Investigating Consumer Reactions To Food Wastage In Hotel Buffets

FS 8087 Graduate Seminar

Background

Research Problem

The world produce large amounts of food for human consumption every year. However, one-third of the food produced internationally is not consumed as required and therefore end up being wasted despite different ramifications in social, environmental and economic aspects (Arnold, 2010). The main aim of this plan is to design a methodology so as to investigate the reaction of consumers in hotel buffet before and after educating them about food wastage and good eating habits.

Research Methods

The study under investigation will apply mixed method that incorporate both qualitative and quantitative approaches. This is because the types of data required for the research need to answer and focus on the project objectives. There are three main decisions required to design the project research methodology. That is, qualitative Vs quantitative research, empirical Vs desk research and breadth Vs depth. The research methodology is designed based on the research desk model as discussed below.  First, the desk research involves qualitative research approach where the researcher collect information on the general overview on the topic on food wastage (Camm, 2016). Again, through desk research, the researcher can access information on food wastage from online media and books.

For the quantitative approach, data will be collected from participants so as to respond to research objectives and questions. The most appropriate methods to collect data in this study are survey study,, questionnaire and observation. Through observation, the researcher is required to visit hotel buffet and observe different behaviors of consumers in the process of handling food (Davis et al., 2012). The researcher is required to observe consumers in two scenarios. That is, before they are educated on good eating habits and after they have been educated on good eating habits. This method assists the researcher to determine any change in consumer behavior (June & Theis, 2011). The sample observed from the entire population is 150 participants.

Similarly, questionnaire and survey study should be applied in data collection. They are performed using similar model. The sample considered in survey should involve 150 participants. 100 participants are selected from population of food consumers while 50 participants are selected from the population of workers in hotels. Since the study need to be unbiased in gender representation, 50 consumers should be  male participants while 50 consumers are female participants. Similarly, 25 male hotel attendants and 25 female hotel attendants. There is also need to formulate survey questions that are directed to answering research questions and objectives. These questions are administered within one week after commencement of the study.

Research Methodology

In order to gather data in this study, two groups will be involved in data collection experiments. The first group is required to collect data on consumers eating habits that result to food wastage before they are fully educated on the same. This experiment will be conducted in one week. The following week, the group will educate consumers on good habits of handling food. After educating the consumers, another experiment will be conducted on how consumers behave when handling food so as to determine any improvement that would reduce food wastage.

In the first one-week experiment, 100 consumers will be involved in the study. We will request hotel operators to serve consumers with food as per their preference. Each day we will observe the behavior of each consumer and record our data. We will record the amount of food wasted within the week. We will also record reasons behind food wastage from each participant. After educating consumers on good eating habits, we will conduct another experiment to determine any changes in food management and wastage. In this experiment, 100 consumers will be used as a sample. We will observe the behavior to determine whether they improved on food management. By the end of the two experiments, we will compare data on both case to find out whether there is any significant change.

Again, it very important to analyze the data from the experiment through use of hypothesis. In the experiment, we anticipate that a bigger sample from the population will respond negatively when handling food in hotel buffet in the first experiment. This assumption is made because the first experiment involves a sample with little knowledge on how to handle food. Their eating habits are not good. The process of testing hypothesis in the two experiment will be applied to determine the decision of food wastage. The general statement in the hypothesis that need to be tested is; there is relationship between eating habits and food wastage. This hypothesis need to be tested and proved. In the first experiment, the team will collect data on the mode of food handling. This data will be analyzed statistical using statistical tools. Then, there researcher will test the hypothesis by calculating the confidence level of this data. This will be compared to tabulated values from ANOVA tables or Chi-square tables. If calculated value exceed tabulated value, we accept the null hypothesis and vice versa.

The hypothesis will also be tested for second experiment. In this experiment, the participants are will be educated on eating habits. In that connection, the results of this experiment will be different from the first experiment. Again, this data will be analyzed and hypothesis will be tested based on this data. If the calculated value is more than tabulated value from statistical tables, then null hypothesis will be accepted and vice versa. Lastly, the researcher will evaluate the decision of the first experiment and second experiment so as to determine the relationship between first and second experiment. In that case, the researcher will determine whether there is any significance difference between eating habits and food wastage by consumers in hotel buffet.

From the survey study, data is collected concerning the issue of food wastage and food management. Once data is gathered, various tools are applied to analyze the data. The statistical tools such as ANOVA analysis, SPSS and SAS are applied in data analysis. This helps the researcher to test a hypothesis. In this case, the hypothesis is required to determine whether there is any relationship between consumers eating habits and food wastage (June, 2016). From the data analyzed, it is possible to determine whether to accept or reject the null hypothesis. Again, the content of the research is compared to research questions and objectives (Gamble, 2016). Lastly, the findings of the study are presented in a summarized form so as to enhance a clear understating of all stakeholders interested in the study as well as facilitate relation to the given context under consideration. Lastly, we will administer survey question from the entire sample so as to support the assumptions made in the experiments. The team will administer the following survey questions as a method of collecting quantitative data.

Survey Questions

These questions are subjected to both consumers and hotel operators.

1. Do you think that most people clear their meal in a hotel?
2. What would the reasons that may make a consumer fail to clear meal in a hotel?
3. Have you ever ordered food in excess of what you can consume?
4. If you fail to clear you meal in a hotel, would you request the operator to package the food for you to carry home?
5. Do you plan prior to purchasing food in a hotel?
6. How do you treat leftovers after consumers fail to clear their meal?
7. In a day, how many consumers fail to clear their ordered meals?
8. What contributes to food wastage by consumers?
9. Could hotel management be one of the cause for food wastage by consumers?
10. Which type of food is mostly wasted?
11. Do you think consumers need to be educated about good eating habits?
12. What are some of the habits would you highlight from consumers?
13. What are some of the strategies would you recommend to mitigate food wastage?
14. Do you think these strategies will bring positive changes after consumers are educated?
15. Do you agree that one-third of food produced for human consumption ends up as a waste?

References

Arnold, J. (2010). Coaching skills for leaders in the workplace: How to develop, motivate and get the best from your staff. How to Books.

Camm, J.D. (2016). Essentials of business analytics. South-Western College Pub.

Davis, B., Lockwood, A., & Pantelidis, I. (2012). Food and beverage management. Routledge.

Gamble, J.E. (2016). Essentials of strategic management: The quest for competitive advantage. McGraw-Hill Education.

June, P.P. (2016). Foodservice management: Principles and practices, global edition. Person education.

June, P.P., & Theis, M. (2011). Foodservice management: principles and practices. Pearson.