Validating Restaurant Service Quality Dimensions

Abstract

Service-based industries such as hotels and restaurants are spending a tremendous effort to measure and improve the service quality of their businesses. Service quality is one of the key factors in achieving competitive advantages in the restaurant industry since high service quality presumably results in increased customer satisfaction, and thus increased future patronage. The purpose of this study was to examine the two generic service-quality dimensions: physical quality and staff behavior/attitude in restaurants by employing the confirmatory factor analysis approach. The findings indicated that the two-factor model of restaurant service quality was successfully validated and also, the predictive accuracy of the model was established.     

Empowerment and Customer Satisfaction Strategies in Multi-Cultural Hotel Restaurant Environments

ABSTRACT

The paper addresses empowerment issues for hotel restaurant managers, as they affect: (a) quality service, (b) customer satisfaction, and (c) financial implications. It investigates empowerment in restaurant management in Dubai five star hotels, how managers operating in Dubai's multi-cultural environment perceive empowerment in their operations, and how this perception relates to their organization's quest for service quality, customer satisfaction, and financial return. Primary data was collected in focus group interviews with (n = 24) managers. Findings suggest managers are well informed, see empowerment as beneficial, support its application, but harbour some concerns, and as literature suggests, there are ambiguities and disagreements over its application.     

Restaurant Patronage and the Ethnic Groups in Singapore

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to assess the restaurant patronage practices (food habits) of three major ethnic groups (Chinese, Malays, and Indians) of Singapore. A total of 390 questionnaires were distributed. In spite of major cultural, socio-economic and religious differences, the three ethnic groups have common food habits while eating out. Eating at theme restaurants is not popular across the three ethnic groups. Among the ethnic groups under consideration, the food habits while eating out differed from the food habits of those groups while eating at home. The study indicated that all three ethnic groups eat out regularly. Chinese patronize quick service restaurants more frequently than the other ethnic groups. Chinese and Indians patronize “Hawker centers” more often than the Malays. Perception of nutrition and gender has very little affect on food habits while eating out. The obtained results partially supported the Barker's model.     

The Challenges of Full-Service Restaurant Brand Internationalization: A United States/Canada Perspective

The purpose of this research is to identify the challenges faced by full-service restaurant brands internationalizing across the border between the United States and Canada. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 54 senior executives across the US and Canada. The results show differences in the challenges faced by U.S. versus Canadian full-service restaurant brands when they are expanding across the border based upon the context of the full-service restaurant and how they are internationalizing. This is the first empirical study about cross border expansion challenges for U.S. and Canadian full-service restaurant brands.     

The Effect of Loss Leader Pricing on Restaurant Menus' Product Portfolio Analysis

Abstract

Drawing from economic and consumer behavior theories, this study outlines four theoretical reasons for menu item dependency, asserting that the assumption of item independency is violated in menurelated product portfolio analysis. Acase study of actual restaurant figures from two consecutive periods is analyzed. The data demonstrate how one such item dependency, namely loss leader pricing, affects the way in which the performance of several dishes is portrayed by two types of menu engineering models: the traditional, matrix-based approach and the multidimensional menu mix model. The results underscore theneed for a better menu product portfolio model, one that adequately addresses the interdependent nature of restaurants' product portfolio.     

Pricing Strategies and Service Differentiation

This paper analyzes a communication network, used by customers with heterogeneous service requirements. We investigate priority queueing as a way to establish service differentiation. It is assumed that there is an infinite population of customers, who join the network as long as their utility (which is a function of the queueing delay) is larger than the price of the service. We focus on the specific situation with two types of users: one type is delay-sensitive (voice), whereas the other is delay-tolerant (data); these preferences are reflected in their utility curves. Two models are considered: in the first the network determines the priority class of the users, whereas the second model leaves this choice to the users. For both models we determine the prices that maximize the provider's profit. Importantly, these situations do not coincide. Our analysis uses elements from queueing theory, but also from microeconomics and game theory (e.g., the concept of a Nash equilibrium).     

Restaurant Marketing Strategies in the United States and Canada

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the similarities and differences in the marketing strategies implemented by family restaurants in Canada and the United States to meet the needs of their customers. A census of 101 restaurants in three contiguous regions of Quebec, Ontario and Northern New York was visited. Systematic observations using a detailed grid of variables were compiled for each establishment. More similarities than differences were found, indicating that similar marketing strategies could be used successfully by restaurants in the United States and Canada.     

Market-Entry Strategies in Poland -

This paper reports findings of a study undertaken on market-entry strategies of UK firms in Poland. It presents a cross sectional profile of UK firms investing in Poland, their motives for entering the Polish market, and their entry strategies and assesses their performance in terms of their entry strategies and experiences with regard to financial, technological, marketing and strategic aspects. The paper compares the findings with international market-entry theory and concludes by examining managerial implications of the study.     

The Determinants of Pricing Strategies for Industrial Products in International Markets

ABSTRACT

The global marketplace is becoming increasingly complex in which to conduct business. Firms marketing consumer goods have a somewhat easier time than those selling industrial products, since more has been written about them and the international consumer goods have been analyzed for a longer period of time. In addition, the international marketing literature, has looked more at the elements of product, promotion and place than price. This literature gap has created a void in the understanding of marketers as to how to effectively price industrial products in international markets.

The paper identifies the important industrial pricing strategies in international marketing and examines the underlying determinants that affect their outcome. In addition, the specific causal relationships between the determinants and pricing strategies are examined through a logistic regression analysis.     

国际资本流动新趋势下中国的转移定价决策及控制机制研究

随着全球经济一体化、国际化的发展,国际资本无论从规模、品种,还是资本结构、流向等都一改往日投资追随贸易的现象而呈现出新的趋势。中国稳定的政治局面、良好的投资环境,成为国际资本追捧的热点。国际资本的大量流入,缓解了我国资本短缺的状况,促进了经济的迅猛发展。但是,由于我国转移定价机制不合理,监控措施不完善,使得我国利用外资的效益不尽人意。因此,应在国际资本流动新趋势下,制定适合中国国情的合理的转移定价决策机制和监控措施。     

Developing the Causal Model of Online Store Success

This article introduces an Online Store Success Model (OSM) that reflects the characteristics of information systems, marketing, and e-commerce, and then empirically test the model. The OSM has five dimensions: system quality, information quality, service quality, trust, and customer loyalty. The model posits the causal relationships between the dimensions. In order to empirically test the model, a research model is developed and empirically analyzed by structural equation modeling using data from 244 customers on 69 online store websites. The results show that system quality significantly influences service quality and trust; information quality significantly influences service quality and customer loyalty; service quality also significantly influences trust and customer loyalty; and trust has a significant influence on customer loyalty.     

电子商务调查系统中的模糊综合评价应用

电子商务调查系统是基于Web界面的跨平台应用系统,能向Internet用户提供交互式、个性化的问卷调查服务。本文采用模糊综合评价方法进行在线调查评价,是企业营销、推广产品化服务、了解客户需求方面的重要手段,也是网络互动的功能之一。对于企业的发展具有重要的参考价值。     

Avoidance Measures and Household Perceptions of Water Quality in Uganda

ABSTRACT

The importance that households place on reducing health risks from drinking water can guide policies intended to enhance safety. Self-reported household water quality opinions and avoidance measures used by households in Kampala, Uganda, to manage health risks were analyzed. The paper is based on survey data collected from four divisions in Kampala district and analyzed using binary logit model. Survey results indicate that the majority of the respondents boil water to manage potential health risks. On the other hand, logit results confirmed the existence of strong relationships between household characteristics, opinions on water quality, and the use of avoidance measures.     

浅析红星美凯龙营销策略的得失

红星美凯龙的迅速成长是由于它成功地完成了从制造商向零售商的蜕变,对国际著名品牌地理战略的模仿并与其产品战略的互补,优质低价商品和优良的售后服务。但也存在着核心竞争力日益弱化、决策权力过分集中和企业文化缺失等问题。存在这些问题的主要原因是根深蒂固的极权观念。     

物流服务质量评价模型与方法研究综述

高质量的物流服务已经成为企业全球化的战略安排,如何通过评价进而改善企业的物流服务质量是实现此战略安排的重点。为更好地梳理物流服务质量评价模型与方法的研究现状,把握物流服务质量评价的未来研究方向,使用关键词“物流服务”“服务质量”和“物流服务质量”搜索Scopus and Web of Science(WoS),共获得发表于1992—2018年的76篇文献。在对相关文献的数量、时间、地区等进行简要统计性描述的基础上,运用文献分析法开展述评研究。其中,从服务提供商、客户、服务提供商和客户相结合三个维度评述物流服务质量评价模型及其指标体系,同时考虑供需双方的评价指标体系构建已成为学术界共识;物流服务质量评价方法重点评述了实证检验、确定指标权重以及将客户“声音”转化为质量属性的数理统计方法,发现将客户声音转化为质量属性的评价方法是重点关注领域。已有研究存在以下三方面的不足:一是在企业能力范围内考虑客户需求的物流服务质量评价模型及其指标的难题未解;二是集成各种评价方法对物流服务质量开展科学评价的难题还没有满意的答案;三是平衡评价模型及其指标的通用性与不同部门间的差异性的问题仍未得到有效解决。这三方面缺陷也是未来物流服务质量评价领域的重点研究方向。     

On The Fundamental Theorem Of Asset Pricing: Random Constraints And Bang-Bang No-Arbitrage Criteria

The paper generalizes and refines the Fundamental Theorem of Asset Pricing of Dalang, Morton, and Willinger (1990) in the following two respects: (a) the result is extended to a model with general portfolio constraints, and (b) versions of the no-arbitrage criterion based on the bang-bang principle in control theory are developed.     

网络效应下信息产品的版本划分和定价策略

在网络效应框架下 ,运用经济学模型分析了信息产品的版本划分和定价决策。其结果表明 ,当信息产品具有网络效应时 ,通过免费派送信息产品的低端版本 ,以扩大其网络价值成为信息供应商的一项基本策略。划分版本时要具体问题具体分析     

运用期权定价模型评估公司价值

本着把期权思想应用于公司价值评估,分别运用二叉树模型和Black-Scholes模型计算公司价值,并对这一方法的应用价值及局限性进行一定的探讨。