How Information Is Stored

Checkpoint: How Information is Stored

Paticia Bradley

HTT 220

Leigh Lawrie

September 4th, 2011

All hospitality systems are designed to help managers collect, manage, share, and interpret data. The systems in use today are many and diverse and it can be difficult to aggregate data and report on them. This is especially true when trying to aggregate data across departments, properties, and brands. Two systems that run behind the scenes of all hospitality industries, whose specific purpose is to help aggregate, analyze, interpret, and report data from multiple systems are the executive information system (EIS) and the decision support system (DSS). An EIS is the information central or a command center of sorts, and a DSS has many of the same capabilities of an EIS except it is much more sophisticated. Through advances in technology such as more open and integrated systems, greater organizational connectivity, and better reporting and analysis tools, the situation has greatly improved, giving managers access to more timely data as well as tools to help interpret the results quickly and effectively

The information collected by an EIS is intended to be used by top executives, with an emphasis of graphical displays and easy to use interfaces. They offer strong reporting and drill down capabilities as well as monitor performance and identify opportunities and problems. Traditionally the purpose of an EIS was to collect and store company’s data and provide sales performance or market research statistics for decision makers. In addition to collecting data, executive information systems provides timely delivery of company summary information, filters data for management, and offers efficiency to decision makers. The system tends to be visual (i.e., graphical) in nature, using charts to depict trends and performance over time. It also uses color and sound to call attention to key areas. The system can also be integrated with the company’s electronic mail...