Characterizing Poor Performance in For-Profit and Not-for-Profit Food Service Operations

In this article the authors explore the performance-related employee behaviors that are the most troublesome in food service. Four subsegments of food service were surveyed and differences in profit and not-for-profit operations analyzed. Significant differences were found between the two groups, with for-profit operations indicating more severe problems in all but one behavior category.

Personal Style of On-Site Food Service Managers

Myers-Briggs Type Indicators (MBTI) assess preferences based on Carl Jungs theory of psychological types. They are widely used in organizational development, management and leadership training, and team building. This study examines MBTl of food service managers in a single organization to determine whether food service managers have a typical personal style and whether this style varies.

Recruiting and developing technicians for hotel food service operations

The thesis which follows is a study of recruiting and developing skilled workers for Hotel Food Service Operations in the Miami area. The aim of the study is to bring to the attention of personnel management the role of recruiting and training in providing the skilled people needed for their operation in the short and long run as well. The study was done as a case study of the medium and large size hotels which have a minimum of 250 units each in the Miami area. However, the study has been generalized where it is possible, and when data permitted. The primary data was collected by the use of the questionnaire survey method composed of key questions about recruiting, training and sources of skilled people, turnover reasons, etc. Eight tables have been constructed, analyzed and interpreted. A personal opinion was mentioned in the interpretation of each table's data. It was found that personnel management should provide a better recruiting and developing procedures in order to attract more qualified people, particularly among the youngsters who are potential skilled workers for the future. It was concluded that the quality of work life, the benefits, and the opportunities for advancement in the food and beverage operations play a significant role in an employee's decision to stay with a particular job, and to acquire the necessary skills.

Food and beverage management

Abstract and faculty adviser information are not available for this thesis.

FRESH: A Food-service Sustainability Rating for Hospitality Sector Events

This report presents a metric called FRESH (for Foodservice Impact Rating for Environmentally Sustainable Hospitality Events). FRESH can be used to evaluate the performance of any foodservice meal period or event in the hospitality sector with regards to its sustainability, based on seven measurements. These measures are: a (post-consumer) food-waste indicator, a no-show indicator (when unexpectedly few people show up), an over-show measure (when too many people show up), a planning indicator (measuring intentional overproduction), a portion-size indicator (measuring per-guest consumption against expectations), an economies of scale indicator, and a post-event indicator (which depends on disposal approaches). FRESH can help managers, authorities, and potential guests evaluate the sustainability of food production in any establishment.

Assessment of sea cucumber populations from the Aegean Sea (Turkey): first insights to sustainable management of new fisheries

Sea cucumber stocks have been overfished in many countries. As a consequence, several species (Holothuria polii, Holothuria tubulosa and Holothuria mammata) are now caught in Turkish waters without adequate knowledge on their biology and ecology. Here, we address their morphometry, relationships among gutted length and weight, population dynamics, temporal evolution of catches, and we provide the first insights about technical aspects of their fisheries. The largest size classes of H. polii are missing from our sampling collection, possibly due to the heavy fishery pressure on this species. Significant differences in the eviscerated length and weight were found among the Turkish sampled localities for H. polii and H. tubulosa, respectively. These differences could be explained by higher food availability in some areas and/or differential fishery pressure. The size and weight of H. tubulosa specimens were smaller than those registered for the same species in Greek waters, where this species is not fished. All the studied species showed allometric growth. In the last two years, the sea cucumber fishery in Turkey has been increasing rapidly, reaching a total production of ca. 555 000 kg in 2012 (80% H. polii and 20% H. tubulosa plus H. mammata). For a correct management of these species, we recommend: 1) the reestablishment of species-specific closed fishery season according to the specific reproductive cycle; 2) the assessment of the exploited stocks from the Northern Turkish coasts with estimates of recovery time of their populations; 3) the reduction of fishery efforts, mainly on H. polii and H. tubulosa and 4) the establishment of protected areas (where sea cucumber fisheries are forbidden) to conserve healthy populations which will favour the recruitment on nearby areas.

Land use change from rainforests to oil palm plantations and food gardens in Papua New Guinea: Effects on soil properties and S fractions

Changes in soil sulfur (S) fractions were assessed in oil palm and food garden land use systems developed on forest vegetation in humid tropical areas of Popondetta in northern Province. The study tested a hypothesis that S in food gardens are limiting nutrient factor and are significantly lower than in plantations and forests. Subsistence food gardens are under long-term slash and burn practice of cropping and such practice is expected to accelerate loss of biomass S from the ecosystem. From each land use, surface soil (0–15 cm) samples were characterised and further pseudocomplete fractionated for S. Conversion of forest to oil palm production decreased (p<0.001) soil pH and electrical conductivity values. The reserve S fraction in soil increased significantly (p<0.05) due to oil palm production ( 28 %) and food gardening activity (∼ 54 %). However, plant available SO42--S was below 15 mg kg^(−1) in the food garden soils and foliar samples of sweet potato crop indicating deficiency of plant available S. Soil organic carbon content (OC) was positively and significantly correlated to total S content (r=0.533; p<0.001) among the land use systems. Thus, crop management practices that affect OC status of the soils would potentially affect the S availability in soils. The possible changes in the chemical nature of mineralisable organic S compounds leading to enhanced mineralisation and leaching losses could be the reasons for the deficiency of S in the food garden soils. The results of this study conclude that long-term subsistence food gardening activity enriched top soils with reserve S or total S content at the expense of soluble S fraction. The subsistence cropping practices such as biomass burning in food gardens and reduced fallow periods are apparently threatening food security of oil palm households. Improved soil OC management strategies such as avoiding burning of fallow vegetation, improved fallows, mulching with fallow biomass, use of manures and S containing fertilisers must be promoted to sustain food security in smallholder oil palm system.

A probabilistic analysis of Clostridium perfringens growth during food service operations

The purpose of this study was threefold: first, the study was designed to illustrate the use of data and information collected in food safety surveys in a quantitative risk assessment. In this case, the focus was on the food service industry; however, similar data from other parts of the food chain could be similarly incorporated. The second objective was to quantitatively describe and better understand the role that the food service industry plays in the safety of food. The third objective was to illustrate the additional decision-making information that is available when uncertainty and variability are incorporated into the modelling of systems. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Information technology service management: an experimental approach towards IT service prediction

Dissertation presented to obtain a Masters degree in Computer Science

Risk management of new product development process

Dissertation submitted to Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia of Universidade Nova de Lisboa for the achievement of Integrated Master´s degree in Industrial Management Engineering

Bacteremia due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in the CTX-M era: a new clinical challenge.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli, particularly those producing CTX-M types of ESBL, are emerging pathogens. Bacteremia caused by these organisms represents a clinical challenge, because the organisms are frequently resistant to the antimicrobials recommended for treatment of patients with suspected E. coli sepsis. METHODS:A cohort study was performed that included all episodes of bloodstream infection due to ESBL-producing E. coli during the period from January 2001 through March 2005. Data on predisposing factors, clinical presentation, and outcome were collected. ESBLs were characterized using isoelectric focusing, polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing. RESULTS: Forty-three episodes (8.8% of cases of bacteremia due to E. coli) were included; 70% of the isolates produced a CTX-M type of ESBL. The most frequent origins of infection were the urinary (46%) and biliary tracts (21%). Acquisition was nosocomial in 21 cases (49%), health care associated in 14 cases (32%), and strictly community acquired in 8 cases (19%). Thirty-eight percent and 25% of patients had obstructive diseases of the urinary and biliary tracts, respectively, and 38% had recently received antimicrobials. Nine patients (21%) died. Compared with beta-lactam/beta-lactamase-inhibitor and carbapenem-based regimens, empirical therapy with cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones was associated with a higher mortality rate (9% vs. 35%; P=.05) and needed to be changed more frequently (24% vs. 78%; P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: ESBL-producing E. coli is a significant cause of bloodstream infection in hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients in the context of the emergence of CTX-M enzymes. Empirical treatment of sepsis potentially caused by E. coli may need to be reconsidered in areas where such ESBL-producing isolates are present.

Report on a special investigation of the Food Service Department of the Springville Community School District for the period July 1, 2005 through March 31, 2009

Report on a special investigation of the Food Service Department of the Springville Community School District for the period July 1, 2005 through March 31, 2009

Service Management for Service Desk

Palvelunhallinnan kehittäminen Service Desk ympäristöön johtaa parempaan työnkulun hallintaan. Service Deskin päätehtävänä on toimia ainoana yhteyspisteenä asiakkaalta tietohallinto-osastolle. Jokainen yhteydenottopitää kirjata ja se pitäisi olla jäljitettävissä. Tapahtumien eli insidenttien kirjaaminen tapahtuu pääasiassa Service Desk -funktiossa, joka omistaa niistä jokaisen. Tapahtumien hallintaprosessin tehtävänä on etsiä loppukäyttäjän tai IT-infrastruktuurin monitorointityökalun ilmoittamalle insidentille mahdollisimman nopea ratkaisu. Insidentit saattavat johtaa ongelmiin, jotka käsitellään erillisessä prosessissa. Ongelmien hallintaprosessi yrittää etsiä vikatilanteen pohjimmaisen syyn. Kun pohjimmaisin syy on löytynyt, prosessi lähettää muutospyynnön muutosten hallintaprosessille. Jotta päästään mahdollisimman hyvään tehokkuuteen, pitää määrittää asiakasrajapinta sekä mittarit. ITIL-malli tarjoaa prosessit IT-palvelunhallinnan kehittämiselle. Kansainvälisesti tunnettuna 'de factO' standardina sitä voidaan soveltaa globaaleissa yrityksissä. Tässä työssä keskitytään erään lääkkeiden jakelussa toimivan yrityksen tietohallinto-osaston Help Deskin nykytilan määrittämiseen. Työssä myös kuvataan tietohallinto-osaston tavoitetila, jossa keskitytään Service Deskin IT palvelunhallinnan kehittämiseen. Muut prosessit ja mittarit on kuvattu niiltä osin, jotka tulee huomioida Service Deskin seuraamisen ja ohjaamisen kannalta.

Development of IT Service Management in a Large International Company

The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to examine the IT Service Management (ITSM) capabilities of a large international company and develop a design for the IT Service Management of the company. The thesis consists of two parts: a literature review and a case study. The first part is the literature review. It examines different aspects of IT Service Management. The purpose of the literature review is to increase the credibility of the case study. In the case study, the IT Service Management of a large industrial company is assessed, and an improved design for IT Service Management is created. The services are limited to common IT services, and management is limited to operative management. To assess and develop the case company’s IT Service Management, the IT organization and its ITSM capabilities are analyzed, and on the basis of the analyses, an improved IT Service Management model is created. As a result of the analyses, it was found out that the management of the IT organization is function-oriented. Therefore, the organization needs a management model that breaks the functional borders and brings services to the center of management. The designed model aspires to achieve this by defining IT services and modeling management processes from the service perspective.

A Framework for IT Service Management Integration

The objective of this Master’s Thesis is to find out best practices for IT service management integration. Integration in this context means process integration between an IT organization and an integration partner. For observing the objective, two different perspectives are assigned: process and technology. The thesis consists of theory, framework, implementation, and analysis parts. The first part introduces common methodology of IT service management and enterprise integration. The second part presents an integration framework for ITSM integration. The third part illustrates how the framework is used and the last part analyses the framework. The major results of this thesis were the framework architecture, the framework tools, the implementation model, the testing model, and the deployment model for ITSM integration. As a fundamental best practice, the framework contained a four-division structure between architecture, process, data, and technology. This architecture provides a baseline for ITSM integration design, implementation and testing.