Reference no: EM133083181

CASE STUDY:

The Stand Hotel has 100 rooms, two restaurants, a function center, and 3 bars. The current departments, each of which has a manager, are room service, housekeeping, front office, catering, and functions. Each manager has a mobile phone and a pager that operates in the hotel. There are approximately 100 staff on the books with 25 people employed at any one time, unless there is a function when the number of staff will increase. All managers have a computer on their desk with full unrestricted internet access. In the break rooms there are also computers with full internet access where employees can check their email or play a few games. Each has a personal assistant (PA) to manage appointments, do typing, and generally assist the manager. Each of the Personal Assistants have a foot-controlled transcription machine to control playback from their manager's dictation machine. There are two different models but the foot-controlled transcription machines work with all foot pedal machines. As well as the desktop computers, three of the managers have laptop computers that they are allowed to take home so they can access their email and appointments. The other managers have refused the option as they either have their own computers or do not perform company business at home. Each person has a business email address that is accessible from home and it is into these accounts that rosters and important notices and other information is sent. It is deemed that once the email has been sent that it will be read by employees and there is time allocated in each shift to allow the reading of emails. People that are not rostered on are required to read their emails remotely. The business has tried other methods but this has proven the most reliable. There is a proposal to change to SMS notification but there have been issues with telephone numbers, with people changing their number and not getting their message. Many staff have set up a system where the emails sent to their business address are automatically sent to their private address and they never actually check their business address. There are four photocopiers that are also uncontrolled, so any staff can copy an item for any number. It was rumored that one person made several copies of the music that his son was to play at a competition. Because the usage has been acceptable management believes that any unnecessary copying is minimal and not worth the effort to remove as any security procedures would not prove cost effective and introduce unwanted and unnecessary impediments into the operation of the business. The function center has a digital still camera, a digital movie camera, and a film still camera that are used to record important events that can be used in the promotion of the establishment. They are used by the other departments and administration, but remain the responsibility of the functions department. They are stored in a stationery room which has a lock, but is never locked because the exact location of the key is unknown.

The front office and administration have faxes that are available for all departments, there were previously more, but email has replaced faxes to a large degree and the number of operating machines has been reduced to the remaining two. The business is experimenting with the development of a wiki to enhance the sharing of common information with all in the business. The responsibility for its use and development has been shared with the PA of the CEO and the sole member of the IT department. Only 50 of the rooms have internet access and, as there are only 20 computers in the building, there is not a great deal to be done. The Property Management Software that manages the bookings and the general management of the hotel is run on a server in a server center where all management, service, and care is administered by computer experts. They have one server which has Microsoft Office, Adobe Print Premium, software for the Dictaphones and transcription machines, as well as various other software programs. They are all stored in a shoebox in the bottom of a desk drawer, under a couple of books that were purchased to assist initial training but have not been used for some time as "everybody knows office" and there is no need for training.

Answer the following questions:

1. Identify all items that could be identified as business tools.

2. Construct a register form that will cover all tools identified in question 1.

3. Fill in all details with the information from the case.

4. Identify the items that should have a training plan.

5. Pick three of the tools listed in question one and identify any key issues that should be considered about the use of the tool and that should be explained to the user.

6. List any procedures or steps that management should introduce in the future to improve the operation and management of business tools.