PRE-CONFERENCE (1 WORKSHOP)
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

CURRENT TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY SALES & MARKETING

Robert A. Gilbert,
CHME, CHA, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International

Sales and marketing professionals today are faced with a dynamically changing landscape. Global trends include changing customers, the convergence of sales, marketing, revenue management, and distribution, and a myriad of other key issues. Findings will be presented from the latest HSMAI survey highlighting the top challenges of sales and marketing professionals from around the world. Strategic solutions to these challenges will be reviewed.

Srikanth Beldona, PhD.,
Assistant Professor, HRIM - University of Delaware, USA

Marketing on the internet is now an imperative for the travel industry. As internet penetration around the world significantly increases, customers are going to seek detail of information and real time confirmations. For the Caribbean, this is important because its most lucrative markets are in countries where customers are more proficient in Internet use. Based on findings from relevant research, this session will focus on consumer behavior on the internet, which includes trends in online pleasure travel planning, paid search and organic search and review important metrics for effective management of marketing efforts on the internet.

POST-CONFERENCE (2 WORKSHOPS)
Saturday, October 11, 2008
09:00 – 12:00

ASSURANCE OF LEARNING IN BUSINESS SCHOOLS

Thomas Calderon, PhD.,
Professor of Accountancy
Chair – School of Accountancy, University of Akron, Ohio, USA.

Participants will learn about approaches used by various business programmes in the U.S.A. and elsewhere to define programme learning goals, identify expectations, define attention-directing evidence, collect and analyze evidence, report performance, and take appropriate corrective action to improve learning at the programme level. Current examples and active learning methods will be used. This workshop would be most appropriate for faculty and administrators of business programmes. Non-business faculty and administrators may also benefit but examples and cases used in the workshop will be oriented toward business-related disciplines.

Saturday, October 11, 2008
09:00 – 15:00

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN FRAUD DETECTION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES

Colin Greenland,
CFSA, Chief Internal Auditor & Forensic Audit Specialist,

Jamaica Tourist Board:

Olubusola Akinladejo,
Lawyer and Lecturer, University of Technology, Jamaica;

Andrew Gordon,
Lecturer, University of Technology, Jamaica;

Ethlyn Norton-Coke,
Legal Counsel & Compliance Officer, University of Technology, Jamaica

In a global environment rife with risks and fraudulent practices, participants will be exposed to new developments in detecting fraudulent activities in various organizations. It is equally important to learn about new technological tools available in facilitating and preventing such activities and building sound financial systems that will deter such practices. Building awareness on the laws relating to fraud in Jamaica and the region will be an important feature of this workshop.

Internal Auditing (for fraud prevention/detection) in a technologically enhanced environment

• Best practice in Audit Planning with a fraud detection/prevention emphasis
• Risk-based auditing
• Auditing e-commerce applications and e-commerce based business systems

Fraud Prevention – Important features of Jamaica’s legal and Corporate Governance framework

• Discuss Jamaican laws related to fraud
• Identify steps used in conducting such investigations
• Discuss legal safeguards peculiar to the Public Sector

Role of Forensic Computing in Fraud Prevention/Detection

• Identify new technologies used in fraud prevention/detection strategies
• Computer Security Risks and Remedies
• Investigating internet and email crime
• Monitoring Trademark and Copyright infringements

Fraud Prevention/Detection – The Law Enforcement Perspective

• Latest technological developments in fraud detection.
• Typical areas of ignorance about fraud detection/prevention on the part business persons

Click to download Conference Brochure