Galitos and Chicken Inn Value Proposition

Introduction Business persons all over the world have been working hard to retain their existing customers as well as in attracting new ones. To ensure that customers are satisfied, there is need to offer them high quality services. Value proposition refers to the unique products or services that a company is able to offer to its customers so as to acquire competitive advantage as well as an identity over its competitors (Reid Botanic, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Galito’s and Chicken Inn Value Proposition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Having a strong brand name and the right value proposition assists the business to remain competitive and continuously improve its services. In the fast food industry, value and customer satisfaction cannot be overlooked. There are many running fast foods enterprises in the world with the competition growing high. Galito’s is a renowned fast food operato r located in eight African nations with over 300 stores in Africa (Kaushik Cooper, 2000). The company has grown in terms of its recognition of value creation and development. This paper focuses on value proposition in Galito’s; it will analyse the current situation in the company, evaluate its competitors, and finally develop a better value proposition for the company. History of the Company Galito’s first store was opened by Louis Germishuys in 1996 in South Africa. It started as a family business and by 2002 it had opened 8 stores in the country. The company market entry strategy was that of a ‘chicken expert’ where it aimed at developing different chicken tastes and brands to its customers. As time went by, it realised that chicken could not work in its vision alone and thus incorporated other fast foods (like chips, sandwiches, coffee and burger) in its menu. In 2003, the company had built a strong brand name and it started franchising its name. This led to over 54 branches launched in South Africa; they are situated in Gauteng, Pretoria, Kwa-Zulu Natal, and Limpopo. In 2006, the company started diversifying to other African countries like Kenya, Ghana, and Senegal. So far the company has over 300 stores spread all over Africa (Galito’s Corporate Website, 2010). Corporate Philosophy Core Values 1996, Galito’s year of first incorporation, served to shape its corporate philosophy, which has remained largely unchanged. This included the concept that the firm would expand only by forming joint ventures with independent operators as opposed to selling franchises; further, financing would only come from the company’s own profits and never from borrowing.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, Galito’s was to operate from shopping malls alone. The restaurant, however, did venture away from the malls especially after the malls became saturated with competitors. Business Model The highly unusual corporate philosophy formed the foundation of the company’s business model, notably its profit sharing operator agreement. The model is such that when the company wishes to expand, instead of seeking out franchises, it carries out a search for highly motivated and responsible operators who are almost always among the existing employees of the company. The identified operator then commits $5000 after which the restaurant is sub leased to the operator. The operator undergoes a paid six weeks training, after which they go into operation guaranteed of over $30,000 in annual incomes in addition to a 50-50 profit split (of the 85% of the profits) with the company. Galito’s also takes the 15% of the gross sales as the franchise fee. Operators are offered incentives to develop and make their restaurants profitable. Among the incentives include regular bonuses, fully paid busi ness trips, and meetings for operators and their families that include training activities among others. Galito’s staffs officially referred to as ‘team members’ equally enjoy a number of incentives including a $1000 scholarships for high school graduates who have ever worked for the company among others. These have ensured that the company has a 95% staff retention rate as opposed to the industry’s average turnover of 150%. Value preposition Firms in the fast food industry are always identifying ways that will help them increase their competitive edge in the market as well as maximize their revenue generating potential. This means that a lot of resources are channelled into research and development; initiating new products and other actions that are projected to increase the level of the work force.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Galito’s and Chicken Inn Value Proposition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/pa ge Learn More Many firms in the industry start with introducing a new product campaign to the market to create a market niche for other successful products. As time goes, the product life cycle reduces and new products are introduced into the market. Strategies used by firms to achieve such objectives include differentiation and segmentation of the market. In summary, a new product in the industry will go through the introductory stage then the growth stage followed by the maturity stage and lastly the decline stage (Ketchen Hult, 2006). African fast food industry is highly volatile in terms of competition and the management leadership in many firms are very careful in their choice of strategic management tools. Every decision made and action taken should be able to bring value to the firm. Therefore, the management formulates and implements plan of actions that are aimed at enabling the organization achieve the desired results. The strategic success factors include but are not limited to; Changing the competitive position Investing in the latest technological tools New product development Diversification and Corporate growth strategy Christian culture Moral ethics and values (Thomas, 2010). Galito’s Value preposition Strategy and that of its Competitors Galito’s trade mark sandwich faces stiff competition from Wimpy and Chicken Inn among other strong brands coupled with an equally indelible presence in the media and the minds of many Africans. Price competition, gift vouchers, and convenience among other such competition have worked to keep the industry’s growth in sales under a tight reign of just under 2%. Galito’s had an initial edge over its hamburger selling competitors by offering a much tastier and healthier alternative, the Galito’s sandwich. Its marketing and advertising campaigns thus have always dwelt on winning the Africans Public off hamburgers in favour of the Galito’s sandwich. In addi tion, the restaurant’s target clientele is slightly out of the usual children and teens. It comprises more of adults especially women with more education, incomes as well as more active lifestyles (possibly in white collar jobs) relative to the mainstream hamburger loving patrons to the likes of Chicken Inn.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Faced with big budget marketing campaigns, Galito’s with the help of The Richards group has always aimed at achieving the following objectives without increasing its budget; Double the industry’s standard per store sales A 7% customer loyalty base to 30% A 10% points advert awareness and Generate over 300 million in free publicity along with over five million impressions. The restaurants marketing campaign has always aimed at positioning Galito’s sandwich as a better alternative to hamburgers as well as using highly memorable and engaging advertising strategies that would in turn generate self perpetuating word of mouth. With the market demographics, Galito’s usually locates in areas with high concentrations of professionals such as suburban malls and shopping centres. The ‘Eat Mor Chikin’ campaign was launched and has kept on to date in outdoor media, print as well as radio targeting Galito’s highly mobile clientele. In the next fiv e years the restaurant chain has plans to open 50 stand-alone restaurants in North Africa, mainly in Cameroon and Egypt. Chicken Inn Chicken Inn is the major Competitor of Galito’s. It has been in the market since 1970’s and enjoys a big customer base especially from corporate sector. The company has a speciality in making different tastes of chicken which are served to the destination of the customer. One strategy the chain of hotels have adopted, which Galito’s have not managed, is collaboration with farmers to deliver fresh chicken and other products. It has joint efforts with local nongovernmental organisations to facilitate farmer’s rear chicken and deliver them to the company. It’s preferred by suppliers because of its good prices and timely pay; The following are the areas that the company has an advantage over Galito’s It has a stronger brand name; this has been built over years of operation in Africa. It has established suppliers w ho are reliable even in times of low supply; the company has a constant supply. The better prices that it offers make customers be willing to supply to it at the time of high season. It is strategically placed in major cities and airports; this creates a fast access. Through its farmer-relation policy, the company works with farmers to ensure that they get quality supply. Galito’s is facing the challenge of competing with Chicken Inn due to the above competitive advantages that the company (Chicken Inn) has. On the other hand, the company has been in the trade for a longer period of time and thus has more market information than the case of Galito’s. With increased competition, market information is used as a competitive advantage especially in the area of making decision. How to get customers who are loyal to Chicken Inn to buy from Galito’s is offering another challenge. Ways to counter the already existing customers is becoming a challenge. On the other hand , Chicken Inn has branded some of its chicken tastes and this has hampered Galito’s from copying them (Chicken Inn Official Website, 2010). Industry Analysis (Opportunities and Threats) Porter’s Five Forces Model This model is used to evaluate the level of profitability of a given industry using five forces that influence the ability of a company to attend to the customer’s needs as well as the ability to generate profit. In addition, these forces are the sole determinants of the competitive intensity existing in the industry under study. The porter’s five forces include rivalry among competitors, threat of substitute products, threat of entry of new competitors, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and other relative power of unions, governments among others (Porter, 2008). Porter Five Force Analysis of Galito’s Threat of Entry of New Competitors Competition in African fast food industry can be termed as being extremely stiff because of the attractiveness in market profitability. As a result, a large number of new entrants are getting into the market and therefore profitability levels are more or less likely to reduce. For instance, in every 10 restaurants in South Africa, 4 are new entrants. This can be attested to the low barriers of entry existing in the market. For example, the entry of new firms is high as compared to the number of firms exiting the market. This increases the number of overall threats that Galito’s is likely to encounter. There are both local and international competitors such as McDonald’s, Papa John’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wendy’s, Popeye’s, Burger King and Starbuck’s. On the other hand, the barriers to entry are advantageous to Galito’s because it is an established company in the industry. The opportunities include; Its brand loyalty that enables it to maintain its market share It has an absolute cost advantage in its producti on operations It enjoys large economies of scale Convenient and effective service delivery, and Favour from government regulations that restricts entry of new firms (Kontopoulos, 2009). Rivalry among Established Competitors This force determines market prices and profitability levels in the industry. Strong rivalry means that firms will try to outdo each other in price determination and eventually a price war will ensue. A reduction in profitability levels is likely due to reduced margins in sales. Galito’s rivalry can be determined using a number of factors, which include; The industry’s competitive structure which consists of small, medium, and large-sized firms (although there is no dominant firm in the market). This is largely due to low existence of barriers to entry as well as identical products sold in the market. Therefore, the competitive structure can be said to be interdependent and hence actions from one firm impacts market influence and profitability leve ls of other firms. Demand conditions in the market are influenced by the choice of customers and their preferences. Galito’s has been able to expand its line of production in order to meet the ever increasing needs of customers, increase the market share, and as well increase its profitability levels. This is an opportunity to Galito’s because it takes the market share away from its competitors. The barriers to exit are also favourable to Galito’s because large economies of scale enable the firm to stay in the market during times of low returns. It also has a diversity of food chains and a wide variety of foods as evidenced in the types of food offered in their menu. The powerful financial position of the company enables it to effectively run its operations (Pepper, 1995). Buyer’s Bargaining Power In any firm, buyers are the end users of the products and services delivered by the company. Many a times, stakeholders that form up the distribution channels s uch as wholesalers and retailers are also categorized as buyers. Therefore, their influence to the firm can be an opportunity as well as a threat as evidenced by their demand for better services and price changes. Using the Porter’s model to describe the fast food industry, it is evident that the bargaining power of buyers is a threat to Galito’s since consumers are always demanding better services and other alternatives. The market trends are always changing as time goes by. Notable changes include; The deviation of customers from consuming fried products Demand for home delivery food items The increased demand for high quality food items at low prices Galito’s orders are highly dependent on customer’s request Customers have power over the firms and often they force the firms to reduce prices Supplier’s Bargaining Power The competitive threat of suppliers in the market usually comes in their ability to change the quality of products and also for their position in the determination of product quality. They therefore play a role in determining profitability levels of firms. In the fast food industry, there are low threat levels from suppliers because there are quite a substantial number of various sellers supplying the same products. Additionally, the biggest threat comes from the buyers due to their likelihood to purchase food items from the competitors. Galito’s also enjoys vertical integration based on its ability to supply its own input needs. It also has diversified operation outlets owing to its strong financial position. Profitability levels in the industry are not so dependent on the suppliers and therefore the bargaining power of suppliers can be termed as weak. Food items in the industry have a wide variety of substitutes hence the consumers have an upper hand as compared to the sellers (Kouvelis, Chambers Wang, 2006). Threat of Substitute Products These products enable the customer to obtain the same level of satisfaction in relation to those supplied by the fast food firms in the industry. In case of product changes in the industry, customers will have an option of shifting their choices to the substitute products. This is a major threat to Galito’s because the availability of these substitute food items hinders its ability to increase prices and profit levels. This explains the reason as to why there is a wide variety of food items offered in the menus of many fast food companies in the industry. Furthermore, customers are now careful with their health needs and majority of them are on diet. This trend is notable in situations where there is a decreasing demand for fried food items and consumers are always settling for alternative food items (Larson Halldorsson, 2004). Strategic Groups African fast food industry is characterized by firms with well established corporate strategies. Majority of these firms enjoy a portion of the market share and have built their brand images in the fast food industry. These firms have invested much effort and resources to ensure that all the client’s needs have been met as well as maintaining strong relationships with their customers. Successful firms in the industry include McDonald’s, Popeye’s, Hardees, Burger King, Wendy’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Unlike the above mentioned successful companies, there have been new entrants and other small and medium-sized companies that have not yet succeeded in penetrating the market and are yet to register high levels of profitability. These firms include Papa John’s, Chicken Treat, and Chicken Inn. It can also be due to their inability to understand the needs of consumers (Meyer, 2002). New Value Proposition To have a new value preposition, the company will have to undertake some adjustments and polishing of its processes. This will ensure that there is an increased customer satisfaction from the company’s product. To undertake t his task, the management should ensure; Domestic and Global expansion of the company (in time) for the peak of the global economic recovery Adoption of up to date knowledge sharing technologies besides other technologies to enhance efficiency Change from vertical to horizontal organizational structure Increased product/brand differentiation to meet the changing demographics as well as tastes, cultures, and customer values. Increased flexibility in the company’s corporate culture (Anon, 2002). Evaluation of the Above Strategies To grow domestically, Galito’s will have to price off some part of the casual dining restaurants’ market and attract more customers who prefer domestic cooking through diversification of the menus, health options as well as reduced prices. The emerging markets present virgin growth areas that could be seized upon by Galito’s. While its competitors may face difficulties owing to unavailability of credit, Galito’s that never relies on borrowed capital and has a strong revenue base could gain an advantage. With the projected recovery to the global economy, the expansions would pay handsomely for the company when the recovery peaks (Levitt, 1965). Knowledge Management / Acquisition of Technology High employee retentions go a long way in helping boost learning and sharing of knowledge at Galito’s. However, the company has old systems that cannot ensure efficient knowledge management throughout the organization even with the bumper revenues. Increased knowledge sharing would remarkably enhance employee learning and performance. Product Strategy Increased awareness among customers and the rise of healthy eating habits among other factors call for increased diversification in the firm’s offerings to the different market segments. These segments must be carefully selected. Beside joint marketing and public relations, Galito’s must draw on its chain operators allowing them a level of produc t flexibility to suit the fast changing demographics and varied local tastes. This should however be controlled to see to it that the quality and standards of the organization are met and this could be accomplished by sending out teams of quality auditors to the company’s restaurants for review. Product differentiation is particularly crucial during the economic recovery when inflation rates are low and thus limiting the ability of firms to pass on costs to consumers. This effectively limits price competition and instead increases product competition (Eaton, 2001). Organizational Strategy The current organizational structure that is common to many private/family businesses is vertical. This structure comes with varied difficulties including delayed decision making and a failure to harness the leadership synergies fro the many operators among other disadvantages which are particularly emphasized for a company that deals directly with clients. As such, the structure needs to be horizontal. This could however be balanced out by mentorship, training, and careful succession planning that would avoid leadership vacuums at any given time. Recommendations Give more leeway to individual operators in decisions regarding menu prices, the choice of marketing, and promotional activities. Introduce the use of credit cards not only for convenience but also to cater for the techno-savvy young generations Use only a tenth of its revenues for charities while the rest of the revenues should be put to the expansion of the business, innovation, and acquisition of technology. Adopt Wendy’s concept for combo’s options. This would alter the product’s shape and size without altering the prices (Hall, Jones, and Raffo, 2002). Implementation of Strategic Alternatives and Control Plans Functional Action Strategies Galito’s exhibits strong growth opportunities through its corporate culture. This can help the organization to increase its sales in the do mestic market. Quality assurance is one of Galito’s policies and therefore focusing on quality improvement strengthens growth capabilities of the organization. In addition, branding and multi-branding will enable the organization to increase the company’s market share and as a result high sales volume will be recorded. New product development is an essential activity that increases the competitive advantage of any organization and also enables the organization to increase its market share control; Galito’s need to increase its focus on research and development to ensure that it maintains the lead in the provision of a variety of services. Currently, Galito’s concentrates only on the domestic African market as opposed to its competitors. Therefore, market penetration and development is needed to ensure that it serves a wider region including international markets. Present Structure The company is driven by the corporate structure characterized with strong religious and social beliefs. Organizational and management strategies are all structured to fit this strategy. It is also stated in the organization’s mission and vision statements (Gurvis, 2007). Cultural Fit with Strategy The strong religious foundation is the driving force for Galito’s and all operations within the organization are designed to be compatible with the cultural strategy. The organization, through its leadership, engages in many charities within the community that increases the organization’s corporate social responsibility. For instance, helping the needy in the community and awarding scholarships to bright and deprived students. This is achieved under the umbrella of WinShape Foundation. Measurement and Control System(s) Galito’s aims to be America’s best among the quick service restaurants and therefore it has identified the benefits associated with consistent and effective technological advancements. This has seen it invest in high-tech facilities to aid in transactions, monitor sales volumes and employees’ performance. It also plans to roll out Smart network solutions that will enable it to accept major debit and credit cards. The projected sales are expected to hit the ten billion dollar mark by the year 2015 (Alderson, 2006). Conclusion Galito’s is perhaps best known for its corporate culture where it has done a tremendous job in communicating to the public. However, in order to enhance greater client satisfaction, greater productivity on the part of its employees, increased efficiency as well as productivity, there is still need to make a number of changes. The company must strike the right balance between charitable contribution and the need to fund its marketing and expansion efforts. It’s marketing campaigns are undeniably creative and effective but there is more need to use marking strategies in the market. Reference List Alderson, M. 2006. Principles of Corporate Finance. Sid ney, Western College. Anon. 2002. Knowledge management: does capture impede creation? Industrial Corporate Change, 18(4), 701-727. Chicken Inn. 2010. Company’s Official Website Web. Eaton, J. 2001. Management Communication: The threats of group think corporate communications. International Journal, 183-192. Galito’s Corporate. 2010. Company’s Official Website Web. Gurvis, S. 2007. Management Basics: A Practical Guide for Managers. London, Adams Media. Hall, D., Jones R., Raffo. C. 2002. Business Studies (Second Edition). Chambers I. and Gray D., eds. Ormskirk, Causeway Press Limited. Kaushik K.D., Cooper, M. 2000. Industrial Marketing Management. Volume29, Issue 1, January 2000, Pages 65–83. Ketchen Jr., G., Hult, T.M. 2006. Bridging organization theory and supply chain management: The case of best value supply chains. Journal of Operations Management, 25(2) 573-580. Kontopoulos, G. 2009. Online Inventory Management Systems Advantages Web. Kouvelis, P ., Chambers, C., Wang, H. 2006. Supply Chain Management Research and Production and Operations Management: Review, Trends, and Opportunities. In: Production and Operations Management, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 449–469. Larson, P.D., Halldorsson, A. 2004. Logistics versus supply chain management: an international survey. International Journal of Logistics: Research Application, Vol. 7, Issue 1, 17-31. Levitt, T. 1965. Exploit the product life cycle. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 43, November-December 1965, 81–94. Meyer, J. C. 2002. Organizational Communication Assessment. Management Communication Quarterly (15.3): 472-479. Pepper, G. L. 1995. Communication in Organizations: A Cultural Approach. Boston, McGraw Hill. Porter, M.E. 2008. The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy, Harvard business Review, January 2008. Reid, D.R., Bojanic, C.D.2009. Hospitality Marketing Management. New Jersey, John Wiley and Sons. Thomas, G. 2010. Managing Brand Performance: Aligning Po sitioning and Experience. Journal of marketing management, 68. This essay on Galito’s and Chicken Inn Value Proposition was written and submitted by user Krystal Park to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Bread Mold Lab Report Essays

Bread Mold Lab Report Essays Bread Mold Lab Report Paper Bread Mold Lab Report Paper The purpose of this lab was to test the effect of water on bread mold growth. Hypothesis: hypothesized bread mold would grow faster if the bread was exposed to water. Materials: 1. Bread 2. Plastic cup 3. Water 4. Rubber band 5. Plastic wrap 6. Light 7. Scale 8. Seizers Procedures: Day 1 1. Cut two pieces of bread 1 belly 2. Place the beard in two separate cups 3. Put 1 1 drops of water on one of the pieces of bread 4. Cover cups with plastic wrap 5. Put rubber bands around each cup 6. Place cups on scale to weigh them Day 2 . Observe the mold or any changes to the bread 2. Reweigh bread to see the difference in weight 3. Record your data 4. Dispose of the bread and/or of the mold Data: Both pieces of bread were stale. There was no bread mold on ether pieces of bread. The bread stayed the same size. No change in the color of the bread. Weight of bread before and after a week I Before one week I After one week Dry bread | 5. 5 grams | 5. 5 grams I Moist bread 5. 5 grams 6. 0 grams I Questions: 1 . What does your data show about the effect of your Variable on Rhizomes Roth? The data from my experiment show that 11 drops of water does not help the growth of bread mold. 2. Were you surprised by the results of your experiment? Yes, I was surprised because I thought water would accelerate the growth of bread mold. 3. What part of designing and carrying out an experiment did you find difficult? This was not that hard of an experiment, I did not find one part to be more difficult than the any of the other parts. 4. If you were to do further research into bread mold growth, which of the other variables old you be interested in testing. I would be interested in air as a variable because think it affected my research on water and bread mold. Conclusion: The data does not support my hypothesis on water making bread mold grow faster. I dont think this was a good experiment because we put the bread in an airtight cup by covering the top with plastic wrap and putting a rubber band around it. If this was useable data it would show the 11 drops of water was not near enough water to make bread mold grow any faster.

The Constraint of Global Peace and Security by Military Policies durin Assignment

The Constraint of Global Peace and Security by Military Policies during the Cold War - Assignment Example No country is immune from such situation in the future that can lead to a new round of confrontation and arms race, which in turn can cause an irreparable harm to society and to the world at large. It is a common knowledge that war, nuclear weapon, and its tests are destructive in the international conflict solution. However, no matter what, the idea of superiority and supremacy instinctively makes people fighting and trying to win. During the Cold War, our world faced with such situation, when two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union put at stake the further existing of the whole humanity. In the current paper, based on the facts from the analyzed literature, we will try to present objectively the course of a war, understand the reasons that shaped the situation, and draw the appropriate conclusions. In this respect, the main question of the current paper is how the parties of the conflict finally managed to restrain the military tension during the Cold War. After the fall of the Third Reich, there was no power in Europe that was able to oppose the Soviet Union. Therefore, in many Western European countries increased the influence of the left parties (the Labor Party won the elections in Great Britain in 1945) and the positions of the Communists strengthened. The USSR and the USA were the most powerful and influential countries economically, as well as in terms of military power. These countries were divided by the ideological contradiction, specifical communism against capitalism. The latter led to the obvious hostility in the international relations. The internal situation in these countries was characterized by the active impersonating and search of the enemy. The dissidence was also recognized as a form of subversive activity. Such atmosphere was quite a common situation since it was a characterizing feature of the totalitarian regime... In the United States, such internal tension gave birth to McCarthyism, the persecution of the cit izens, who were suspected in anti-American activities (Perry, Chase, Jacob, Jacob and Von Laue, 2012).     

MEDI-CAL AND TRICARE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MEDI-CAL AND TRICARE - Essay Example s is that Medi-Cal provides free medical care or share costs to all the individuals eligible, while Tricare guarantees free of charge care only to active duty military members and their families and only under one of the program types (Tricare Prime), whereas the rest have to pay a certain part of cost for the medical care. The history of both Medi-Cal and Tricare started in 1966. In July 1965, two major amendments to the Social Security Act expanded medical coverage to a wider range of population’s segments. ‘Title XVIII established the Medicare program, and Title XIX established the State-option medical assistance program known as Medicaid.’ Medi-Cal in California became effective in March 1966 (Medi-Cal Program). Though the idea of military medical care for the military men dates back to the late 1700s, little was done until the World War II, when Congress authorized the Emergency Maternal and Infant Care Program, covering wives and children of service members. Further steps were undertaken in 1956 as a result of the Korean conflict, when the Dependents Medical Care Act was signed into law. CHAMPUS was created by the 1966 amendments to this act and became effective in 1967. TRICARE was the result of the â€Å"CHAMPUS Reform Initiative† (CRI), one of the projects launched in 1980s, aimed at improving access to top-quality care with cost staying under control. What distinguishes TRICARE from the earlier programs is the provision of choice of ways in which service families may use their military health care benefits (Powers 2007). One is eligible for Medi-Cal benefits if he is 65 years or older, or he is blind, or is younger than 65 but has a disability. Those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) get Medi-Cal benefits automatically. Those who don’t receive SSI can still qualify for Medi-Cal as long as their income and assets are under certain amounts. Eligiblity for Medi-Cal through SSI is available in case your monthly income doesn’t exceed

Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool

Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool Abstract The aim of this research is to observe and explain consumers preference for African food in Liverpool. By identifying the attitudes towards African food, evaluating the different factors that affect the availability and accessibility of these foods within the city, the effect of globalisation processes on food production to consumption. Three different theories have been used in this research, the Theory of Reason Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Actor Network Theory and the theory of consumption. The global production network which seeks to identify the geographical spatiality involved in the network process of crossing African foods to UK. The actor-network theory is used to explain the different actors/actants in the global production network. The theories of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour used in this research intends to explain consumer attitude, preference and behaviour towards African foods. It is however observed that African consumers tend to prefer African traditional meals but this is affected by cost, time and distance. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research method is used to better interpret the outcomes of the result. A total of 150 respondents where interviewed from various part of the city, including students, young adults family etc. Cutting across different age groups. Owners of African food stores and restaurants were interviewed using both structured and semi-structured interview. Individuals were selected randomly, to verify interest in African foods. Chapter 1 Introduction The importance of food as a necessity of life goes beyond physical nourishment. Anthropologist and sociologist emphasize that food practices are prime means through which social relationships are formed. (Johnston et al 2006:272). A familiar saying goes â€Å"we are what we eat†; food links us to the rituals and recipes of previous generations, creating a network between families, wider communities, and the global trading network of producers, distributors and consumers. More so, we are transported into the world of others as we experience the tastes of unknown tradition and cultures. Food choices make profound impact on the environment, health and welfare of others, challenging the ideas of tradition and identity. Travel and immigration have also resulted in the changing and shifting of traditions over the years. National identities have been created also by food traditions in distant lands among people of similar culture and background. Food is an indicator of cultural tradi tions, values, and how food traditions develop and evolve over space and time. Much talk of globalisation of foods have helped in shaping traditions, cultural diversity, social and political economy of places, (Bernstein et al 1990: 9, Tinker 1997: 137, 143) however, not all kinds of food are very welcomed in some places, though may not be stated categorically, it can be observed within cities and communities most probably as result of economic policies, cultural differences, international trading policies. Traditional food is a vital aspect of the African cultural heritage. The production processing sale and distribution of food products enhances cultural and ethnic coherence in communities. Consumers demand for safe and tasteful traditional food products (Cayot, 2007). However, there is also a demand for varieties of ethnic foods in multi-ethnic cities and community. The definition of food encompasses matters of moral and cultural significance, differentiating food products, providers and consumers (Cook et al 1996). Food has always had a long history of constructed associations which involves associations of places and people, and has been used as emblem of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Johnston et al claim that there is no single geographical literature on food with its own coherent themes and problematic, as the study of food is found in economic, political, cultural, social and biological aspects of geography. Therefore food matter does not sit within the confinement of conceptual and spatial boundaries (Johnston 2006: 272). Key issues surrounding topic The speed and reach of globalisation, travel and trade, bring all kinds of diverse foods together. This has however affected the definitions of particular national food culture (Murray). The influence of travel and migration can be seen on major streets and cities in United Kingdom with a rich mixture of nationalities, Indian curry houses, Jewish Bagel shops, Chinese buffets restaurant, Italian restaurant, Mexican among others. However, the presence of African food restaurants seems not a loud as the others considering the long standing history of Blacks in the city. The absence of physical representation of the African food culture around the city especially in everyday cultural display such as in food, as compared to the Asian presence of Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican cuisines and other ethnic group in Liverpool raises questions of demand and supply. The most important representation so far is the International Slavery museum at the docks and black slave sculptures that are displayed around historical places in the city, which are only representations of past history and geography and not a total representation of the African culture in recent times. Ethnic minority consumers quest for cultural identity is perceived in the food culture of the group in concern. Commercial globalisation has renewed interest in the relationship between culture and traditional norms and values (James 1890). This pursuit for identity among most migrants to the western world is pronounced in their choice of food (Bauman2000). This research seeks to observe trends in African consumer behaviour and attitude toward African food in United Kingdom, using Liverpool as a case study. In trying to observe and evaluate these trends, certain issues have provided a background for this study, one of which is the re-materializing of postcolonial geographies as it affects Africans in a foreign country. African migrants attitude and food choice behaviour have been affected by certain factors, government and institutional policies of cutting across various levels of trading activities. In determining a consumers preference towards food related behaviours, convenience, as a food attribute, has been described as being as important as taste, health and price (Candel, 2001). However, the availability and accessibility of food influence consumers preference as different values are considered in understanding why consumers make certain food choice. Food choice is a complex phenomenon with many interacting events determining which foods are eaten by the individual at a particular time and place. (Shepherd 1989.) The failure of African foods to cross over into United Kingdom mainstream market has pointed to issues of production, preservation and transportation of African foods into the United Kingdom. International trade policies and barriers by OECD countries, farm subsidies have all been major setbacks to the availability of African food stuff in the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 literature review: theories of consumer perception, Chapter 2 how do Africans perceive African foods and other foods, what do Africans think about the origin of their food and the patriotic nature of Africans towards their food, the first experience of food, generational experience of food. Chapter 3 methodology: theories of research methods. Chapter 4 Chapter 5 result and discussions: background history of black Liverpool, map and population census 2001 of Africans in Liverpool, identifying African business and Questionnaires and interview analysis, Chapter 6 trade relations between African countries and UK CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW This literature review looks at the studies that have been done in areas of food preference as it concerns culture, food identity, food preference and quality. The second section will review theories employed in the research and the importance of global production networks. Catherine Dolan and John Humphrey (2000) used Global commodity chain as networks where the decision-maker influences the output of chains and composition governance in their paper ‘governance and trade in fresh vegetables. Their study does not recognise the identity of commodity and consumer as a factor in buyer driven commodity, evaluating the geography of space. This research explores the ethnic identity of consumer as a major actor in global commodity chain networks. The buyers themselves being of African nationality purchase food stuff from the local food store or African food restaurants which receive their supplies from importers of African foods in major cities like London and Manchester. The connection therefore is from the African farmers who grow the foods, to major exporter or importer as the case maybe, to the shelves food store and tables of the restaurant then consumed by Africans who live several miles away from their home country. The cultural identity of the co nsumers becomes a vital connection to the market, because consumers also make demand on the desired food choice. Consumers access to these foods becomes important to the continuity of this trade. Ben Fine (1993) defines commodity chains as â€Å"the commodity-specific chain connecting production, distribution, marketing and consumption and material culture surrounding these elements†, in the study of systems of provision (fine 1993:600). This approach acknowledges the importance of commodities as a possibility of more balanced treatment of the relationship between production and consumption (Crewe 2000). Studies have explored how networks of embedded firms are offering the potential for the more equitable relations between retailer and suppliers, through the sharing of knowledge as market intelligence and labour. (Crewe 1996, Scott 1996, Crewe and Beaverstock 1998). Other study have considered the creative dimension of domestic consumption, and the ways in which consumer good s are actively appropriated in the everyday spaces of the home, however, Domosh examines the reclamation of the home and the domestic space as key consumption site. But it does not take into account the origin of the commodities and how it relates to space for consumption (Domosh 1998). Cook and Crang, explore ways in which geographical knowledge about products invoke a â€Å"double commodity fetishism†. This is the idea in which consumer knowledge are limited by spatially distanciated systems of provision. (Laying emphasis on geographical knowledge about widely sources of food commodities and process through which food is supplied). This work highlights cultural means of places and spaces. Cook and Crang (1996), further explores the global extensive networks and flows of food, people and culinary knowledge embedded in cosmopolitan London. Suggesting that â€Å"cultural mosaic† (Friedman, 1994), conceptualise cultural geographies as bounded cultural regions where constructed associations between food, places and peoples, associations epitomising the conceptions of national, regional and local cuisines. Also describes food as emblems and markers of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Cook et al (1998), in seeking the articulation of the geographies of culture looks at how figure displacement can be used to suggest process of food consumption are cast as local, the connections of food consumption to networks, which extend beyond delimiting boundaries of particular places. Again, in a closely related study, Cook reflects on the biography and geographies of food. A definition of food as having their own biographies, studies the connection of consumer knowledge about the geographical origins of the food they consume and what roles it plays in food choice and consumption (Cook et al 1998). He concludes in a suggestion that knowledge can potentially be a significant factor in food choice and preference. Much research has been done on Caribbean foods within and outside United Kingdom, probably due to the influx of Caribbean foods into United Kingdom market in the mid 1990s, when it became the ethnic cuisine to go mainstream after the Chinese, Indian and Tex Mex (Cook et al 2003). The complex history of the Caribbeans produced a regional cuisine which had overlapped with the Indian and Chinese foods that were on top of international cuisines in the United Kingdom. The region had also become tourist centres to Europeans and a large interest of the Caribbean lifestyle and delicacies reflected on the shelves of UK supermarkets, in addition to the projected images by celebrity chefs, and companies who increased the exports to satisfy the demand of this market in the mid nineties (Cook et al 2003). This also reflected in Caribbean centres established in major cities and streets in the UK. Cook and Harrison examine debate over the failure of Caribbean food to cross over into the UK mainstream. The paper review mosaic and theories of culture as fundamental difference between a white â€Å"mainstream† and black â€Å"ethnic other† as part problems of this failure. (Cook and Harrison 2003). Understandings of postcolonial geographies of material culture and its contributions to the undermining of, and resistance to forms of colonial dominations that persist in contemporary global capitalist relationships as can be found in food trade relations between the ‘third world and the ‘west. The study uses the example of the corporate history of Grace, Kennedy and Co, a company that preferred to cater for the needs of UK ethnic minority and the third world consumers, instead of prioritising cross over in to UK mainstream market. Friedberg research of modern historical geography of food in Burkina Faso shows how agricultural policies, dietary preferences health concerns, helped to transform regional diet, landscape and economy, resulting to temporal and spatial patterns of daily life in Burkina Faso. The study observes the incorporation of Burkina Faso into the globalised market economy as a result of luxury food (French beans), not leaving out the expectation of food quality safety standards (Friedberg 2003). The study also observes the changing geographies of the meaning of food, suggesting how historical study of food consumption takes place outside formal market economy. Gaps in current research Studies on firms by management oriented researchers have been focused more on companies in developed economies, central and Eastern Europe, small and local food production firms in Africa and their business counterparts even in developed economies have received less attention in the study of economic development. Past researches remained outside social science mainstream therefore have not been influenced by general discourses especially in the field of economic geography. Feminist researchers who have done research in the developing world have only concentrated on gender-related issues in the developing nations rather than with broader questions of small, local and industrial organisations and economic development (Henderson et al 2002:437). The major issues of trade liberalization have affected the cross over of African food and with the increase of safety standard procedures by the UK govt. The challenges of small business and the cost of food as also other major issues that will be discussed. In examining the geographical knowledge about food, actors associated with food, which involves location and situatedness of food, the networks and flows of food and people are major debates around the accessibility of these foods. According to Cook et al the long-running history of interconnections between people and places; and the increasing consciousness of the compression of the economic, political, cultural world, and the production of the world as a single place are two major contentions of globalisation debates (Cook et al 1996). London is said to be promoted as a space of ‘global post-modern (Hall, 1991: 32) by the staging and reconstruction of cultural difference in ‘globalisation diversity (Pieterse, 1995:45 as cited Cook 1996), arguably, Liverpool being proclaimed as the ‘world in one city though with characteristic history of local culture is yet to produce a matching representation of modern diversity of the African culture with the exception of the In ternational Slavery museum. Post colonial issues around African cultural heritage in Liverpool will enhance globalisation diversity as represented in food, arts and cultural of the African food biography and origin. Global Production networks Global production networks emphasize the need to refocus attention on the social circumstances under which commodities are produced and consumed† (Dickens et al 2002 pg 444). It takes into account, the process of production-(can be from the farm stage, harvest, labour technology, processing in Africa, transportation, UK standardization, repackaging, supply and distribution,) which do not always follow a chain link but a complex network process, over time and space and distance to consumption. The GPN framework allows for a greater complexity and geographical variation in producer-consumer relation, this in turn enhances the ability to reveal how certain key knowledge ‘circulate between producers, consumers and intermediaries. It also reveals complex social geographies as agents located in different places can be seen to combine to influence the production process (Henderson et al 2002:445). In all, this research seeks to answer the following questions: †¢ Research Questions? To what extent does the demand of African food affect its availability? What impact does African food trade make on the supply of these foods? How have African food stores and restaurants faired with migration of Africans in Liverpool? Preference is described by Babicz-Zielinska as â€Å"a general predisposition for a particular food, independent of the eating situation, and expressed by degree of liking or disliking of the food, desired food frequency or fraction of subjects selecting the food as a response to its name†(Babicz-Zielinska 1999:139). The choice of food depends on factors that influence human behaviour, which in turn affects the rejection of some food and acceptance of others. A classification based on current food-choice models is used to explain certain attributes of food choice is made by Babicz-Zielinska (Babicz-Zielinska 1999:138) 1. Production-related factors- which could be physical and chemical properties of food, sensory attributes, functional features(labelling, availability) nutritional value; or 2. Consumer-related factors- personal features, (age, gender, psychological factors, experience, personality), physiological factors (health) or 3. Environment-related factors- economic factors (price and income), cultural factors (beliefs, social factors- social status and fashion. Consumer-related factors and environment-related factors will be area of concern in this research. Factors of food choice survey was conducted in European Community EC countries, and it showed that quality/freshness, taste, selecting a healthy diet, price, family preferences and habits belong to the most important choice factors, (Lennernas et al 1997) Behavioural research methodologies are usually used to ascertain the underlying factors that determine food-related behaviour, reason being that food choice and consumption are natural and integrated part of human behaviour (Mahon et al 2006:474). The theory of reasoned action The theory of reasoned action has received attention within the field of consumer behaviour. (Sheppard et al 1988). The theory of reasoned action studies attitude and behaviour (Ajzen Fishbein 1980). It observes behavioural intention, attitude and subjective norm. According to Fishbein and Ajzen, a persons behaviour is guided by the persons attitude towards the behaviour and the subjective norm. For example, Africans tend to eat hot, spicy and tasty food, so when they find themselves away from ‘home, they look for their regular food, or something very close to the kind of food they have been used to, the alternative in this case could mean the Caribbean cuisine which also has its origin from African foods, or the Spanish or Mexican spicy foods as found in UK. However the cost also plays a determining role in making food choice, this shall be explained in detail in later chapter. Miller 2005 defines attitude, subjective norm, and behavioural intentions as the 3 components of the theory of reasoned action. Attitude: The sum of beliefs about a particular behaviour weighted by evaluation of these beliefs. Subjective norms. This looks at the influence of people in ones social environment on his/her behavioural intentions. Behavioural intention. This is a function of both attitudes towards behaviour and subjective norms towards that behaviour which has been found to predict actual behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour is adopted to explain consumer behaviour towards African food. The other alternative in this research is the British food, considering different factors that affect the choice of food. Human behaviour is explained and predicted by the theory of planned behaviour in understanding beliefs and attitudes. Ajzen et al 1986, explains that TPB is an extension of the TRA. The theory of planned behaviour was developed as a third predictor of behaviour, perceived behavioural control, (Mahon et al 2006:475). Perceived behavioural control reflects beliefs regarding the access to resources and opportunities needed to perform a behaviour (Chiou, 1998 as cited in Mahon 2006 pg 475). The availability of resources needed to engage in the behaviour such as money, time and other resources, the focal person self confidence in their ability to conduct the behaviour are two major reflections of the theory of planned behaviour. The theory of consumer preference. Consumers have set of preferences which are dependent upon individual tastes, education, culture and other factors, apart from the economic factor. These factors are measured for particular goods in terms of the real opportunity cost to the consumer who purchases and consumes the goods. Consumer level of satisfaction of a particular kind of food is determined by what the consumer defines as â€Å"satisfaction†. However, consumers are constrained in their choices of foods by income, accessibility of goods and also the price that the consumer is willing to pay for his food. Consumer preferences are defined as the subjective taste as measured by utility-(where utility is the satisfaction that a consumer derives from the consumption of a good) of various bundles of goods. Preferences help consumer to prioritize bundles of goods according to the levels of utility that they give the consumer. However, these preferences are not dependent on income and prices only. The ability for a consumer to purchase certain kind of food does not always determine a consumers like or dislike over another food. For example, an African consumer in Liverpool can have a preference for African foods over British foods but only has the financial means to buy British meals more often. There are certain assumptions of consumers preference theory, which will be further looked into, the assumption of decisiveness, consistency, non-satiation, convexity. Actor network theory. ANT, a social theory pioneered by Michel Callon (1986), Bruno Latour (1987) and John Law (1987), conceptualize social interactions in terms of networks. This includes the material environment and human causes. The concept of ANT acknowledges the importance of both material and human factors in networks. The theory conveys the idea that the actor does not act ‘on his own but only under the influence of complex network of material and human influences. For example, the process involved in making African foods available is not just caused human factors, but also by production, technology, society, extended politics of trade and culture, all affecting the accessibility and availability of the foods. According to Callon (1986) materials causes as well as human actors may be determinants of the social interactions and outcomes (Callon 1986). According to Henderson 2002, ANT emphasize the relationality of object and agency in heterogeneous networks, in other words, entities in network s are shaped by and can only be understood through their relations and connectivity to other entities(Law, 1999:4 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). Again, space and distance are observed as ‘spatial fields and relational scopes of influence, power and connectivity (Harvey, 1969; Murdoch 1998 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). According to Nancy Vanhouse, ANT has to approaches, ‘follow the actor, through interviews and ethnographic research and through examining inscriptions. Inscriptions including texts, but also images of many sorts, databases, and the like are central to knowledge work. Some (e.g., Latour and Woolgar, 1991; Callon, Law, and Rip, 1986) say that texts (including journal articles, conference papers and presentations, grant proposals, and patents) are among the major, if not the major, products of scientific work. Inscriptions make action at a distance possible by stabilizing work in such a way that it can travel across space and time and be combined with other work. Texts are also central to the process of gaining credibility. They carry work to other people and institutions. They attempt to present work in such a way that its meaning and significance are irrefutable. And texts are where authors establish equivalences among problems, which Callon et al. (1986) identifies as a major strategy of enrolling others. An important part of the standard journal article or grant application, for example, is to say, in essence, If you are interested in X (major issue) you must be interested in Y, which is the topic of the work reported/proposed here. References Latour, B. and Woolgar, S. (1991). Laboratory life: the construction of scientific facts, intro by Salk, J., Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press Callon, Michel, John Law, and Arie Rip, eds. Mapping the Dynamics of Science and Technology: Sociology of Science in the Real World. London: Macmillan Press, 1986. Actor network theory has become very helpful in understanding connections between places and space. Its insistency on non human factor in network production Supply chain and bottleneck bureaucracy of the supply of food products from Africa into the UK makes it more difficult for the availability of this food. This furthermore widens the distance/gap between consumers and suppliers/retailers. The length of this chain affects. The quality assurance schemes, production and manufacturing to retailers protocols and the application of quality management system and standard such as HACCP and ISO series are various ways of cutting supplies. Bottlenecks of food quality and safety standards in food processing and distribution. The HACCP systems are used in specific export sectors in Africa, an example is the EU quality standard for fish in Uganda is based on EU directive 91/493/EEC and on Codex Alimentarius (Trienekens et al 2008:116) covering areas of microbiology level, pesticides residues, heavy metals, effluents, Good manufacturing practices (processing stage) and HACCP (processing stage) (Ssemwanga, 2003 as cited in Trienekens et al 2008:116). Kenya adheres to UK food and safety Act of 1990, more so testing laboratories are accredited to ISO 17025; 2000 by United Kingdom Accreditation services (UKAS) (Kari 2003), the high deportation rate of this products on western markets shows the fragility of the systems. As pesticides residues are discovered in the product. Other systems used for processors and packers of fish for exports are GMP, ISO 90002. The proliferation of standards by western markets creates a barrier for the application of standards by developing countries producers. The lack of enabling environment in which infrastructure facilities are absent in African countries is also a major setback. African countries are still discovering quality and safety of food as important condition for international food trade (Trieneken et al 2008:117). Building of facilities, government structures to improve and ensure quality and safety of products are still key agenda of attention. The importance of transportation, preservation (cooled system of transport) and storage are very vital to international trade. African countries are still at the phase of establishing the right conditions to enforce food quality and safety of the other products. According to Trieneken et al- many developing countries do not have skilled labour and laboratory facilities, this however limits good- quality management, making difficult. Small and medium size business, from developing countries find difficult or almost impossible to comply with standard required in western markets (Dinham, 2003, Unnevehr, 2002). Due to barriers created by SPS and TBT in exporting foods, from developing countries do not have the adequate information and most likely unaware of specific demand of western standards for trade. The heterogeneous standard in developed economies also poses a problem, as continues differ to country and market also differ. The cost of certification is too much for develop countries to bear. Most African food products are unable to adapt to the rigorous requirements of modern supply chain, either through scale enterprise or lack of knowledge or financial constraints, become non-competitive. The myriad of innovations and development has made the process of food supply chain increase in productivity. The combine technology of accurate weighing, refrigeration controlled atmospheric bacterial growth inhibition, pasteurisation, micro-element pollutant detection, bar-coding, electronic recognition of packaging, the use of stabilizers etc, has also contributed to the difficulty in having African food cross over, as most business may not be financially equipped enough for the volume of the trading. Christopher (1999) notes that the supply chain management evolves around the partnership developed in the chain and is supported by information technology applications that co-ordinate information dissemination and sharing amongst the chain members. This research has revealed that most home cooked food are prepared under high hygienic conditions, as cooking is monitored by consumer themselves problems with calories consumptions that affect the health of consumer is also under check, compared to the perceptions about eating fast food at convenience KFC and MacDonalds. This is one reason for the preference of African food among black consumer. One of the major problems of availability of African foods in UK is the problem of access into the country. Developing countries especially in Africa find it difficult to meet the food safety standards imposed by the UK/developing countries. Food safety standards which were originally set up to keep food for quality and safe consumption, by government of different countries are being used as trade impeding protectionist tools.(Jongwanich 2009:1). Food safety standards are usually to the disadvantage of developing countries, due to their limits capacity to access and use technology and information. International trade negotiations have experience setbacks for developing countries in recent years due to a demand for more stringent SPS in developed countries, which is as a result of increase in health consciousness and rising incomes. Before now, tariffs and quantitative restrictions are the trade barriers and impediments that affect export from developing countries to developed countri es, but in recent times, food safety standards have become tool for protectionist to block trade(Jongwanich 2009: Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool Abstract The aim of this research is to observe and explain consumers preference for African food in Liverpool. By identifying the attitudes towards African food, evaluating the different factors that affect the availability and accessibility of these foods within the city, the effect of globalisation processes on food production to consumption. Three different theories have been used in this research, the Theory of Reason Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Actor Network Theory and the theory of consumption. The global production network which seeks to identify the geographical spatiality involved in the network process of crossing African foods to UK. The actor-network theory is used to explain the different actors/actants in the global production network. The theories of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour used in this research intends to explain consumer attitude, preference and behaviour towards African foods. It is however observed that African consumers tend to prefer African traditional meals but this is affected by cost, time and distance. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research method is used to better interpret the outcomes of the result. A total of 150 respondents where interviewed from various part of the city, including students, young adults family etc. Cutting across different age groups. Owners of African food stores and restaurants were interviewed using both structured and semi-structured interview. Individuals were selected randomly, to verify interest in African foods. Chapter 1 Introduction The importance of food as a necessity of life goes beyond physical nourishment. Anthropologist and sociologist emphasize that food practices are prime means through which social relationships are formed. (Johnston et al 2006:272). A familiar saying goes â€Å"we are what we eat†; food links us to the rituals and recipes of previous generations, creating a network between families, wider communities, and the global trading network of producers, distributors and consumers. More so, we are transported into the world of others as we experience the tastes of unknown tradition and cultures. Food choices make profound impact on the environment, health and welfare of others, challenging the ideas of tradition and identity. Travel and immigration have also resulted in the changing and shifting of traditions over the years. National identities have been created also by food traditions in distant lands among people of similar culture and background. Food is an indicator of cultural tradi tions, values, and how food traditions develop and evolve over space and time. Much talk of globalisation of foods have helped in shaping traditions, cultural diversity, social and political economy of places, (Bernstein et al 1990: 9, Tinker 1997: 137, 143) however, not all kinds of food are very welcomed in some places, though may not be stated categorically, it can be observed within cities and communities most probably as result of economic policies, cultural differences, international trading policies. Traditional food is a vital aspect of the African cultural heritage. The production processing sale and distribution of food products enhances cultural and ethnic coherence in communities. Consumers demand for safe and tasteful traditional food products (Cayot, 2007). However, there is also a demand for varieties of ethnic foods in multi-ethnic cities and community. The definition of food encompasses matters of moral and cultural significance, differentiating food products, providers and consumers (Cook et al 1996). Food has always had a long history of constructed associations which involves associations of places and people, and has been used as emblem of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Johnston et al claim that there is no single geographical literature on food with its own coherent themes and problematic, as the study of food is found in economic, political, cultural, social and biological aspects of geography. Therefore food matter does not sit within the confinement of conceptual and spatial boundaries (Johnston 2006: 272). Key issues surrounding topic The speed and reach of globalisation, travel and trade, bring all kinds of diverse foods together. This has however affected the definitions of particular national food culture (Murray). The influence of travel and migration can be seen on major streets and cities in United Kingdom with a rich mixture of nationalities, Indian curry houses, Jewish Bagel shops, Chinese buffets restaurant, Italian restaurant, Mexican among others. However, the presence of African food restaurants seems not a loud as the others considering the long standing history of Blacks in the city. The absence of physical representation of the African food culture around the city especially in everyday cultural display such as in food, as compared to the Asian presence of Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican cuisines and other ethnic group in Liverpool raises questions of demand and supply. The most important representation so far is the International Slavery museum at the docks and black slave sculptures that are displayed around historical places in the city, which are only representations of past history and geography and not a total representation of the African culture in recent times. Ethnic minority consumers quest for cultural identity is perceived in the food culture of the group in concern. Commercial globalisation has renewed interest in the relationship between culture and traditional norms and values (James 1890). This pursuit for identity among most migrants to the western world is pronounced in their choice of food (Bauman2000). This research seeks to observe trends in African consumer behaviour and attitude toward African food in United Kingdom, using Liverpool as a case study. In trying to observe and evaluate these trends, certain issues have provided a background for this study, one of which is the re-materializing of postcolonial geographies as it affects Africans in a foreign country. African migrants attitude and food choice behaviour have been affected by certain factors, government and institutional policies of cutting across various levels of trading activities. In determining a consumers preference towards food related behaviours, convenience, as a food attribute, has been described as being as important as taste, health and price (Candel, 2001). However, the availability and accessibility of food influence consumers preference as different values are considered in understanding why consumers make certain food choice. Food choice is a complex phenomenon with many interacting events determining which foods are eaten by the individual at a particular time and place. (Shepherd 1989.) The failure of African foods to cross over into United Kingdom mainstream market has pointed to issues of production, preservation and transportation of African foods into the United Kingdom. International trade policies and barriers by OECD countries, farm subsidies have all been major setbacks to the availability of African food stuff in the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 literature review: theories of consumer perception, Chapter 2 how do Africans perceive African foods and other foods, what do Africans think about the origin of their food and the patriotic nature of Africans towards their food, the first experience of food, generational experience of food. Chapter 3 methodology: theories of research methods. Chapter 4 Chapter 5 result and discussions: background history of black Liverpool, map and population census 2001 of Africans in Liverpool, identifying African business and Questionnaires and interview analysis, Chapter 6 trade relations between African countries and UK CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW This literature review looks at the studies that have been done in areas of food preference as it concerns culture, food identity, food preference and quality. The second section will review theories employed in the research and the importance of global production networks. Catherine Dolan and John Humphrey (2000) used Global commodity chain as networks where the decision-maker influences the output of chains and composition governance in their paper ‘governance and trade in fresh vegetables. Their study does not recognise the identity of commodity and consumer as a factor in buyer driven commodity, evaluating the geography of space. This research explores the ethnic identity of consumer as a major actor in global commodity chain networks. The buyers themselves being of African nationality purchase food stuff from the local food store or African food restaurants which receive their supplies from importers of African foods in major cities like London and Manchester. The connection therefore is from the African farmers who grow the foods, to major exporter or importer as the case maybe, to the shelves food store and tables of the restaurant then consumed by Africans who live several miles away from their home country. The cultural identity of the co nsumers becomes a vital connection to the market, because consumers also make demand on the desired food choice. Consumers access to these foods becomes important to the continuity of this trade. Ben Fine (1993) defines commodity chains as â€Å"the commodity-specific chain connecting production, distribution, marketing and consumption and material culture surrounding these elements†, in the study of systems of provision (fine 1993:600). This approach acknowledges the importance of commodities as a possibility of more balanced treatment of the relationship between production and consumption (Crewe 2000). Studies have explored how networks of embedded firms are offering the potential for the more equitable relations between retailer and suppliers, through the sharing of knowledge as market intelligence and labour. (Crewe 1996, Scott 1996, Crewe and Beaverstock 1998). Other study have considered the creative dimension of domestic consumption, and the ways in which consumer good s are actively appropriated in the everyday spaces of the home, however, Domosh examines the reclamation of the home and the domestic space as key consumption site. But it does not take into account the origin of the commodities and how it relates to space for consumption (Domosh 1998). Cook and Crang, explore ways in which geographical knowledge about products invoke a â€Å"double commodity fetishism†. This is the idea in which consumer knowledge are limited by spatially distanciated systems of provision. (Laying emphasis on geographical knowledge about widely sources of food commodities and process through which food is supplied). This work highlights cultural means of places and spaces. Cook and Crang (1996), further explores the global extensive networks and flows of food, people and culinary knowledge embedded in cosmopolitan London. Suggesting that â€Å"cultural mosaic† (Friedman, 1994), conceptualise cultural geographies as bounded cultural regions where constructed associations between food, places and peoples, associations epitomising the conceptions of national, regional and local cuisines. Also describes food as emblems and markers of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Cook et al (1998), in seeking the articulation of the geographies of culture looks at how figure displacement can be used to suggest process of food consumption are cast as local, the connections of food consumption to networks, which extend beyond delimiting boundaries of particular places. Again, in a closely related study, Cook reflects on the biography and geographies of food. A definition of food as having their own biographies, studies the connection of consumer knowledge about the geographical origins of the food they consume and what roles it plays in food choice and consumption (Cook et al 1998). He concludes in a suggestion that knowledge can potentially be a significant factor in food choice and preference. Much research has been done on Caribbean foods within and outside United Kingdom, probably due to the influx of Caribbean foods into United Kingdom market in the mid 1990s, when it became the ethnic cuisine to go mainstream after the Chinese, Indian and Tex Mex (Cook et al 2003). The complex history of the Caribbeans produced a regional cuisine which had overlapped with the Indian and Chinese foods that were on top of international cuisines in the United Kingdom. The region had also become tourist centres to Europeans and a large interest of the Caribbean lifestyle and delicacies reflected on the shelves of UK supermarkets, in addition to the projected images by celebrity chefs, and companies who increased the exports to satisfy the demand of this market in the mid nineties (Cook et al 2003). This also reflected in Caribbean centres established in major cities and streets in the UK. Cook and Harrison examine debate over the failure of Caribbean food to cross over into the UK mainstream. The paper review mosaic and theories of culture as fundamental difference between a white â€Å"mainstream† and black â€Å"ethnic other† as part problems of this failure. (Cook and Harrison 2003). Understandings of postcolonial geographies of material culture and its contributions to the undermining of, and resistance to forms of colonial dominations that persist in contemporary global capitalist relationships as can be found in food trade relations between the ‘third world and the ‘west. The study uses the example of the corporate history of Grace, Kennedy and Co, a company that preferred to cater for the needs of UK ethnic minority and the third world consumers, instead of prioritising cross over in to UK mainstream market. Friedberg research of modern historical geography of food in Burkina Faso shows how agricultural policies, dietary preferences health concerns, helped to transform regional diet, landscape and economy, resulting to temporal and spatial patterns of daily life in Burkina Faso. The study observes the incorporation of Burkina Faso into the globalised market economy as a result of luxury food (French beans), not leaving out the expectation of food quality safety standards (Friedberg 2003). The study also observes the changing geographies of the meaning of food, suggesting how historical study of food consumption takes place outside formal market economy. Gaps in current research Studies on firms by management oriented researchers have been focused more on companies in developed economies, central and Eastern Europe, small and local food production firms in Africa and their business counterparts even in developed economies have received less attention in the study of economic development. Past researches remained outside social science mainstream therefore have not been influenced by general discourses especially in the field of economic geography. Feminist researchers who have done research in the developing world have only concentrated on gender-related issues in the developing nations rather than with broader questions of small, local and industrial organisations and economic development (Henderson et al 2002:437). The major issues of trade liberalization have affected the cross over of African food and with the increase of safety standard procedures by the UK govt. The challenges of small business and the cost of food as also other major issues that will be discussed. In examining the geographical knowledge about food, actors associated with food, which involves location and situatedness of food, the networks and flows of food and people are major debates around the accessibility of these foods. According to Cook et al the long-running history of interconnections between people and places; and the increasing consciousness of the compression of the economic, political, cultural world, and the production of the world as a single place are two major contentions of globalisation debates (Cook et al 1996). London is said to be promoted as a space of ‘global post-modern (Hall, 1991: 32) by the staging and reconstruction of cultural difference in ‘globalisation diversity (Pieterse, 1995:45 as cited Cook 1996), arguably, Liverpool being proclaimed as the ‘world in one city though with characteristic history of local culture is yet to produce a matching representation of modern diversity of the African culture with the exception of the In ternational Slavery museum. Post colonial issues around African cultural heritage in Liverpool will enhance globalisation diversity as represented in food, arts and cultural of the African food biography and origin. Global Production networks Global production networks emphasize the need to refocus attention on the social circumstances under which commodities are produced and consumed† (Dickens et al 2002 pg 444). It takes into account, the process of production-(can be from the farm stage, harvest, labour technology, processing in Africa, transportation, UK standardization, repackaging, supply and distribution,) which do not always follow a chain link but a complex network process, over time and space and distance to consumption. The GPN framework allows for a greater complexity and geographical variation in producer-consumer relation, this in turn enhances the ability to reveal how certain key knowledge ‘circulate between producers, consumers and intermediaries. It also reveals complex social geographies as agents located in different places can be seen to combine to influence the production process (Henderson et al 2002:445). In all, this research seeks to answer the following questions: †¢ Research Questions? To what extent does the demand of African food affect its availability? What impact does African food trade make on the supply of these foods? How have African food stores and restaurants faired with migration of Africans in Liverpool? Preference is described by Babicz-Zielinska as â€Å"a general predisposition for a particular food, independent of the eating situation, and expressed by degree of liking or disliking of the food, desired food frequency or fraction of subjects selecting the food as a response to its name†(Babicz-Zielinska 1999:139). The choice of food depends on factors that influence human behaviour, which in turn affects the rejection of some food and acceptance of others. A classification based on current food-choice models is used to explain certain attributes of food choice is made by Babicz-Zielinska (Babicz-Zielinska 1999:138) 1. Production-related factors- which could be physical and chemical properties of food, sensory attributes, functional features(labelling, availability) nutritional value; or 2. Consumer-related factors- personal features, (age, gender, psychological factors, experience, personality), physiological factors (health) or 3. Environment-related factors- economic factors (price and income), cultural factors (beliefs, social factors- social status and fashion. Consumer-related factors and environment-related factors will be area of concern in this research. Factors of food choice survey was conducted in European Community EC countries, and it showed that quality/freshness, taste, selecting a healthy diet, price, family preferences and habits belong to the most important choice factors, (Lennernas et al 1997) Behavioural research methodologies are usually used to ascertain the underlying factors that determine food-related behaviour, reason being that food choice and consumption are natural and integrated part of human behaviour (Mahon et al 2006:474). The theory of reasoned action The theory of reasoned action has received attention within the field of consumer behaviour. (Sheppard et al 1988). The theory of reasoned action studies attitude and behaviour (Ajzen Fishbein 1980). It observes behavioural intention, attitude and subjective norm. According to Fishbein and Ajzen, a persons behaviour is guided by the persons attitude towards the behaviour and the subjective norm. For example, Africans tend to eat hot, spicy and tasty food, so when they find themselves away from ‘home, they look for their regular food, or something very close to the kind of food they have been used to, the alternative in this case could mean the Caribbean cuisine which also has its origin from African foods, or the Spanish or Mexican spicy foods as found in UK. However the cost also plays a determining role in making food choice, this shall be explained in detail in later chapter. Miller 2005 defines attitude, subjective norm, and behavioural intentions as the 3 components of the theory of reasoned action. Attitude: The sum of beliefs about a particular behaviour weighted by evaluation of these beliefs. Subjective norms. This looks at the influence of people in ones social environment on his/her behavioural intentions. Behavioural intention. This is a function of both attitudes towards behaviour and subjective norms towards that behaviour which has been found to predict actual behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour is adopted to explain consumer behaviour towards African food. The other alternative in this research is the British food, considering different factors that affect the choice of food. Human behaviour is explained and predicted by the theory of planned behaviour in understanding beliefs and attitudes. Ajzen et al 1986, explains that TPB is an extension of the TRA. The theory of planned behaviour was developed as a third predictor of behaviour, perceived behavioural control, (Mahon et al 2006:475). Perceived behavioural control reflects beliefs regarding the access to resources and opportunities needed to perform a behaviour (Chiou, 1998 as cited in Mahon 2006 pg 475). The availability of resources needed to engage in the behaviour such as money, time and other resources, the focal person self confidence in their ability to conduct the behaviour are two major reflections of the theory of planned behaviour. The theory of consumer preference. Consumers have set of preferences which are dependent upon individual tastes, education, culture and other factors, apart from the economic factor. These factors are measured for particular goods in terms of the real opportunity cost to the consumer who purchases and consumes the goods. Consumer level of satisfaction of a particular kind of food is determined by what the consumer defines as â€Å"satisfaction†. However, consumers are constrained in their choices of foods by income, accessibility of goods and also the price that the consumer is willing to pay for his food. Consumer preferences are defined as the subjective taste as measured by utility-(where utility is the satisfaction that a consumer derives from the consumption of a good) of various bundles of goods. Preferences help consumer to prioritize bundles of goods according to the levels of utility that they give the consumer. However, these preferences are not dependent on income and prices only. The ability for a consumer to purchase certain kind of food does not always determine a consumers like or dislike over another food. For example, an African consumer in Liverpool can have a preference for African foods over British foods but only has the financial means to buy British meals more often. There are certain assumptions of consumers preference theory, which will be further looked into, the assumption of decisiveness, consistency, non-satiation, convexity. Actor network theory. ANT, a social theory pioneered by Michel Callon (1986), Bruno Latour (1987) and John Law (1987), conceptualize social interactions in terms of networks. This includes the material environment and human causes. The concept of ANT acknowledges the importance of both material and human factors in networks. The theory conveys the idea that the actor does not act ‘on his own but only under the influence of complex network of material and human influences. For example, the process involved in making African foods available is not just caused human factors, but also by production, technology, society, extended politics of trade and culture, all affecting the accessibility and availability of the foods. According to Callon (1986) materials causes as well as human actors may be determinants of the social interactions and outcomes (Callon 1986). According to Henderson 2002, ANT emphasize the relationality of object and agency in heterogeneous networks, in other words, entities in network s are shaped by and can only be understood through their relations and connectivity to other entities(Law, 1999:4 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). Again, space and distance are observed as ‘spatial fields and relational scopes of influence, power and connectivity (Harvey, 1969; Murdoch 1998 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). According to Nancy Vanhouse, ANT has to approaches, ‘follow the actor, through interviews and ethnographic research and through examining inscriptions. Inscriptions including texts, but also images of many sorts, databases, and the like are central to knowledge work. Some (e.g., Latour and Woolgar, 1991; Callon, Law, and Rip, 1986) say that texts (including journal articles, conference papers and presentations, grant proposals, and patents) are among the major, if not the major, products of scientific work. Inscriptions make action at a distance possible by stabilizing work in such a way that it can travel across space and time and be combined with other work. Texts are also central to the process of gaining credibility. They carry work to other people and institutions. They attempt to present work in such a way that its meaning and significance are irrefutable. And texts are where authors establish equivalences among problems, which Callon et al. (1986) identifies as a major strategy of enrolling others. An important part of the standard journal article or grant application, for example, is to say, in essence, If you are interested in X (major issue) you must be interested in Y, which is the topic of the work reported/proposed here. References Latour, B. and Woolgar, S. (1991). Laboratory life: the construction of scientific facts, intro by Salk, J., Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press Callon, Michel, John Law, and Arie Rip, eds. Mapping the Dynamics of Science and Technology: Sociology of Science in the Real World. London: Macmillan Press, 1986. Actor network theory has become very helpful in understanding connections between places and space. Its insistency on non human factor in network production Supply chain and bottleneck bureaucracy of the supply of food products from Africa into the UK makes it more difficult for the availability of this food. This furthermore widens the distance/gap between consumers and suppliers/retailers. The length of this chain affects. The quality assurance schemes, production and manufacturing to retailers protocols and the application of quality management system and standard such as HACCP and ISO series are various ways of cutting supplies. Bottlenecks of food quality and safety standards in food processing and distribution. The HACCP systems are used in specific export sectors in Africa, an example is the EU quality standard for fish in Uganda is based on EU directive 91/493/EEC and on Codex Alimentarius (Trienekens et al 2008:116) covering areas of microbiology level, pesticides residues, heavy metals, effluents, Good manufacturing practices (processing stage) and HACCP (processing stage) (Ssemwanga, 2003 as cited in Trienekens et al 2008:116). Kenya adheres to UK food and safety Act of 1990, more so testing laboratories are accredited to ISO 17025; 2000 by United Kingdom Accreditation services (UKAS) (Kari 2003), the high deportation rate of this products on western markets shows the fragility of the systems. As pesticides residues are discovered in the product. Other systems used for processors and packers of fish for exports are GMP, ISO 90002. The proliferation of standards by western markets creates a barrier for the application of standards by developing countries producers. The lack of enabling environment in which infrastructure facilities are absent in African countries is also a major setback. African countries are still discovering quality and safety of food as important condition for international food trade (Trieneken et al 2008:117). Building of facilities, government structures to improve and ensure quality and safety of products are still key agenda of attention. The importance of transportation, preservation (cooled system of transport) and storage are very vital to international trade. African countries are still at the phase of establishing the right conditions to enforce food quality and safety of the other products. According to Trieneken et al- many developing countries do not have skilled labour and laboratory facilities, this however limits good- quality management, making difficult. Small and medium size business, from developing countries find difficult or almost impossible to comply with standard required in western markets (Dinham, 2003, Unnevehr, 2002). Due to barriers created by SPS and TBT in exporting foods, from developing countries do not have the adequate information and most likely unaware of specific demand of western standards for trade. The heterogeneous standard in developed economies also poses a problem, as continues differ to country and market also differ. The cost of certification is too much for develop countries to bear. Most African food products are unable to adapt to the rigorous requirements of modern supply chain, either through scale enterprise or lack of knowledge or financial constraints, become non-competitive. The myriad of innovations and development has made the process of food supply chain increase in productivity. The combine technology of accurate weighing, refrigeration controlled atmospheric bacterial growth inhibition, pasteurisation, micro-element pollutant detection, bar-coding, electronic recognition of packaging, the use of stabilizers etc, has also contributed to the difficulty in having African food cross over, as most business may not be financially equipped enough for the volume of the trading. Christopher (1999) notes that the supply chain management evolves around the partnership developed in the chain and is supported by information technology applications that co-ordinate information dissemination and sharing amongst the chain members. This research has revealed that most home cooked food are prepared under high hygienic conditions, as cooking is monitored by consumer themselves problems with calories consumptions that affect the health of consumer is also under check, compared to the perceptions about eating fast food at convenience KFC and MacDonalds. This is one reason for the preference of African food among black consumer. One of the major problems of availability of African foods in UK is the problem of access into the country. Developing countries especially in Africa find it difficult to meet the food safety standards imposed by the UK/developing countries. Food safety standards which were originally set up to keep food for quality and safe consumption, by government of different countries are being used as trade impeding protectionist tools.(Jongwanich 2009:1). Food safety standards are usually to the disadvantage of developing countries, due to their limits capacity to access and use technology and information. International trade negotiations have experience setbacks for developing countries in recent years due to a demand for more stringent SPS in developed countries, which is as a result of increase in health consciousness and rising incomes. Before now, tariffs and quantitative restrictions are the trade barriers and impediments that affect export from developing countries to developed countri es, but in recent times, food safety standards have become tool for protectionist to block trade(Jongwanich 2009:

A Comparison of Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur as Heroes :: comparison compare contrast essays

Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur - Three Heroes The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur, are heroes for different reasons. Beowulf, our earliest hero, is brave but his motivation is different than then other two. To Sir Gawain personal honor and valor is what is important. King Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is naturally the quintessential king of the medieval period. Though all men to a certain extent share the same qualities, some are more pronounced than in the others. It is important to see how these qualities are central to their respective stories and how it helps (or hinders) them in their journeys. The greatest value of Beowulf is his bravery, some may say bravado. There is no doubt that he is a great warrior. Beowulf's heroism belongs to a different time than that of King Arthur or Sir Gawain. For that reason his bragging about his prowess might seem decidedly unheroic. When he tells Unferth "I count it true that I had more courage, More strength in swimming than any other man" (514-15 (41) it might be interpreted in a poor way. What he is saying though is true. In addition, in order for him to succeed he must orally deliver his resume. Nevertheless, bragging aside, Beowulf is undoubtedly a brave man. When Beowulf sets out to kill Grendel's mother he simply "donned his armor for battle, Heeded not the danger..." (1328-29 60). When his sword fails him he uses his physical strength: "On the might of his hand, as a man must do Who thinks to win in the welter of battle Enduring glory; he fears not death" (1420-23 62). Certainly he is in search of fame. Though this is true it must not discount his brave actions. He gains his fame truthfully by doing battle with menaces to society. He does not lie or manipulate to achieve fame, he uses what is rightfully his, his bravery. Beowulf's bravery differs from that of King Arthur's for several reasons. King Arthur by being king must be brave, to rule the state people must respect him. Beowulf's bravery carries the story. One because it details his ascension in fame and secondly it also outlines his downfall. The honor of Sir Gawain is his best value, though he suffered a set-back. His honor is the catalyst for what happens through the rest of the poem.