LEC 1

Structured, Semi-structured, and Unstructured Data

• Structured Data:
o Data located in a fixed field within a defined record or file
o Examples: databases, spreadsheets
o Easy to store and analyse using Structured Query Language SQL
• Semi-structured Data:
o Cross between unstructured and structured data
o Has some structure for analysis but lacks the strict structure of
databases or spreadsheets
o Examples: email conversations, website text, social media posts
• Unstructured Data:
o Data that doesn't fit neatly into traditional formats/databases
o Examples: text, video, audio, social media activity

Difference between structured and unstructured data

• Structured data:
o Highly organized and formatted
o Easily searchable in relational databases
• Unstructured data:
o No predefined format or organization
o Difficult to collect, process, and analyse

Unstructured data

• Unstructured data is qualitative data

• Cannot be processed and analysed using conventional tools and methods
• Examples: text, video, audio, mobile activity, social media activity, satellite
imagery

• Importance of unstructured data:

o More than 80 per cent of all data generated today is considered
unstructured
o Data mining techniques applied to unstructured data can help
companies learn buying habits, patterns in purchases, sentiment
towards a product, etc.

Big Data - Four V's

• Volume: Vast amounts of data, too large to store in traditional ways

• Velocity: Speed at which data is generated, captured, and moves around
• Variety: Data no longer fits into neat, easy-to-consume structures
• Veracity: Trustworthiness of the data

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1. Volume of data

• Exponential growth in data storage

• Terabytes and Petabytes of storage for enterprises
• Data includes videos, music, and large images on social media channels

2. Velocity of data

• Data is generated, captured, and moves around at a faster speed

• Technology allows for analysing data 'on the fly' without storage or
database requirements

3. Variety of data

• Today's data includes various types such as content, geo-spatial,

hardware data points, log data, machine data, metrics, etc.
• Majority of the world's data is unstructured

4. Veracity of data

• Refers to the trustworthiness of the data

• Data quality and understandability are important factors
• Unreliable and unruly data can impact data confidence

5th V?

• Reasonable doubt to add an extra V

• Business value is the most important V from a business perspective

Internal Data

• Owned by the organization

• The organization is responsible for securing and maintaining data
• Can be structured or unstructured
• Example: Netflix using internal data for repositioning themselves as a
content creator and distributor

External Data

• Exists outside the organization

• Publicly available and often owned by a third party
• Can be structured or unstructured
• Offers the capability to access and mine data for insights

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4 New Types of Data

• Sensor Data
• Photo Data & Video Data
• Conversation Data
• Activity Data: Computer record of human actions and activities that occur
online or in the offline physical world

1. Activity Data

• Provides insights on what customers actually do

• Examples: browsing online, buying a gift, tracking running activity

2. Conversation Data

• Covers any conversation in any format (SMS, instant message, social

media post, email, blogs, etc.)
• Provides insights into the happiness or satisfaction levels of clients,
employees, and suppliers
• Conversations are analysed for content (what is said) and context (how it's
said)

3. Photo and Video Data

• Generated by CCTV footage and smartphone usage

• CCTV data can be analysed to understand customer behaviour in a shop
(e.g., how they walk, where they stop, what they look at, and for how long)
• Analysis helps make alterations to offers and boost sales

4. Sensor Data

• Produced from sensors built into products

• Example: Delivery companies use sensors in drivers' phones to track
delivery routes

Types of Sensors:

• NFC Sensor: Allows payment by waving a phone over a payment machine

• Proximity Sensor: Deactivates the display to save power
• Gyroscope Sensor: Enables easy switching between portrait and
landscape mode
• Accelerometer Sensor: Measures phone movement speed (e.g., Apple
Health app)
• GPS Sensor: Tracks location for delivery packages

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LEC 2
Property Management System (PMS)

• PMS is used by Front Desk and Back Office to manage day-to-day

operations
• PMS basic functions:
o Manage bookings
o Manage room rates
o Monitor room availability & the status of the guest rooms
o Monitor the rooms' housekeeping status

PMS General Screen example

• Reservation details
• Guest information
• Room details
• Payment information
• Comments and preferences

Point-of-Sale (PoS)

• PoS basic functions & features:

o Create food & beverage orders
o Touchscreen-enabled
o Data is entered at the time and place of a purchase
o Orders are routed to the kitchen, and service bar for processing
o Some PoS systems are integrated into an F&B inventory system
and/or PMS system
o It can also be used in bars and restaurants but also in other hotel
facilities (shops, golf courses, etc.)

Customer Relationship Management System (CRM)

• A CRM is an application (database) used to store guest data

• CRM systems are used to:
o Better understand the hotel guests and their preferences
o Understand guest needs by analysing substantial amounts of data
o Sell products and services adapted to their needs
o Support Sales & Marketing initiatives

Main booking sources

• Direct Bookings (individual or corporate)

• Online Travel Agents (OTA's)
• Global Distribution Systems (GDS)

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Channel Manager (CM)

• Some PMS systems do not receive bookings from online travel agencies
directly
• Channel Manager is an application used to connect hotel reservations
systems to online distribution channels
o Booking.com, Expedia, Global Distribution Systems (GDS)

PMS, CRS, channel manager, and booking engine interrelation

Business Intelligence

• The use of high-level software intelligence for business applications

On-premise and Cloud-based systems

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On-premise and Cloud-based systems

Cloud-based systems; Key Characteristics

• On-demand self-service: Hotels can obtain or change computing server

time or network storage automatically, as needed, and on their own (no
intermediaries).
• Measured service: Charges for cloud resources are based on the amount
of resources (server time, storage) used or reserved.
• Network access from anywhere: Cloud resources can be accessed using
standard networks (e.g., Wi-Fi) and Internet devices (cell phones,
computers, etc.). The user generally does not know where in the world the
computing resources are located.

Systems structure of mainstream hotels

• Rooms
o Optimizing pricing/margin
o Check-in / Check-out process
• F&B / others
o Outlets
o Shops
• Support
o Finance department
o Marketing and sales
o Maintenance/housekeeping
o Human resources

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Systems used in Hotels

API

In a nutshell:

• API stands for Application Programming Interface

• An API is a set of definitions and protocols for building and integrating
application software.
• Software applications can communicate with each other and transfer data
over the internet using an API.

APIs are mechanisms that enable two software components to communicate

with each other using a set of definitions and protocols.

For example, the weather bureau’s software system contains daily weather data.
The weather app on your phone “talks” to this system via APIs and shows you
daily weather updates on your phone.

What does API stand for?

API stands for Application Programming Interface:

• Application refers to any software with a distinct function.

• Interface can be thought of as a contract of service between two
applications. This contract defines how the two communicate with each
other using requests and responses.
• Their API documentation contains information on how developers are to
structure those requests and responses.

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LEC 3
Data to knowledge transformation (p.31) – D.I.K

• D.I.K. Pyramid/Hierarchy:

• Limitations of D.I.K. pyramid:

o Assumes knowledge is only a storable entity within an Information
System (explicit)
o Ignores knowledge residing in people's minds (tacit)
o Ignores decision-maker knowledge, experience, and insights

• Explicit Knowledge:
o Data, information
o Documents
o Records
o Files

• Tacit Knowledge:
o Experience
o Thinking
o Competence
o Commitment

Data to knowledge transformation - D.I.K. to BDAKM

• D.I.K. pyramid is a limited way to view the relationship between data,

information and knowledge and relate it to management decision-making
• BDAKM (Big data, Analytics & Knowledge Management) model to better
view the relationship between data, information, and knowledge

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Data to knowledge transformation (p.34) – BDAKM

3 reasons management initiates collection and analysis of Big Data:

1. Supporting operations
2. Exploring new business opportunities
3. Providing up-to-date information for tactical and strategic decision making

Management opportunities with Big Data and Analytics (p.36)

• Examples of companies using big data to add value in business areas:

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Management challenges with Big Data and Analytics

• Challenges faced in utilizing big data and analytics:

Analytics evolution – in Big Data (p.47)

• Big Data 1.0 (driver, internet & use of e-commerce)

o data generated by individuals using the internet and firms with
online presence
• Big Data 2.0 (starting from 2005)
o data generated by users through interactions and sharing content
on social media
• Big Data 3.0 (current era is IoT)
o data generated by sensors, wearables, mobile devices, etc.

Analytics evolution – from data to information (p.49)

• Data needs to be tailored into knowledge to create value and insights

• Question: How do we get from data to information in the age of big data?

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Types of Analytics (p.50)

• Descriptive analytics: Describes the current state or what has happened

• Diagnostic analytics: Determines the cause or why something happened

Types of Analytics – Descriptive/Diagnostic in detail

• Descriptive analytics: Finding the root cause for revenue decline

• Diagnostic analytics: Increasing, decreasing, stable

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LEC 4
Dual process theory

Specific roles of data analytics

• Data analytics is solely found in system 2

• Human judgment found in both systems

Decision types, decision process (p. 91)

• Simple / Operational
• Complicated / Tactical
• Complex / Strategic

Overview – System & Decision types (p.91)

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5 Roles for human judgment: (p.104)

1. Initial assessment – I think I use my intuition…

2. Enrichment of Analytics – Why would that be?
3. Sense-check and Data challenging – Can you confirm the integrity
or quality of the data?
4. Identifier of Need – What kind of info needed to tackle the problem?
5. Overruling of Analytics – Other influences that are more important

Roles of human judgment applied to a hotel sales problem:

7 Roles data analytics

1. Enabler of Judgment – We have data to understand the situation better

2. Confirmation – Does the date confirm the theory?
3. Challenger of Judgment – Show and compare
4. Identification – Making clear where one’s failing
5. Exploration – Unearth patterns not evident to intuition
6. Justification – Objective validation if you’re in or out
7. No Brainer – Data is so black and white, results are certain

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