Sales motivation & morale during extreme times of change

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the United States entered a recession in December 2007. (Woodworth, 2010). The hospitality industry has been hit extremely hard by this economic downturn. With clients cutting costs, there is less business to be had by the same, and in many cases, a growing number of hotels. At the same time, hotels are forced to cut costs in any number of ways to remain viable. This may mean scaling back services, staffing reductions and cuts in employee benefits. However, there is a point where a company simply cannot cut anymore without doing more harm than good. Once cuts start to affect the service provided to the guest they can actually cause a decrease in revenues rather than help the business be profitable. Ultimately, at some point, cost cuts and operational streamlining is just not enough and a hospitality organization must find a way to drive additional revenue. The sales department is the natural place to start since this department is a profit center with a direct impact on revenues. So how does a company drive the sales team to produce in an environment, which in its very nature, is one where there is less business to be had? Motivation is the key. Much has been written about motivation in the workplace and sales motivation in particular, but little about the hospitality industry, specifically hotels. And even less about motivating in extreme environments or times of economic stress. The current state of our economy and the effect it has had on the hospitality industry exemplifies how important it is to take the study of sales motivation to the next level. Through several case studies of hotel companies weathering the current economic environment, this paper will seek to discover the best practices of motivating a hotel sales team in difficult circumstances. The study examines what strategies property owners, management companies and brands are taking to motivate their sales teams and ultimately drive revenues. Specific areas of concentration are sales organization structure, target markets, compensation, benefits, sales process and new tactics implemented as a result of the economic environment

Protecting the Least of These: A New Approach to Child Pornography Pandering Provisions

The pandering of child pornography - selling, distributing, or conveying the impression that one possesses sexually graphic images of children for sale or distribution - facilitates actual harm to children, such as molestation. Yet legislative attempts to curb pandering inevitably implicate concerns about panderers\u27 First Amendment rights. This Note argues that in balancing the vulnerability of children against the power of the First Amendment, the law must shift to focus more on the subject of this grievous harm - children. This approach will appropriately extend protection to a subset of the population that is least able to protect itself

Surface infrastructure functions, requirements and subsystems for a manned Mars mission

Planning and development for a permanently manned scientific outpost on Mars requires an in-depth understanding and analysis of the functions the outpost is expected to perform. The optimum configuration that accomplishes these functions then arises during the trade studies process. In a project this complex, it becomes necessary to use a formal methodology to document the design and planning process. The method chosen for this study is called top-down functional decomposition. This method is used to determine the functions that are needed to accomplish the overall mission, then determine what requirements and systems are needed to do each of the functions. This method facilitates automation of the trades and options process. In the example, this was done with an off-the shelf software package called TK! olver. The basic functions that a permanently manned outpost on Mars must accomplish are: (1) Establish the Life Critical Systems; (2) Support Planetary Sciences and Exploration; and (3) Develop and Maintain Long-term Support Functions, including those systems needed towards self-sufficiency. The top-down functional decomposition methology, combined with standard spread sheet software, offers a powerful tool to quickly assess various design trades and analyze options. As the specific subsystems, and the relational rule algorithms are further refined, it will be possible to very accurately determine the implications of continually evolving mission requirements

FREE TRADE IMPACTS ON U.S. AND SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE: DISCUSSION

International Relations/Trade,

MARKETING ORDERS AND MARKET SEGMENTATION: MATCHING PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS TO CONSUMER PREFERENCES

A proposed amendment to the federal marketing order for Florida fresh citrus would eliminate Canada from the domestic market definition and include it in the export market category. Adoption of this amendment would permit smaller sized grapefruit to enter the Canadian market while maintaining more rigid minimum size restrictions in the domestic U.S. market. This variation in minimum size standards recognizes the perceived preferences for smaller-sized grapefruit among Canadian consumers. Using market order definitions to separate identifiable market segments facilitates the matching of product characteristics to consumer preferences. This paper evaluates the impacts of the proposed marketing order amendments.Consumer/Household Economics,

THE IMPACT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON THE IMPORT, EXPORT AND DISTRIBUTION OF CITRUS

Agricultural and Food Policy,

AGRICULTURAL TRADE LIBERALIZATION UNDER NAFTA: REPORTING ON THE REPORT CARD

International Relations/Trade,

It's Time for Summer: An Analysis of Recent Policy and Funding Opportunities

Recommends ways to improve and expand summer learning programs by better coordinating federal, state and local programs, including ensuring that federal program regulations explicitly allow spending for summer programs and creating funding collaboratives

Report of the In Situ Resources Utilization Workshop

The results of a workshop of 50 representatives from the public and private sector which investigated the potential joint development of the key technologies and mechanisms that will enable the permanent habitation of space are presented. The workshop is an initial step to develop a joint public/private assessment of new technology requirements of future space options, to share knowledge on required technologies that may exist in the private sector, and to investigate potential joint technology development opportunities. The majority of the material was produced in 5 working groups: (1) Construction, Assembly, Automation and Robotics; (2) Prospecting, Mining, and Surface Transportation; (3) Biosystems and Life Support; (4) Materials Processing; and (5) Innovative Ventures. In addition to the results of the working groups, preliminary technology development recommendations to assist in near-term development priority decisions are presented. Finally, steps are outlined for potential new future activities and relationships among the public, private, and academic sectors

The Association Between Distances Traveled for Care and Treatment Choices for Pelvic Floor Disorders in a Rural Southwestern Population

OBJECTIVES: To determine if distance traveled for care influenced patient choice for conservative vs. surgical treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and/or stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all new patients seen in the Urogynecology clinic at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) from January 2007 through September 2011. Data collected included medical history, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POPQ) examination, and validated quality of life questionnaires. RESULTS: 1384 women were identified with POP and/or SUI. Women traveled an average of 50 miles to receive care at UNMH. After multivariable analysis, greater distance traveled was associated with increased likelihood of choosing surgery, OR 1.45 [1.18-1.76]. More advanced disease as measured by higher stage of prolapse, OR 3.43 [2.30-5.11], and positive leak with empty supine cough test, OR 1.94 [1.45-2.59] were also associated with choosing surgical management. CONCLUSIONS: Women who travel further for care and women with more advanced pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence are more likely to choose surgical management for pelvic floor disorders