Four Season Hotel in Guangzhou - Thesis Proposal Example

Four Season Hotel in Guangzhou Please complete this proposal form in no more than 3500 words. Submit this proposal form when completed, to Turn It In via Moodle under the independent study section, as explained in the video tutorial available on Moodle in the BA Programme General Information section. Your proposal form will be graded and feedback made available via Moodle. 1. Your Name: 2. Programme name and code 3. Contact Info Email: Tel No. Address: 4. Module name and code 5. Name of project supervisor 6. Title or topic area of proposed study An analysis of the service quality that impact on customer's loyalty of a case study of Four Season Hotel in Guangzhou, China. Here service quality can be defined as the ability of a hotel to provide same service as imagined by its customer. Customer loyalty can be defined as the positive reaction of customer towards the good service quality of an organization, by visiting the hotel again and again. 7. What are the aim and objectives of your study? Aims: To assess the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in Food and Beverage department of Four Season Hotel in Guangzhou. Objectives: 1. To explain the theory of service quality and customer loyalty. 2. Establish the levels of service quality in food & beverages department in Four Season Hotel Guangzhou, China 3. To determine levels of customer loyalty related to service quality 4. Establish the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in Four Season Hotel Guangzhou 8. Brief review of relevant literature and rationale for study: list references of approximately 6 publications that you view to be key publications focusing on your research topic. On this list, include a minimum of 4 key methodology references. This list should be alphabetised and stapled to the back of the proposal form. (You should not attach copies of the publications). Literature Survey The Research Context/background: In this research study, the main focus is on the hidden rationales that affect the service quality and customer loyalty and their relation. This research would try to explain the theory of service quality and customer loyalty. The Rationale for study: Service Quality, Customer Loyalty The scope of Study: This study aims at analyzing the Food and Beverages Department of Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou, China Significance of Study: The aim behind this research is to study the relationship between service quality and customer’s loyalty. This is key to increase loyalty of customers. Service quality and customer loyalty are directly proportional to each other. The greater the quality of service, greater would be the loyalty of the customer for the brand. Organization of Study: Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou, China Key Concepts: To identify the role of service quality and customer loyalty in food and beverages department of the Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou, China Hospitality Management/Previous Research: A lot of researches related to hospitality management have been explored to prepare this document. Theoretical Framework: Service Quality and Loyalty of Customer are key variables of this study. This study envisages identifying the role of service quality in formulating a strategy to attain customer’s loyalty. Synthesis: Other related studies have been assessed below. In the past, many similar research studies have been conducted in hotel and hospitality industry. These studies also tried to unearth the hidden rationales behind the service quality. No study specific to food and beverages department of Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou, China has yet been conducted. So, this research study is different than other research studies in many aspects. This study would shed light on the working of an American hotel chain in a highly competitive market like China. Following are some main points derived from literature review of similar research studies. To satisfy a customer is not an easy game. You have to consider the type of customers you are dealing with. Attributes of a customer, such as age, gender, nationality, income level and employer, are at the heart of customer satisfaction. We need to consider all attribute to satisfy and retain a customer. Better the service quality, better the customer satisfaction thereby making the customer loyal (Yi-Chin Liu, 2008). Service quality has been a vital element when it comes to satisfy and retain customer. Food and beverages departments are ambassadors of the hotel that represent hotel in front of customer. There is no denying of the fact that food and beverages staff makes or breaks a hotel. Tangibility, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy are the main factors that can beef up service quality which ultimately led to customer satisfaction and customer retention (Ala`a Nimer AbuKhalifeh, Ahmad Puad Mat Som, 2012). Customers can be retained by providing better food and beverages services. It comes with no surprise that food and beverages are directly linked with customer and directly affect customer. The sequence of food and beverages services is shown in the table below (Rajish Dharmarajan, 2013) Table 8.1: Food and Beverages Service Sequence Sr. # Food and Beverages Service Sequence 1 Preparation of service 2 Taking bookings 3 Greeting and seating/directing 4 Taking food and beverages orders 5 Service of food 6 Service of beverages 7 Clearing during service 8 Billing 9 Dealing with payments 10 Dish washing stewarding 11 Clearing following service All these services are core services and vital to win a customer for the years to come. Service quality effects customer satisfaction positively. Customer satisfaction positively effects customer loyalty. Service quality positively effects customer loyalty. Customer loyalty positively effect on brand image. Service quality has a positive effect on brand image. Customer satisfaction has a positive effect on brand image (Xiangyu Li, Jarinto Krit, 2012). Four Seasons Hotel should provide a complete range of hospitality services to its customers. It is evident that Four Seasons Hotel grabs customers from all parts of the world. So it should provide all different types of services, shown in the table below, better serve its customer. Due to more personalized services, customer would definitely come again and again (Milan Bradic et al. 2013). Table 8.2: Types of Food and Beverages Services Sr. # Type of Food and Beverages Services 1 French Service 2 American Service 3 Russian Service 4 English or Silver Service We can also classify the types of the services to customer in the following way. Table 8.3: Types of Food and Beverages Services Sr. # Type of Food and Beverages Service 1 Table Service 2 Assisted Service 3 Shelf Service 4 Single Point Service 5 Specialized Service Customer retention revolves the following main points, 1. Cultural attractive 2. Service quality 3. Tourist costs 4. Promotion strategy All these steps are way too much important to make loyal customers (Li et al. 2014). Small Conclusion: We have seen many studies above. We are now in a position to say that there is a strong relation between service quality and loyalty of a customer towards a particular brand. 9. Outline of study design and methods Methodology This study would be based on related studies and methodologies. This study would use systematic and effective methods to analyse the role of service quality on customer loyalty. This research study is further developed and vided into different parts such as philosophy, paradigm, quantitative qualitative techniques, methodological choice and time horizon. It does not mean to supply solutions but provide the theoretical ways to be applied to a special situation. Design Design Quantitative Philosophy Realism Approach Inductive and Deductive Method Quantitative and Qualitative Strategy Case Study Data Collection Instrument Structured Questionnaires Time Horizon Cross Sectional Sample Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou, China Philosophy and Approach This research will analyze the relationship between service quality and customers’ loyalty by a combined approach, which includes inductive and deductive approaches. Inductive approach intends to analyze the data and examination of the practical problems within their own area instead of starting from a predetermined theoretical point. (Gabriel, 2013) This approach moves from the specific to the general. In general, it starts from the point of theories or generalizations and gradually narrows them down to hypotheses, and in the end proves the hypothesis. The combination of the two approaches could effectively seek out the potential relationship between service quality and customers’ loyalty. As a result, realism will be the epistemology which intends to prove hypothesis to related theories based on collected and subjective evidence. Research Strategy and Data Collection Method The purpose behind this hotel based study is to unearth the hidden rationale behind the quality of service to mould the loyalty of a incoming customer towards one’s hotel. We would definitely reach out every person associated with Four Season Hotel in any way. This would help me better judge the situation in order to ascertain what’s what elements can beef up the customer’s confidence in the Four Season Hotel. Quantitative research is generally used to do a research like this after deriving a hypothesis. Qualitative Data collection methods play an important role in impact evaluation by providing information useful to understand the processes behind observed results and assess changes in people’s perceptions of their well-being. A structured questionnaire would be sent to the people of more than 18 years of age. Time Horizon The study will be performed between October 2014 to December 2014. It intends to study the relationship between branding and customers’ loyalty in hotel industry in a given period of time, so it would be a cross sectional research. 10. Research Ethics PROPOSALS INVOLVING HUMAN PARTICIPANTS MUST ADDRESS QUESTIONS 10 - 14. Does the proposed study entail ethical considerations Yes / No (please circle as appropriate) If ‘No’ provide a statement below to support this position. If ‘Yes’ move on to Question 11. Research ethics are going to be the bedrock of this research study. I am committed to try my level best to follow research ethics of University of Derby. 11. Ethical Considerations: Please indicate how you intend to address each of the following in your study. Points and relate particularly to projects involving human participants. Guidance to completing this section of the form is provided at the end of the document. I intend to strictly follow the following research ethics defined by University of Derby, Ethical considerations aspects of a programme of research a. Consent Informed consent would be obtained for all participants before they take part in this research project. The form would clearly state what they will be doing, drawing attention to anything they could conceivably object to subsequently. It would be in language that the person signing it will understand. It would also state that they can withdraw from the study at any time and the measures I am taking to ensure the confidentiality of data. If children are recruited from schools I would take the permission, depending on the school, of the head teacher, and of parents. Children over 14 years would also sign an individual consent form themselves. If conducting research on children I would normally also require Criminal Records Bureau clearance. I would check with the school if they require me to obtain one of these. b. Deception or Deceptive Research No form of deception would be used in this research. Proper proof would be provided to justify if there is a need to use covert or deceptive approach. c. Debriefing Participants will be debriefed in written and oral where necessary. The written debrief or transcript for the oral debrief would be attached with the research report. Covert or deceptive research methods would be avoided. d. Withdrawal from the investigation Participants of this research study would be told explicitly that they are free to leave the study at any time without jeopardy. This will be explained to participants. Participants also have the right to withdraw their data in retrospect, after you have received it. It needs to be clarified to them how they will do this and at what point they will not be able to withdraw, i.e. after the data has been analysed and disseminated). e. Confidentiality Confidentiality would be maintained at every step of the research. No sensitive information would be leaked out. All information of subjects would solely be used to transform the findings of this research study. f. Protection of participants No, the participants are not at risk of physical, psychological or emotional harm greater than encountered ordinary life. g. Observation research [if applicable] Observational research is can be conducted if needed. Situations in which observations h. Giving advice I would not put myself in a position of authority from which to provide advice and should in all cases refer participants to suitably qualified and appropriate professionals. i. Research undertaken in public places [if applicable] I would pay particular attention to the implications of research undertaken in public places. The impact on the social environment will be a key issue. I must observe the laws of obscenity and public decency. I should also have due regard to religious and cultural sensitivities. j. Data protection or Confidentiality The Data Protection Act and the University's Good Scientific Practice would be used to ensure the data protection. The participants would be informed that for what purpose the research is being conducted, who has access to this information and how long it would be kept for future reference. Fair processing statement would be a part of feedback form or other research tool. The information would be used for the purpose agreed with the participant. Audio or video recording would be obtained only if the participant allows us to do so. Identifiable personal information would be provided within the framework of the act and with the participant's permission. All data containing the consent of participant, whether in electronic form or hard copy form, would be kept in intensive security. Only data which can support this research would be taken. No extra data would be collected for some other purpose. Data would only be kept for indefinite period, if it is still needed. The data would not be used to take a decision about a living person The data would not be used to harm someone or something in any way. Participant’s anonymity would be protected unless he or she has allows us to disclose his or her name. The data would be returned to respective participants or it would be destroyed if consent is not given after the fact, or if a participant withdraws. k. Animal Rights [if applicable] If research involves the study of animals, it is not likely to involve intrusive or invasive procedures. I would avoid animal suffering of any kind and would ensure that ethical animal practices are followed. I would show respect for animals as fellow sentient beings. l. Environmental protection [complete if applicable] The negative impacts of my research on the natural environment and animal welfare would be minimised and would be compliant to current legislation. My research would appropriately weigh longer-term research benefit against short-term environmental harm needed to achieve research goals. 12. Sample: Please provide a detailed description of the study sample, covering selection, number, age, and if appropriate, inclusion and exclusion criteria. 13. Are payments or rewards/incentives going to be made to the participants? If so, please give details below. To ensure the better and envisaged outcomes, I am ready to spend funds on participants of the study. It is difficult to indulge the VIP customers of a 5 star hotel like Four Seasons. Also, it is difficult to engage the staff of the hotel as they have tight schedules and they do not want to share information about their customers. So in an uncertain situation like this, I would have to move forward with my research in a strategic way. A rewards and incentive program can be devised to achieve the desired goals. 14. What study materials will you use? (Please give full details here of validated scales, bespoke questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group schedules etc and staple all materials to the back of the proposal) I, again want to remind the readers of this proposal about planned data collection methods, outline of study design and methods. Attach copy of my draft data collection method as appendix This research would be based on surveys, interviews, observation, content-analysis, and examination of secondary data or a combination of methods. But this research study is not limited to these methods and techniques. Many other mechanisms can be employed as per the needs of the research study 15. What resources will you require? (e.g. psychometric scales, equipment, such as video camera, specialised software, access to specialist facilities, such as microbiological containment laboratories). Here is the list of the resources I require, Explanation, why I require them and how I intend to use them to assist my research process. 16. Have / Do you intend to request ethical approval from any other body/organisation? Yes / No (please circle as appropriate) If ‘Yes’ – please give details below. I intend to obtain ethical or any other kind of approval to any government and private body or organization. So far, nothing like this came in my knowledge. However, 17. The information supplied is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, accurate. I clearly understand my obligations and the rights of the participants. I agree to act at all times in accordance with University of Derby Code of Practice on Research Ethics http://www.derby.ac.uk/research/ethics/policy-document Date of submission……………………………….. Signature of applicant…………………………………………… Signature of project supervisor …………………………………………… PLEASE SUBMIT ALONG WITH THIS APPLICATION THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION WHERE APPROPRIATE (please tick to indicate the material that has been included or provide information as to why it is not available): Questionnaires/Interview schedules Covering letters/Information sheets Briefing and debriefing material Consent forms for participants Advice on completing the ethical considerations aspects of a programme of research Consent Informed consent must be obtained for all participants before they take part in your project. The form should clearly state what they will be doing, drawing attention to anything they could conceivably object to subsequently. It should be in language that the person signing it will understand. It should also state that they can withdraw from the study at any time and the measures you are taking to ensure the confidentiality of data. If children are recruited from schools you will require the permission, depending on the school, of the head teacher, and of parents. Children over 14 years should also sign an individual consent form themselves. If conducting research on children you will normally also require Criminal Records Bureau clearance. You will need to check with the school if they require you to obtain one of these. It is usually necessary if working alone with children, however, some schools may request you have CRB clearance for any type of research you want to conduct within the school. Research to be carried out in any institution (prison, hospital, etc.) will require permission from the appropriate authority. Covert or Deceptive Research Research involving any form of deception can be particularly problematical, and you should provide a full explanation of why a covert or deceptive approach is necessary, why there are no acceptable alternative approaches not involving deception, and the scientific justification for deception. Debriefing How will participants be debriefed (written or oral)? If they will not be debriefed, give reasons. Please attach the written debrief or transcript for the oral debrief. This can be particularly important if covert or deceptive research methods are used. Withdrawal from investigation Participants should be told explicitly that they are free to leave the study at any time without jeopardy. It is important that you clarify exactly how and when this will be explained to participants. Participants also have the right to withdraw their data in retrospect, after you have received it. You will need to clarify how they will do this and at what point they will not be able to withdraw (i.e. after the data has been analysed and disseminated). Protection of participants Are the participants at risk of physical, psychological or emotional harm greater than encountered ordinary life? If yes, describe the nature of the risk and steps taken to minimise it. Observational research If observational research is to be conducted without prior consent, please describe the situations in which observations will take place and say how local cultural values and privacy of individuals and/or institutions will be taken into account. Giving advice Students should not put themselves in a position of authority from which to provide advice and should in all cases refer participants to suitably qualified and appropriate professionals. Research in public places You should pay particular attention to the implications of research undertaken in public places. The impact on the social environment will be a key issue. You must observe the laws of obscenity and public decency. You should also have due regard to religious and cultural sensitivities. Confidentiality/Data Protection You must comply with the Data Protection Act and the University's Good Scientific Practice http://www.derby.ac.uk/research/policy-and-strategy this means: It is very important that the Participant Information Sheet includes information on what the research is for, who will conduct the research, how the personal information will be used, who will have access to the information and how long the information will be kept for. This is known as a 'fair processing statement.' You must not do anything with the personal information you collect over and above that for which you have consent. You can only make audio or visual recordings of participants with their consent (this should be stated on the Participant Information sheet) Identifiable personal information should only be conveyed to others within the framework of the act and with the participant's permission. You must store data securely. Consent forms and data should be stored separately and securely. You should only collect data that is relevant to the study being undertaken. Data may be kept indefinitely providing its sole use is for research purposes and meets the following conditions: The data is not being used to take decisions in respect of any living individual. The data is not being used in any which is, or is likely to, cause damage and/or distress to any living individual. You should always protect a participant's anonymity unless they have given their permission to be identified (if they do so, this should be stated on the Informed Consent Form). All data should be returned to participants or destroyed if consent is not given after the fact, or if a participant withdraws. Animal Rights Research which might involve the study of animals at the University is not likely to involve intrusive or invasive procedures. However, you should avoid animal suffering of any kind and should ensure that proper animal husbandry practices are followed. You should show respect for animals as fellow sentient beings. Environmental protection The negative impacts of your research on the natural environment and animal welfare, must be minimised and must be compliant to current legislation. Your research should appropriately weigh longer-term research benefit against short-term environmental harm needed to achieve research goals. Read More