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Trends on Mobile Devices: An Observation at the 16th Graduate Conference in Hospitality and Tourism

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Last June, I discussed the importance of cell phones in business after I attended the 62nd Annual SHRM Conference and Exposition. On Jan 6th and 7th, I attended this year’s Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference (Graduate Conference) in Hospitality and Tourism. I was glad to find two research studies about mobile phones: one proposal discusses mobile apps and their effects on brand awareness and brand loyalty; the other study examines the role of mobile apps in addressing tourists’ information needs.

I actually feel mobile devices deserve more research attention from the academia because I expect that mobile devices will become the next wave of business trends. For this Graduate Conference, I flew Continental and used the IAH Airport. I was surprised to find out that I can now fly with paperless boarding passes at IAH. Not long ago, Continental introduced “mobile boarding passes” that allows travelers to check in at the security checkpoint and board a flight at the gate with their mobile devices (as shown in the embedded AP News/YouTube video). Even though Continental only provides this service in about 55 airports at this point, the airline has recorded more than 4 million times of travelers using “mobile boarding passes.” It seems that mobile devices can be used for almost everything in everywhere, isn’t it?

How important do you see mobile devices in today’s and tomorrow’s business? What research about mobile devices could be important to business as well as to academia?


References:
Go Mobile. (January, 2011). Continental. p. 70.
The YouTube video was shared via http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kG65WWS_w0.
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Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 20, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    I think this idea of a paperless boarding pass is a great idea for people who seem to travel a lot or for those that tend to misplace things easily. I know for myself when I travel on trips for softball I have ended up miss placing my boarding pass and have to run to a counter and go through the hassle of having them get all my security information again to get a new boarding pass that way I am not left behind, but if I had the paperless boarding pass I feel like one I wouldn't have to freak out as much to make sure I did not miss place my boarding pass as often as I do now and two that it would save me the hassle of making sure I didn't give the person at the gate who takes the tickets the wrong ticket so that on my connecting flight I now am missing another ticket where if it is on my phone I feel that there would be more organization so that I only have to pull up one tab for them to look at for one flight and pull up the other for them to look at on the next flight. I feel the paperless boarding pass is a new invention that if regulated in more airports will take off soon around the world.
    -Ashley Dimon

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  2. (Amy) Hiu Ping TinJanuary 31, 2011 at 5:50 AM

    To my surprise, Technology are growing amazingly quick. This is a really creative idea to 1."Go Green" idea. 2. Security (of losing passport) 3. Efficient. Though I very stable & systematic system has to build up to ensure there are no problem with the computers/scanners used, or else a day's flight can turn to a chaotic situation.
    Another problem, would be how advanced knowledge do the passengers have to upgrade themselves? New programs& technology are introduced...will their phone of large variety of version get compatible with the "newest" program? ( i have thought of this as serious problem, similar to how Apple, Andriod, Blackberry's program are different, & Iphone is already 4, not 3 or 3G...etc)

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  3. kennadyJune 8, 2011 at 11:44 PM

    Nice posting...Everyday new technologies are getting launched with amazing features.iWedPlanner introduce great wedding planning mobile app to plan wedding easily.here iWedPlanner mobile app gives amazing facility to plan your wedding.Download today these useful wedding planner mobile app.Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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