published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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.

The banquet staff at a north Texas hotel were responsible for setting up 11 different functions (e.g., buffet dinners) for conferences and meetings. The functions were often set up late and items were often omitted. An analysis suggested that performance problems were the result of weak antecedents, inefficient work procedures, inadequate training and a lack of motivating consequences. An intervention consisting of task checklists, feedback, goal setting, monetary bonuses, training and job aids was designed to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of function setups. Performance increased from an average of 68.8% on the quality measure (accuracy plus timeliness) in baseline, to 99.7% during the intervention phase. Performance decreased to 82.3% during a follow-up phase in which parts of the intervention were discontinued by hotel management. Performance increased to 99.3% with the reintroduction of the intervention phase.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference in opinion between chain and franchise restaurant managers and independent owner/operators toward the effects of a smoking ordinance. Results of this study showed a significant statistical difference between restaurateur groups toward the perception of economic effects.

The purpose of this study is to determine the personal values systems of senior restaurant managers and what differences there are among the following values; gender, marital status, level of education, country awarding the highest degree, major field of study, income and size of organization.

The history and use of tests of intellectual ability, personality, and vocational interest is briefly discussed as background for an exploratory study in the use of these instruments in predicting successful restaurant manager performance. Most previous research regarding managerial potential has focused on perceptions of managerial ability rather than on performance issues. Sixty-eight restaurant managers were tested in order to assess general intellectual ability, personality traits, and vocational interests as predictors of performance criteria. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that general intellectual ability, vocational match, masculinity, ascendance, and sociability would be positively correlated with effective job performance ratings. Results of the study did not confirm these predictions.

Understanding the process of consumers during key purchasing decision points is the margin between success and failure for any business. The cultural differences between the factors that affect consumers in their decision-making process is the motivation of this research. The purpose of this research is to extend the current body of knowledge about decision-making factors by developing and testing a new theoretical model to measure how culture may affect the attitudes and behaviors of consumers in restaurants. This study has its theoretical foundation in the theory of service quality, theory of planned behavior, and rational choice theory. To understand how culture affects the decision-making process and perceived satisfaction, it is necessary to analyze the relationships among the decision factors and attitudes. The findings of this study contribute by building theory and having practical implications for restaurant owners and managers. This study employs a mixed methodology of qualitative and quantitative research. More specifically, the methodologies employed include the development of a framework and testing of that framework via collection of data using semi-structured interviews and a survey instrument. Considering this framework, we test culture as a moderating relationship by using respondents’ birth country, parents’ birth country and ethnic identity. The results of this study conclude, in the restaurant context, culture significantly moderates consumers’ perception of service quality, overall satisfaction, and behavior intention.of OA.

The thesis aims to build a business plan for the project of a unique devices Decibar. The first part is theoretical and describes various forms and structures of business plans. The second part is the actual business plan. It includes description of business opportunity, product description, market analysis, marketing strategy, financial plan, SWOT analysis and potential risks. Result of this work is to assess the feasibility of the business plan

Due to high levels of globalization and outsourcing of employment an important aspect emerges which is the concept of decent work. This concept is important in that the struggle for many companies to stay afloat under global competition requires the cutting of costs. The cost which is the most easy to manipulate is that of labour. Through global competitiveness companies often increase working hours, decrease wages and decrease benefits for employees. This has caused increased attention to the idea and concept of decent work. This leads to the problem of providing and assuring decent work on a global scale. Decent work is an objective of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which aims to provide equitable employment to people of all spheres. This goal is wide and deals with nine indicators which are quantitative in nature. However these aspects do not deal with the subjective measures which pertain to employment. These subjective measures are as important as the quantitative measures. To better attain the goal of decent work this report argues that there is a need for the incorporation of these subjective measures when determining the level of decent employment. For the purposes of this research report the subjective measures are collectively termed job satisfaction. However while this combination of objective and subjective indicators better reflects working conditions, there is a need for more comprehensive concepts in understanding vulnerable work. In order to develop this deeper understanding of vulnerable work. This research report utilizes various literature in in the sociology of work . The restaurant industry in Gauteng is used as the site for this research report as a means of illustrating the pitfalls to the narrowly defined concepts of decent work and job satisfaction. This industry is particularly interesting as it is very different from other sectors as it is marked by interactive service work that involves high levels of emotional labour. Tips play a large role in supplementing the workers income. Tips , the report argues, is a means of workers consenting to servitude as they actively participate in their exploitation through conforming to the enterprises interests. This is not merely done through the system of tipping but also through their performance of emotional labour which is often increased in order to play these “games “which allow for higher tips. Consenting to servitude is not only the acceptance of exploitation but also the creation of a submissive and subservient work force. The notion of consenting to servitude is what lacks in both concepts. Exploitation plays a large role in whether a job is deemed decent or not but it is largely ignored within both the concepts of decent work and job satisfaction. Instead it is necessary to go beyond these two concepts and draw on the body of social theory on the world of work such as Burawoy and Foucault, if one wants to explain the nature of work and workers responses in the hospitality industry in Gauteng. This illustrates that every workplace is different and requires differing sets of indicators. The concepts of job satisfaction and decent work although incomplete on their own carry various advantages and cannot merely be dismissed.

O presente trabalho aborda questões relativas à pluralidade e ao dinamismo da mesa paulistana, explorando a comida para além de sua característica nutricional, em seus aspectos sócio-cultural e econômico. Para tanto, considera as condicionantes que levam a essa diversidade que caracteriza a gastronomia paulistana, como o passado colonial e os intensos fluxos migratórios, destacando também a realidade de uma cidade cosmopolita, global. Discute, igualmente, transformações que vêm ocorrendo na cidade de São Paulo e que impactam o mercado de alimentação; caracterizando-a como o principal polo gastronômico do país e maior mercado brasileiro. Em adição à discussão teórica, expõem-se entendimentos e percepções sobre esse mercado de alimentação em São Paulo, colhidos em entrevistas realizadas com chefs e proprietários de restaurantes e jornalistas especializados na área. Assim, oferece um panorama da mesa paulistana e fomenta uma atitude reflexiva a respeito da gastronomia na cidade de São Paulo. / This dissertation deals with issues regarding the plural and dynamic aspects of the cuisine from the city of São Paulo (paulistana cuisine), approaching food from its sociocultural and economic aspects and going beyond its nutritional content. In order to do so, it considers the factors that have created the diversity that characterises paulistana gastronomy, such as its colonial past, the intense migration flows that marked it, as well as its reality as a cosmopolitan, global, city. It also discusses the changes that have been taking place in the city, as Brazil\'s main gastronomic hub and market, and which have an impact on the food market. In addition to the theoretical investigation, the dissertation presents interviews carried out with chefs, restaurant owners and journalists specialised in gastronomy, showing their opinions and perceptions regarding the food market in São Paulo. Hence, this dissertation portrays São Paulo\'s food scene and foments a reflective attitude towards gastronomy in the city.