Thesis (Ph. D.)--Duke University, 2008.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-184). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Tjia Sau-wah, Susana. / Includes Chinese questionaire. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-83). / ABSTRACT --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF EXHIBITS --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.vii / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Organization of the Study --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- China's Economic Development --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- China's Industries --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Effect of the Economic Development --- p.3 / Chapter l .3 --- Fast Food Industry In China --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Environmental Factors Contributing to the Growth of Fast Food Chains in China --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- High Consumption Power --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- High Population Growth Rate --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Changing Consumer Taste --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4.4. --- Social Changes --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4.5 --- Keen Competition within the Hong Kong Fast Food Market --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5 --- Investment in China --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Overview of China Foreign Investment --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Doing Business in China --- p.11 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- The Regional Policy of China --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- China's Tertiary Industry --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.5 --- China's Investment Prospects --- p.17 / Chapter II. --- RESEARCH FRAMEWORK AND OBJECTIVES --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1 --- Research Interest --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Why Study Fast Food in China --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Why Shenzhen? --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2 --- Purpose of the Study --- p.21 / Chapter III. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.23 / Chapter 3.1 --- Highlights of Consumer Behavioral Studies --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2 --- Consumer Behavior --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Individual Differences --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Environmental Forces --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Psychological Processes --- p.25 / Chapter 3.3 --- Consumer Decision Making Process --- p.25 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Problem Recognition --- p.25 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Information Search --- p.27 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Alternative Evaluation and Decision --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Post-Purchase Assessment --- p.28 / Chapter 3.4 --- Consumer Behavior's Role in the Design of the Marketing Strategy --- p.29 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Market Segmentation --- p.30 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Product --- p.30 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Pricing --- p.31 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Promotion --- p.31 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Distribution --- p.31 / Chapter 3.4.6 --- Conclusion --- p.32 / Chapter 3.5 --- Personal Influences --- p.32 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- The Concept of Group --- p.32 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Primary and Secondary Reference Groups --- p.33 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Group Influences --- p.34 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Word-of-Mouth Influence --- p.35 / Chapter 3.5.5 --- Implications of Personal Influence --- p.35 / Chapter 3.6 --- Fast Food Operations --- p.36 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Origin of Fast Food --- p.36 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Considerations in Doing Fast Food Business --- p.36 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- The Definition of Fast Food --- p.37 / Chapter IV. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.38 / Chapter 4.1 --- Before Starting the Secondary Data Search --- p.38 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Secondary Data Search --- p.38 / Chapter 4.2 --- Primary Data Collection --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Field Observation --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.2. --- Personal Interviews --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Questionnaire --- p.42 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Sampling --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Method of Administration --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Data Analysis --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Data Presentation --- p.46 / Chapter V. --- FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS --- p.47 / Chapter 5.1 --- General Purchase and Consumption Patterns --- p.47 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Definition of Fast Food --- p.47 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Brand awareness --- p.48 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Type of Fast Food Available --- p.48 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Frequency of Visits --- p.49 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Time of Consumption and Purchase --- p.49 / Chapter 5.1.6 --- Consumer Expenditure on Fast Food --- p.50 / Chapter 5.1.7 --- The Advertising Strategy --- p.51 / Chapter 5.1.8 --- Channels of Communication --- p.51 / Chapter 5.1.9 --- Ideal Location for Fast Food Shops --- p.52 / Chapter 5.1.10 --- Companions in Visiting Fast Food Shops --- p.53 / Chapter 5.2 --- Cross-Tabulation Analysis --- p.54 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Style of Food Choice --- p.54 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Frequency of Visits --- p.57 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Expenditures on Fast Food --- p.60 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Influence on Visits --- p.61 / Chapter 5.3 --- Marketing Mix Influencing Buying Decisions --- p.62 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Motivating Factors Influencing Buying Decisions --- p.62 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Impact of Promotional Activities --- p.63 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Impact of Location Aspects --- p.64 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Impact of Product Attributes --- p.65 / Chapter 5.3.5 --- Impact of Service Quality --- p.66 / Chapter VI. --- RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.67 / Chapter 6.1 --- Target Markets for Fast Food --- p.67 / Chapter 6.2 --- Marketing Mix for Fast Food Operators --- p.68 / Chapter 6.3 --- The Recommended Marketing Mix --- p.69 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Product Strategy --- p.69 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Pricing Strategy --- p.71 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Place (Location) Strategy --- p.72 / Chapter 6.3.4 --- Promotional Strategy --- p.74 / Chapter 6.4 --- Concluding Comments --- p.76 / Chapter VII. --- LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY --- p.78 / Chapter 7.1 --- Heterogeneous Population in China --- p.78 / Chapter 7.2 --- Time and Resource Constraints --- p.78 / Chapter 7.3 --- Sampling Method --- p.79 / Chapter 7.4 --- Small Sample Size --- p.79 / Chapter 7.5 --- Seasonal Factor --- p.79 / Chapter 7.6 --- Response and Non-response Bias --- p.80 / Chapter 7.7 --- Reliability and Validity --- p.80 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.81 / APPENDICES --- p.84

by Tam Wing-Yi, Yung Nga-Lai Anna. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-90). / ABSTRACT --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ii / LIST OF CHARTS --- p.v / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.v / CHAPTER / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT OF CATERING INDUSTRY --- p.3 / Demographic Environment --- p.4 / Economic Environment --- p.5 / Social-cultural Environment --- p.7 / Chapter III. --- THE INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT OF CATERING MARKET IN HONG KONG --- p.8 / Rivalry among Competing Firms in Industry --- p.9 / Cafe de Coral --- p.9 / Fairwood Holdings --- p.10 / Maxim's Group --- p.11 / Local small individual fast food restaurants --- p.11 / McDonald's --- p.12 / Kentucky Fried Chicken --- p.13 / Delifrance --- p.13 / Threats of New entrance --- p.14 / Bargaining Power of Customers --- p.14 / Threats of Substitutes --- p.16 / Influence of Stakeholder --- p.17 / Comments from nutrition specialists --- p.18 / Government regulations --- p.18 / Environmentalists --- p.19 / Bargaining Power of Suppliers --- p.20 / Summary of the analysis on Industry Environment --- p.21 / Chapter IV. --- THE EXISTING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGMENT IN FAST FOOD INDUSTRY --- p.23 / The current role of CRM in fast food industry in Hong Kong --- p.24 / Chapter V. --- CUSTOMER SURVEY --- p.27 / Positioning of fast food restaurants ranked by customers --- p.28 / Customers' consumption behaviours --- p.29 / Number of visits --- p.30 / Factors influencing the choice --- p.30 / Factors creating negative experience --- p.37 / Summary of results --- p.40 / Chapter VI. --- RECOMMENDATION ON IMPLEMENTING CRM IN FAST FOOD INDUSTRY --- p.41 / Consideration of Implementing CRM --- p.41 / Define the objective --- p.43 / Define the customer --- p.44 / Design of the CRM business model in the business operation --- p.45 / Implementation and Training --- p.47 / Data collecting from customers --- p.48 / Data Analysis for Branch Control --- p.50 / Data Transfer to Suppliers --- p.51 / Data Flow to Financials and Accounting --- p.51 / Data used by Sales and Marketing --- p.52 / Data Analysis for Procurement and Inventory Control --- p.52 / Staff Arrangement --- p.53 / "Measure Results, Maintain and Operate " --- p.53 / Chapter VII. --- THE IMPORTANCE OF CRM TO THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY --- p.55 / Winning in the Competition --- p.56 / Easy to define target customers --- p.58 / Retain Loyal Customers and Attract New Customers --- p.59 / Improve Customer Service --- p.60 / Improved marketing and cross-selling effectiveness --- p.60 / Improve brand / corporate image --- p.61 / Utilization of resources --- p.62 / Coordination with external parties --- p.63 / Facilitate of internal operation --- p.63 / Chapter VIII. --- THE REASON FOR LOW USAGE OF CRM IN THE INDUSTRY --- p.65 / Chapter IX. --- CONCLUSION --- p.68 / APPENDIXES --- p.69 / Appendix 1 Exhibit 1 ： The statistics of restaurant receipts & purchase for 2Q 2002 --- p.69 / Appendix 2 Exhibit 2： The movement of total restaurant receipts 2Q 2002 --- p.69 / Appendix 3 Exhibit 3: The GDP of Hong Kong from (2001 -2002) --- p.70 / Appendix 4 Exhibit 4： The Employment distribution --- p.70 / Appendix 5 Exhibit 5： The population structure in year 2001 --- p.70 / Appendix 6 Exhibit 6: The 5-Year Financial Summary of Cafe De Coral --- p.71 / Appendix 7 The English and Chinese version of the questionnaire --- p.73 / Appendix 8 Results of the survey： Part 1 --- p.79 / Appendix 9 Results of the survey： Part II --- p.80 / Appendix 10 Results of the survey： Part III --- p.85 / Appendix 11 Results of the survey： Implication --- p.87 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.88

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Over the last decade there has been a rapid development of United States quick service restaurant companies such as KFC and McDonalds in China. Increasingly urban Chinese consumers patronize these restaurants as a way to experience American culture. For some it is becoming a part of their eating pattern. Recent health studies have demonstrated that nutritional diseases are increasing in China. This study accessed urban Chinese consumers' perceptions about U.S. quick service restaurants and their knowledge about the nutritional value that U.S. quick service food can provide. This study revealed that Chinese consumers' perceptions and knowledge about U.S. quick service impacts their patronage. Additionally, the study determined correlation between consumer patronage and reported health status as well as consumers' length of patronage negative influence on their health status. The results of this study will help U.S. quick service restaurants in educating consumers on nutrition and improving the menus.

This study aimed to address consumers' stereotypical categorizations in the form of essentialist views about foreign cultures and their effect on individual consumers, including their negative or aroused emotions and subsequent retail patronage behaviors. The research mission was to empirically assess the salient dimensions of consumers' states of mind (positive and negative affect, psychological essentialism, epistemic curiosity), states of being (store atmospherics), and states of action (retail patronage behaviors) in a cultural context based on Mehrabian-Russell theory of environmental psychology. Specifically, the retail patronage setting was selected as foreign-based fast-food franchises because it represents both a relevant and timely situational context for consumer behavior. This dissertation makes several contributions to international retail patronage literature. First, it frames curiosity as an aroused emotional state and finds support for the relationship between consumer epistemic curiosity and retail patronage. Second, it provides support for the linkage between consumer affect and retail patronage in an international retail setting. Third, it reveals that affect has a greater impact on retail patronage than epistemic curiosity. The overarching finding of this study is an inability to tie the cultural elements in retail atmospherics, including signs, symbols, and artifacts, to consumer emotions. In addition, we were unable to frame psychological essentialism as a personality trait that would reduce the levels of affect and curiosity in retail store environments characterized by foreign-cultural elements.

The thesis offers a gastronomic meditation on the ambiguity and complexity of meanings signified by McDonald’s as one of the most powerful food symbols of the late twentieth-century Western society. Using an advance on the structuralist perspective, the thesis argues that it is important to understand food not simply as a surface representation of the social order but as a product of a constant, constitutive dialectic between order and disorder and a dual perception of order. The search for the complex meanings of McDonald’s is pursued firstly by bringing the concept of disorder to centre stage to form a dialectic relationship between order and disorder; secondly, by setting McDonald’s at the interface of modernity and post modernity, positioned in an intersection of two competing versions of the history of food and of order as expressed through food. Here the dominant historical narrative expresses the triumph of the order of the bourgeoisie through the work of Elias and ‘the civilizing process’, with the counter-narrative of Bakhtin’s theory of the carnivalesque highlighting the continuing importance of disorder. These narratives are explored at two key moments of food history, where the order/disorder dialectic can be seen to play a different role. The first is the interface of medieval ‘disorder’ and the coming bourgeois order of modernity, where Rabelais is the key text and secondly; the early nineteenth-century, where Brillat-Savarin is used as a marker of the triumph of eighteenth-century rationalism. It is only by reference to the order/disorder dialectic and the duality of order that the ambiguity of complex food symbols such as McDonald’s can be better understood, and thus become, importantly, a meditation on the nature of society in the pursuit of an examined existence. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Background: Innovation is an important aspect of business today. It is important for companies to be innovative in order to stay competitive with their competitors. During the last couple of decades, technology has become more and more common both in our daily life, as well as in businesses. This has lead to an increase in technology implementation, especially within the service industry, where customers now can use self-service technologies in order to receive the service on their own. However, a lack of self-service technologies was discovered within the fast food industry. Since these types of innovations increased the service efficiency and decreased the waiting-time for customers, the authors believed that this would be very interesting for local managers within the fast food industry. Therefore, the authors began to investigate how much power local management has over these types of new innovations. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore how local management affects the innovation process, within fast food restaurant chains. Method: By conducting a cross-case study with the two fast food companies Subway and Max, the authors interviewed local fast food managers in order to explore the effect local management have on the innovation process. These two cases were selected since Subway fully consists of franchisees, while Max is almost completely company owned. Therefore, the two most common organizational structures within the fast food industry are included which will provide a more fair view of the industry. Conclusion: The effect of the innovation process has a positive relationship with the amount of power distributed to the local management. However, these areas differ depending on the organizational structure, with franchisees achieving their highest amount of power within medium-sized innovations and managers in company-owned outlets maintain their highest amount of power within minor innovations. Even though the overall communication was perceived as satisfying and efficient, large opportunities for improvements occur. By implementing more horizontal communication within the local management, it is in the belief of the authors that the entire internal communication will benefit. Especially this would benefit the franchise system where an increased local communication and collaboration would lead to more efficient communication throughout the entire organization.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 110-125).