas denied any incorrect making and called the televising of the Senate hearings a hi-tech lynching. ( MSN Encarta.com Encyclopedia ) Finally, the arguments ended and Thomas nomination was confirmed on October 15,1991. Thomas would win because the Senate did verify his assignment to the United States Supreme Court by the narrowest avowal ballot for a Supreme Court Justice in this Century. ( O Connor A ; Sabato, 238 ) The ballot was 52 in favour and 48 against. The Thomas-Hill dirt instantly made Thomas a good known and a closely watched justness. At first, people and the imperativeness watched his actions for other grounds than his race or judicial doctrine. More late, nevertheless, people have come to detect his judicial determinations and doctrine more than his actions. Although Thomas assignment was amidst contention, he is now stepping out on his ain on his thoughts. Thomas has come a long manner from his childhood that started in Pin Point and Savannah, Georgia. He is now a Justice on the highest tribunal in the United States. Thomas term has been brief compared to the term of office of his collogues, but in his head he has unlocked the door to success, and is walking through it.

Hotel and Information Systems free essay sample

It has been accepted for inclusion in Communications of the Association for Information Systems by an authorized administrator of AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). For more information, please contact [emailprotected] org. 102 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 OUTRIGGER HOTELS AND RESORTS: A CASE STUDY Gabriele Piccoli School of Hotel Administration Cornell University [emailprotected] edu ABSTRACT This case describes the history, strategy, and current information systems infrastructure of a midsize, privately owned hospitality firm. The case is designed to provide the substantial background information needed to engage successfully in setting direction for IS resources and their use at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts headquartered in Hawaii. It enables students to analyze the firm’s strategy thoroughly and to assess its current use of information systems resources. With this assessment as a starting point, students can develop an appropriate IS vision, IS architecture, and a strategic IS plan for Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. The case was originally designed to use the process of setting direction for IS resources as described by Martin and colleagues [2005], but is flexible enough to adapt to the structure of other approaches to planning for information systems use. Keywords: IS planning, IS assessment, IS visioning, infrastructure, hospitality. Editor’s Note: A teaching note is available from the author to faculty so requiring it that are listed in the MISRC-ISWorld Faculty Directory. I am involved with every decision that senior management takes. They look to me for an IS slant to it – whether an IT solution can capitalize on opportunities or eliminate threats. They also expect my team to independently develop an IS strategy that will further the business. Joe Durocher, Senior Vice President CIO Every manager must have an IT strategy. You can’t delegate to technologists and only worry about your allocated cost or what training your employees need. You must understand how to be master of your own destiny and make IT work best for you. Too many managers still don’t get that. Rob Solomon, Senior Vice President Sales Marketing Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 103 I. INTRODUCTION Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, a mid-size lodging firm focused on leisure travel to the Hawaiian Islands and the South Pacific, uses Information Technology (IT) in numerous aspects of its operations and therefore must carefully engage in the information systems planning process. After analyzing Outrigger’s strategy and assessing the firm’s current use of information systems resources, we can develop an appropriate IS vision, IS architecture, and a strategic IS plan for Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. On Black Friday, September 13, 1929, Roy C. Kelley arrived in Hawaii with his wife Estelle. An architect by training, Mr. Kelley joined the firm of C. W. Dickey and was responsible for designing many of Honolulus landmark buildings, including the main building of the old Halekulani Hotel and the Waikiki Theater on Kalakaua Avenue. Nine years later Kelley set out on his own, building numerous homes, apartment buildings, and hotels on the island of Oahu. In 1963, Kelley took over the land occupied by the old Outrigger Canoe Club. Outrigger Hotels then became a reality with the mission of bringing the dream of a vacation in Paradise within the reach of the middle-class traveler. Included in the agreement were leases on three Waikiki lots that later became the Outrigger East, Outrigger West, and Coral Reef hotels. The Outrigger Waikiki Hotel was built on the site of the old canoe club, arguably the prime spot on Waikiki beach, in 1967. Throughout the next two decades, Outrigger Hotels Hawaii, as the company was named, continued its expansion in Waikiki. When in the 1970’s the zoning authority put a cap on new construction in Waikiki, Outrigger began to expand through acquisition rather than construction, ultimately becoming the largest chain in the State of Hawaii, with over 7,000 rooms and a total of 15 properties concentrated in Waikiki. Thanks to its clustered configuration, with all of its hotels located within one square mile, Outrigger was able to maintain a centralized management structure fitting Mr. Kelley’s ‘management by walking around’ style. In 1989, Outrigger Hotels Hawaii, now under the leadership of Roy Kelley’s son Dr. Richard Kelley, took over management of The Royal Waikoloan Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii. When hurricane Iniki, heading for Waikiki in 1992, barely missed Honolulu and ravaged the island of Kauai, it provided further impetus for Outrigger’s geographical diversification strategy to and beyond neighboring islands. The firm, expanding into management agreements with third party owners, added properties on Maui and Kauai and ultimately grew to a total of 26 locations in the Hawaiian Islands. In 1996 the firm made its first international foray, opening the Outrigger Marshall Island Resort on Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Through partnerships, joint ventures, acquisitions, and new developments the firm continued to grow internationally, adding properties in Guam, Fiji, Tahiti, Australia, and New Zealand. While growing geographically, in 1990 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii began to diversify its product portfolio by adding condominium resorts. Because of ts geographical and product diversification, in 1995 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii changed its name to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, and in 1999 re-branded fifteen of its hotels in Waikiki to launch a new hotel brand called OHANA Hotels of Hawaii. We had an identity crisis because the market moved up, we upgraded the onbeach properties where we had higher demand and bought some nice properties in neighboring islands. But we had huge variation in the portfolio—if you stayed at a budget property vs. a beach front property, you’d be very confused as to what an Outrigger was. President and CEO, David Carey Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 104 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Figure 1: Outrigger Properties in Waikiki Figure 2: Outrigger Properties in the Hawaiian Islands Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 105 Figure 3. Properties Managed by Outrigger Hotels and Resorts (International) The on-beach properties became upscale full-service hotels under the Outrigger brand. The condos, also typically on-beach upscale locations, maintained the Outrigger brand. Conversely, the OHANA brand was positioned to cater to the budget traveler looking for value on off-beach properties. Condominiums represented an increasingly important share of the total portfolio of properties, even though the firm stumbled upon the opportunity that condominiums offered. Condominiums appealed to independent travelers who would do much research and planning on their own. Condominiums were also complex, non-standard products that travel agents and wholesalers found hard to sell. Because condos were rarely built as business ventures, but rather were designed as primary or vacation homes for the tenants, they offered little office or staging space for management companies to operate in. They also lacked many of the typical hotel services and departments such as food and beverage, room service, laundry, and daily maid service. These difficulties notwithstanding, Outrigger found the condo business appealing because it provided a means for expansion through management contracts without the need to acquire expensive properties. By 2005, Outrigger was a sizable firm, with about 3,600 employees (of whom about 230 were at corporate headquarters), a portfolio of properties exceeding US $1. 4 billion, and approximate revenues of US $45 million [Hotel On-Line, 2003]. But at the heart of its strategic positioning a commitment remained to providing a ‘sense of place,’ an experience attuned to the culture and the characteristics of the destination, and to avoiding a cookie cutter approach. Our business is really about being a â€Å"window† to an experience, not the experience itself. We are the enabler through which people can engage in the leisure experience they desire. We don’t try to export Hawaii when we go elsewhere, but we do honor the same values in the places we operate hotels and resorts. David Carey Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 106 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Outrigger’s senior management believed that its key competencies resided in providing hospitality to guests visiting their properties and marketing those properties successfully through leisure distribution channels. To complement these basic competencies, Outrigger’s management developed what it believed to be a superior capability to manage in a multicultural environment, including multicultural and multilingual employees and guests. Aided by a turnover rate in the single digits and an average of 25 years of employee tenure with the company, Outrigger managed to be a mostly non-union shop in the heavily unionized Hawaii labor market. We operate properties that have good locations, we have a strong travel distribution network, and our employees really provide hospitality from the heart. That creates a differentiated product making price less important. David Carey Outrigger was wedded to the success of its destination markets and to the well-being of airlines serving its destinations. If Hawaii does well, so do we. I spend a lot of time working with local tourism authorities to improve the appeal of the destinations we operate in. But airlines can be a bottleneck. We may not have available lift at times when we need it. If the airlines are full or they have decided in their yield model that they are going to only sell their top fares, there is nothing we can do. From purely the hotels’ perspective, the best thing for us is an airline price war to Hawaii. David Carey III. THE HOTELS AND RESORTS INDUSTRY As the 21st century dawned, the global lodging industry was estimated to exceed $295 billion in sales (about 11% of the world’s economic output) and employed more than 250 million workers [Encyclopedia of Global Industries, 2003]. The leisure travel segment accounted for about 45% of total volume [Horwath International, 2002]. THE HAWAIIAN HOTEL MARKET In the Hawaiian market, which was Outrigger’s traditional stronghold, 2004 data showed performance levels above the average of the global industry. Being quite isolated from any large population pool, Hawaii was a classic destination market with an exclusive fly-in customer base. The major feeders were U. S. westbound traffic and Japanese eastbound traffic. These markets were thought to yield very high return rates1—estimated by some to be around 50% westbound and over 65% eastbound. This trend made for a very location-savvy customer base. Peculiar to this market was also the trend of multi-island stays, with guests visiting more than one destination during the same trip. Table 1. Performance of Hawaii Hotel Market Occupancy Avg. Number of rooms Average Daily Rate2 Revenue* * Amounts per available room 72. 1% 706 $198. 41 $78,488 In the hotel business, return rate is used to refer to the percentage of visitors who come back again for more than one visit to the same location. 2 Average Daily Rate (ADR), is the average of all rates charged on a given date for all rooms sold that day. A yearly ADR can be computed by averaging ADRs for all days of the year. 1 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 107 PRICING Because the Hawaii and Pacific Rim markets were exclusive destination markets, the use of packages – including air and accommodations – was pervasive. Historically, packages were assembled and sold by wholesalers and tour operators who purchased both air and hotel rooms in bulk and re-marketed them to the traveling public. With the widespread adoption of the Internet, a new type of package was emerging under the leadership of large online travel agencies: dynamic packages. A dynamic package was one that enabled the guest to choose air, hotel, car rental, and even activities, ticket them independently, and then price them out as a bundle. Dynamic packages were appealing to suppliers because the price of each item was not disclosed, making price comparison difficult and alleviating commoditization fears. They were appealing to prospective travelers because they increased choice and fostered flexibility. Finally, they appealed to online travel agents because they built upon their value proposition—customer choice—and could potentially improve their margins. COMPETITORS As a mature destination, Hawaii had been entered by many of the larger branded hospitality and resort companies. The largest hospitality firms, such as Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, and Starwood, developed a significant presence with eight, five, and eleven properties respectively. But the largest operators in Hawaii were geographically- and leisure-focused players such as Outrigger, ASTON Hotels Resorts Hawaii (with twenty-eight properties), and Marc Resorts Hawaii (with eleven properties). IV. OUTRIGGER CUSTOMERS AND THE COMPETITION THE OUTRIGGER HOTELS AND RESORTS CUSTOMERS Outrigger’s original mission was to bring the opportunity for a vacation in Paradise within the reach of middle-class families. As the firm began to diversify its portfolio, the profile of its customers and the competition also changed. The typical guest staying with the premium brand – Outrigger – was often a multigenerational customer with a sense of loyalty to the brand (about 25% of guests were returning to Outrigger) and an annual income exceeding $75,000. Outrigger guests were almost exclusively leisure travelers. This customer base created seasonality, with winter and summer being the high seasons when properties like the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach reached an ADR of $260 and an overall occupancy around 90%. Our customers are independent-minded and look for an experience that is more regional and attuned to the destination, but still within their comfort zone. They may stay with big brands in their road warrior capacity, but that’s not what they are looking for in a tropical destination. Rob Solomon Table 2. Outriggers Portfolio and Sample Competitors Location Properties Rooms Lowest Rate * Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Waikiki 2 1,383 $160 Starwood Hotels and Resorts Waikiki 4 4,132 $150 Marriott International Waikiki 1 1,297 $209 Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Waikiki 1 1,230 $210 Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Guam Fiji 2 895 $203 Starwood Hotels and Resorts Guam Fiji 3 995 $145 Hilton Hotels and Resorts Guam 1 587 $110 *Rates for comparable rooms as they appear on the company website, December 2004, for January 2005 stays Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 108 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Competing for these customers, Outrigger went head-to-head with major brands that enjoyed name recognition amongst the traveling public, a flow of customers redeeming points, available capital, and availability of programs for employees such as discounted travel beyond Hawaii and the Pacific region. In response, Outrigger leveraged its assets: some of the premier locations in the markets in which it competed, strong name recognition, long-term relationships with the travel distribution network, a strategic focus on vacation destinations, a deep local knowledge and community ties, and good employee relations. THE OHANA HOTELS CUSTOMERS The typical OHANA guest was a value-minded and Hawaii-savvy leisure traveler with income below $100k a year. Typically, OHANA guests had visited Hawaii multiple times, stayed longer than average, and visited more often. Business travel was mainly military personnel and employees of corporations who operated on multiple islands. Groups accounted for less that 10% of OHANA’s overall traffic. We have about 50% return guests. Your first trip you want a beach front hotel, the atmosphere, the ambiance—you want the full Hawaii experience. When you come more often, you still want the experience, but you look for more value and instead of spending $250-$300 a night for a beachfront you can stay longer offbeach for $70-$80 a night. Chuck Shishido, OHANA Hotels VP of Operations With seasonality similar to that of the full service Outrigger Hotels, OHANA Hotels typically achieved an ADR around $66 and approximate occupancy levels of 75% over the year. A number of small regional chains (such as Marc Resorts and Castle Resorts) and many off-beach independent hotels existed in the Waikiki market. Pricing for off-beach properties was much harder to manage because of the commodity nature of the hotels not enjoying a premium location. OHANA was the largest operator in Waikiki and the largest Hawaii-owned operator. Table 3. OHANA’s Portfolio and Sample Competitors Location Properties Rooms Lowest Rate * OHANA Waikiki 13 4564 $76 Marc Resorts Waikiki 4 314 $74 Castle Resorts Waikiki 6 N/A $75 * Rates for comparable rooms as they appear on the company website, December 2004, for January stays CONDOMINIUMS CUSTOMERS Two types of customers typically stayed at the condominiums. On the low end of the $90,000 to $160,000 income bracket were families visiting during school breaks, looking to control expenses, and control their vacation experience. They valued the full kitchen – a standard in every unit – and the two bedrooms and two baths. This assessment was substantiated by the fact that condos had four times as many reservations coming direct from the Internet and tended to recover faster after a soft economy. On the upper end were ‘newlyweds’ and ‘nearly dead’ couples who liked the privacy and space afforded by a condo. Because of the need to convince individual owners to join the pool of Outrigger managed units, the firm competed with small local management companies and individual owners’ beliefs that they could do a better job alone. This idiosyncrasy of condominium operations amounted to dealing with two customers—the unit owners and the guests. The guests were unaware of the workings of condo operations and looked for the same level of service they would receive at a resort. On average, a condominium with mostly two bedroom units would achieve an ADR around $175, while properties with mostly studio and one bedroom units would go for around $140. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 109 MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION Outrigger operated a Central Reservation Office (CRO) in Denver, Colorado with anywhere from 40 to 70 reservationists (FTEs), mainly depending on the volume of business. A corporate marketing staff of 12 people, allocated about 6% of revenue, was responsible for managing the brand and for going to market. An additional 2% of revenue was used to fund reservation and other distribution costs. Reservations were centralized for all properties in Hawaii; beyond Hawaii reservations were only taken at each property. Outrigger’s executives believed that distribution was a cornerstone of the company’s success, with about 50% of the business coming from wholesalers. Consumer direct (via voice or the Web), travel agents, government and military, and corporate clients made up the rest. For international properties, the source of business percentage from wholesalers was close to 80% and almost all reservations were faxed to the property. V. OUTRIGGER’S ORGANIZATION Outrigger Hotels and Resorts was a management company wholly owned by a holding corporation called Outrigger Enterprises. Reflecting its real estate development roots, Outrigger Enterprises also owned a real estate ownership company called Outrigger Properties. Figure 4 shows the Outrigger organization. Figure 4. Organization Chart Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 110 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Outrigger Properties wrote and managed real estate contracts with third party owners and supervised the owned assets (accounting for about a third of all properties in the Outrigger portfolio), as well as the development, acquisition, and sale of properties. Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, the operating arm of Outrigger Enterprises, was responsible for the writing of new management contracts, and for overseeing property renovations and operations of the managed hotels, resorts, and condos. Outrigger Properties generally negotiated a base rent and a 3 percentage of revenue with tenants; revenues from leased space were assigned to the hosting property’s own PL. Room revenue made up the bulk of each property’s revenue. Income from leased space ranged from as low as 5% in hotels with little retail space to as high as 20% in some of the most appealing locations. Other more marginal revenue was derived from parking, in-room entertainment, telecommunications, and kids’ clubs operations. Outrigger Hotels and Resorts historically maintained a highly centralized organizational structure. As the firm grew in size and geographical distribution a more distributed structure emerged, but, reflecting its roots, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts remained consolidated where possible. We have centralized services – accounting, IT, finance, engineering, purchasing, special projects – that support all the properties on Oahu, as well as indirectly the neighboring islands. There is also one executive housekeeper in charge of all properties. We run the OHANA Hotels like a 4,200 room distributed hotel. It is very efficient. Chuck Shishido As the firm expanded internationally it became more decentralized, with resorts in the Pacific Rim working much more like independent operations and organized like traditional resorts. Recognizing the significant advantages offered by its centralized structure, Outrigger was looking at the possibility of integrating its international resorts better. However, distance presented new challenges: We need a reservation solution for Australia, a real-time coordination with a central reservation service. They are operated as individual hotels; the central 800 number today is just switched to the correct hotel. A centralized system would offer tremendous value because we get drive-in business and substantial potential cross-property traffic. Executive VP and COO Perry Sorenseon, VI. OUTRIGGER IT INFRASTRUCTURE Joe Durocher, the CIO of Outrigger Enterprises, was hired by David Carey in 1986. Mr. Roy Kelly was a hands-on manager. He once told me he hated two things: computers and vice presidents. As the VP of IT, I had two strikes against me. Yet, in 1986 I was brought in to overhaul Outrigger’s IT infrastructure and we built Stellex—our integrated CRS/PMS. At the time all our properties were in Waikiki, within one square mile of each other. Joe Durocher In this type of agreement the landlord receives a fixed payment plus a percentage of the total sales made by the tenant business (e. g. , restaurant, shop). 4 The CRS, Central Reservation System, is the computer system used by a hotel chain to support call center operations and, generally, its web site. The CRS holds chain-wide inventory and allows reservationists to sell room inventory at all the hotels affiliated with the chain. The PMS, Property Management System, is the â€Å"brain† of hotel operations. It is the computer system that is used to manage the inventory of hotel rooms at an individual property. 3 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 111 Figure 5. Timeline of Major Infrastructure Developments at Outrigger OUTRIGGER’S SOFTWARE Stellex, to which Durocher refers, was introduced in 1987 as a COBOL application that guaranteed complete redundancy and 24 x 365 uptime. These two properties are particularly important in the hotel business, which depends on being able to make reservations at any time during the day and wants to make sure that its computer system is always operational. For the technically minded, the application ran on a Tandem NonStop platform and a proprietary Enscribe database management system. 5 In 1992, Outrigger introduced its first major update to Stellex, Stellex 2. 0, which ran on a Sun Microsystems UNIX platform and provided revenue management functionality and reservation center support. Because of its unique need for substantial wholesale interaction, Outrigger engaged Opus, a software company specializing on revenue management systems,6 to build their revenue management module for Stellex 2. 0. Outrigger retained control of Opus’ source code7 and over the years made substantial enhancements, mainly to manage wholesale relationships. Outrigger implemented JD Edwards ERP as the cornerstone of its back-office operations in 1990, years before the ERP craze swept the business world. JD Edwards ran on an IBM AS 400—widely considered to be a mature and stable platform. The firm felt that its centralized IT infrastructure was a source of competitive advantage. Durocher discussed the trade-offs associated with centralized IT: Decentralizing IT would decrease our capabilities while increasing overall costs. But centralized IT creates friction at times. When a hotel is sold for example, the IT allocation may increase for other properties. 8 Joe Durocher Stellex provided the anchor to which all other operational systems connected, including telephone switches, call accounting, and in-room entertainment. All of the properties in the Hawaiian Islands had access to Outrigger’s centralized IT systems, served from the Honolulu-based data center, through the firm’s proprietary Wide Area Network. Stellex, for example, was accessed using an ASP model by all the properties in the Hawaiian Islands, the firm’s Denver-based Central Reservation Office, and the Portland, Oregon-based Web servers, thereby greatly simplifying the achievement of single image inventory, disaster recovery, and overall IT management. This configuration enabled the properties to operate with PCs (as few as 12 in a 5 Tandem Computer Systems was bought up by Compaq in 1997. Compaq, in turn was purchased by HP. Enscribe is still in business in December 2004. 6 Opus was subsequently bought by Micros-Fidelio, the dominant hospitality-focused software company. 7 ‘Source code’ refers to the original, human readable computer program. By owning it, Outrigger could change it as they saw fit. Note that Microsoft, for example, guards its source code jealously so that others can’t change Microsoft’s programs. 8 In many companies, such as Outrigger, IT costs are allocated to users, such as hotels, on an annual basis. IT cost is relatively fixed and not affected much by the number of units it supports. If a property is sold, the fixed cost allocated to all other properties must therefore go up. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 112 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Figure 6. Outriggers IT Infrastructure typical 500-room property) and networking equipment. The Point of Sales (POS) systems9 were not centralized, since Outrigger leased retail and restaurant space. This state of affairs generated some friction at times: The POS is the computer software used to support retail and restaurant operations. It enables operators to keep track of sales and accurately bill customers. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 113 We offer to interface their POSs to Stellex and pay for interfaces to automate room charges. But many of those POS ar e old and can’t interface, they must be upgraded first. Restaurants have to write a manual charge voucher and walk it to the front desk for input. It’s not a popular or efficient way to do it. VP of Property Technology, Allen White Due to the need for local support, the high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii, and the unacceptable reliability of international networks, Outrigger did not extend this centralized model to its operations in Australia and the Pacific. The properties in Australia and New Zealand, all condominiums, used a highly specialized PMS particularly well suited for their condominium properties and their unique tax code requirements. None of the properties in Hawaii has a server on property. In the outer regions we have standalone PMS’s and on-property reservations. We don’t even try to keep Stellex in sync, they just open and close. If a date is getting full, they issue a stop-sell. Reservations that are taken centrally are automatically emailed. Joe Durocher APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT Beyond maintaining and upgrading Stellex, Outrigger’s IT professionals engaged in minimal application development—mainly writing customized reports, and configuring and interfacing offthe-shelf applications. The use of outsourcing was limited to the Web site, developed and hosted by a third party in Portland, Oregon. Yet, in order to maintain the integration of direct channels, Stellex served as the booking engine behind Outrigger’s Web site. A key initiative for Outrigger was the development of electronic interfaces with wholesalers. These interfaces were customdeveloped by the firm’s IT group using XML. 10 With many wholesalers we have real-time electronic interfaces—they can check availability and we get their reservations instantaneously. Without the interface, if they create a reservation six or three months out, we don’t see it until reporting time, ten days out, when we receive a fax and manually input it. It is virtually impossible to revenue manage like that. Many big brands have great revenue management systems, but don’t have real-time wholesaler data. Moreover, we can write wholesale contracts brand-wide. Joe Durocher Outrigger felt that its electronic interfaces afforded it a competitive advantage and preferential treatment from interface-enabled wholesalers, a relationship that proved particularly important during slow periods or a soft economy. Electronic interfaces generated substantial efficiencies, including automatic billing and invoicing without human handling, lowering estimated costs for these functions to $0. 75 from an estimated $10 for manually handled ones. But not all wholesalers were able or interested in automating reservation processing. This lack of interest was particularly true for small operations or those for whom Hawaii and the Pacific represented a small percentage of business. The industry is a mess from a connectivity standpoint. We are fortunate that we have the in-house expertise and the recognition from senior management of how important this is. Even the big companies often don’t understand the conditions for success. The dirty little secret of the travel industry is that the fax machine still rules. Rob Solomon 10 XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language. It is a language used to create a protocol enabling computer applications of partnering firms to exchange information easily. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 114 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 I spend 30-40 hours a week working with wholesalers on interfaces. There are many legacy systems out there; the fax is state of the art. We have made great progress with the more advance wholesalers or those that upgraded recently. Alan White Outrigger found the Open Travel Alliance (OTA) XML standards, specifying common message format and common content, of great help. But being able to pick the right partner, and avoid costly failures, remained the major challenge. While Outrigger felt it had been successful to date, with an estimated 33% of total reservations received electronically through the various channels, it still handled more than half a million faxes a year—about eight hundred a day from its largest wholesaler alone before that wholesaler migrated to the electronic interface. The firm felt that it had been able to capitalize on the use of technology to increase distribution efficiencies in the face of ever rising labor costs. Conversion rates at the Central Reservation Office improved from 20% to 45%-50% with widespread consumer adoption of the Internet. The firm estimated that as much as 60% of callers had already researched the Outrigger website and made a purchase decision but, as Solomon put it, â€Å"had one more question. † In an effort to provide support right on the website, the firm introduced live chat functionalities and offered email confirmation for significant savings in labor and postage costs. DATA MANAGEMENT In 2001, Outrigger acquired business intelligence software, a data mart, and analytical tools from 11 E. piphany running on a Windows 2000 platform. The data mart held detailed data for three years, enabling analysis down to the individual guest folio. Data were consolidated afterwards, enabling only aggregate analyses. While E. piphany was a recent purchase, Outrigger had been disciplined in collecting data for some time. We had 10 years of high quality data from Stellex; we are very rigid about data capture standardization like room category, naming conventions, request codes, [and] what goes where. For example, postal and country codes are mandatory fields. Our employees’ long tenure helps, and peer pressure is a great asset— nobody wants to be the one that ruins the value of these reports for all. Alan White The data collected by Stellex, including source of business, stay information, and consumption, were extracted every night by load programs that scrubbed (i. e. , cleaned) them, and transferred them to the JD Edwards ERP system for accounting and to the E. piphany system for analysis. Feeding historical data and forward looking availability and reservation activity, Outrigger learned to harness the analytical power of E. piphany to do forecasts and generate business intelligence both at the source of business and at guest levels. We want the marketing data. It is stupid to have a treasure trove like that and not use it. We mine it. We send thank you letters to recurring guests, we can give you history on who visited, how they got here, what in-flight magazine we should hit. We sold a resort once and they figured they would have to hire 3 people to achieve manually what our reports gave them automatically. They even set their rates based on E. piphany forecasts. Alan White The IT group served as custodian of the data, but any user with security clearance had access to E. piphany data though a web interface; the data was used for marketing and operational analysis (e. g. , analysis of call patterns to evaluate the appeal of Voice over IP solutions). Incorporating the information into daily operations was more challenging. Definitions of technical terms such as Business Intelligence, Data Mart, Data Mining, and many others used throughout this case study can be found free of charge at http://www. whatis. com. 11 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 115 Outrigger found it hard to justify a frequent guest program—with an average repurchase cycle for returning guests of three years, a once a year purchase was considered very high in Hawaii resort operations. Speaking about recognition programs, Individual properties have their own customer database and a strong informal recognition system. We haven’t been able to justify the investment technologically to do it brand wide. It would be a natural extension of the recognition we give our return guests, but it must be cost-effective. Perry Sorenson If a guest did not tell us he is returning when making the reservation, our current system does not have a database with guest history. Many times we recognize our frequent return guests only at the door, or during check in at the front desk. We have special programs (e. g. , for honeymooners, wedding anniversaries), but we need to know their history to appropriately acknowledge these returning guests. VP of Operations for Outrigger’s Waikiki Beachfront Hotels Kimberly Agas, a 20 year veteran with the company, IT STAFFING AND ORGANIZATION Outrigger’s IT staff consisted of 26 full time employees. Of these, 4 data entry operators and 3 developers were housed in a separate limited liability company to help Outrigger take advantage of tax incentives offered by the state of Hawaii.