1. Visit the MICROS Systems Web site to learn more about its products for the global market. In what ways do you think the company can increase sales in Africa, Asia, and Latin America? How might the company have to adapt to conditions in these countries?

2. Imagine you are the manager of a sports arena. What sorts of hardware and software would help you manage such a large facility?

Major installations, such as resorts or sports stadiums, have requirements well beyond those of, say, a small office. They must be able to provide a safe and secure environment for events involving thousands, or even tens of thousands, of guests or fans. They need to keep track of reservations or ticket sales and ensure well-stocked dining facilities or concession stands. Certain companies have made a specialty of meeting the information-technology needs of such immense venues.

MICROS Systems, with headquarters in Maryland, is a leading developer of information technology systems for the hospitality industry, with 90 distributors in 50 countries. The company provides hardware and software solutions for 310,000 restaurant clients, from Burger King to Hilton Hotels in the United States. Its MICROS-Fidelio subsidiary has more than 25,000 installations around the world for the hotel chains Travelodge and InterContinental Hotels Group, among others. The company’s new MICROS-Retail group has enabled it to branch out into the retail industry, with clients such as Aéropostale, Starbucks, and IKEA.

One MICROS client is the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas. This four-star resort has almost 400 hotel rooms and suites, a 92,000-square-foot casino, nine restaurants and five separate bars, meeting and conference space, a full spa, and a large plaza for special events. The hardware and software that MICROS installed coordinates into a single-system, 120 point-of-sale workstations, including the restaurants, bars, wine cellar, room service, and many other services. The system’s hosted environment means lower emissions and use of electricity. MICROS’s disaster recovery helps the resort come back online from outages in less time and using fewer resources. The resort will be able to expand the scale of this technology without additional infrastructure expenses as it plans for a large retail center and a 14-screen digital movie complex.

The Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas has used a MICROS hospitality management system package to institute a cashless environment. Previously, guests paid with cash or credit cards. The new system still allows credit card use but also offers another option. At check-in each guest is issued a magnetic-striped key card that operates the room door, keeps track of casino activity, and permits purchases. Each card has the guest’s name imprinted on it. At transactions, employees ask the guest to confirm the room number. Guests no longer have to worry about keeping their cash secure. Revenues have increased, which also benefits the employees, who receive a percentage of each sale as a gratuity required by Bahamas law.

The New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey is twice as large as the stadium it replaced. With seating for 82,500, it is a showcase for the New York Giants and New Jersey Jets football teams, as well as for big-name concerts, college football, and international soccer. Due to a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it is also one of the greenest American sports venues. MICROS Systems has installed hardware and software that will meet the large-scale requirements of the stadium. The hardware includes workstations, terminals, and hand-held devices. MICROS software applications manages the stadium’s inventory and purchasing, the luxury suites and their catering needs, and the dining facilities. Customer relations software tracks sales, recognizes season-ticket holders and other core clientele, and cultivates new customers. Peter Brickman, the chief technology officer of the stadium, said, “The combination of innovative integrated solutions, advanced technology, security, reliable hardware, robust reporting, and open source friendly architecture made MICROS the only choice for our concession needs.”