Service Quality Analysis: Globalisation and Slow Food (TLH 334)

This report delves into the crucial aspect of service quality within the hospitality sector, emphasizing its role in meeting consumer expectations and fostering long-term profitability. It examines the impact of globalisation on food and drink consumption, exploring aspects of homogenisation and heterogenization concerning cultural identity. Furthermore, the report critically discusses the Slow Food Movement, particularly in the context of 21st-century food consumption, integrating concepts of provenance and local/artisan produce. The analysis highlights the movement's objectives, benefits, and its influence on promoting local food and sustainable practices, ultimately concluding on the importance of service quality in the dynamic landscape of the hospitality industry.

TLH 334 Service Quality

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SECTION A.....................................................................................................................................3
1) Discuss globalisation and key underpinning aspects of homogenisation and
heterogenization in relation to food and drink consumption and cultural identity.................3
SECTION B.....................................................................................................................................5
2) Critically discuss Slow Food Movement in relation to food consumption in the 21st
century, integrating and giving examples of the concepts of provenance and local/artisan
produce...................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Service quality (SQ) is defined as comparison between perceived expectations (E) of
service with perceived performance (P) which is called equation of SQ= P-E (Bernardo,
Marimon and del Mar Alonso-Almeida, 2012). The enterprise with high quality assist in meeting
expectation of consumers in an effective and efficient manner. Improvement in service quality
increases long term, profitability and economic competitiveness. This can be achieved through
improving operational processes such as establishing reliable and valid services, identification of
problems, measurement of consumer satisfaction and other performance results. In hospitality
sector, it is very important to maintain quality of products and services in an effective and
efficient manner for better outcomes.
SECTION A
1) Discuss globalisation and key underpinning aspects of homogenisation and heterogenization
in relation to food and drink consumption and cultural identity
Globalisation
It is defined as integration of markets in global economy which helps in increasing
interconnectedness of national economies. This is regarded as process of integration and
interaction of companies, people and government globally (What is Globalisation, 2018).
Globalisation has grown because of advances in communication and transportation technology.
There is growth in international culture, trade and ideas which is related with cultural and social
aspects. The service quality has risen due to globalisation as consumer prefer healthy and safety
food for consumption. In case of hospitality sector, it is essential to adopt globalisation so that
high quality goods and services can be provided to consumers or users.
Aspects of homogenisation and heterogenization
Culture homogenisation is defined as process through which local cultures are observed
or transformed by outside culture. This can impact national identity, multinational media,
cultural industries. It means western culture destroying and dominating other cultures. There are
various aspects of homogenisation in relation to food and drink consumption and culture identity.
Under homogenisation, people are afraid to adopt other culture as they feel if they accept such
culture then they can lose their own. They adopt in such ways which does not harm or decline
their own culture and traditions. With rise in globalisation, there is change in need and demand

of consumers. In case of food and drink consumption, there is change in trends and culture for
having food which really impact local culture and traditions. The cultural identity helps in saving
those culture at national level. The change in taste and preference of consumers leads to differ in
culture and traditions (Calabrese, 2012). It is very important to save own religious and traditions.
In case of food and drink consumption, if people have adopted western culture then they should
not decline their own for benefits of others. For example, McDonald's has operated their business
in different parts of world. As it is American culture which prefer burgers, cakes and others.
Here, people can taste such food without diminishing their own culture, foods and traditions. If
every people have fear of losing their culture diversity then they does not adopt it. They should
promote their own food, drink in market so that there is existence of such brand in market.
Culture heterogenization is defined as procedure of adoption of elements of both local as
well as global culture. This means when local product is transferred into global for meeting need
and requirements of local consumers (Dabholkar, 2015). It is also called Americanization or
glocalization where there is adoption of foreign culture at local market. It is very important for
organisation to understand requirements of consumers so that they can fulfils their demand. In
case of food and drink consumption, most of the people have adopted foreign culture. As they
don't have fear of losing their national or local culture. They are ready to adopt such culture,
tradition and food for consumptions. This impact local or national food and drink because of
adopting western. There are many countries and places which has adopted outside culture and
traditions. Many foreign restaurants have entered into different parts of countries for providing
goods and services to their consumers and captured those market. The way of cooking style is
different from one another which is easily adopted by other and prefer to eat those foods. For
example, pizza hut is foreign brand which has operated their business in various countries where
consumer easily liked it and prefer to have that food.
Therefore, both homogenisation and heterogenization are important for organisation.
These both influence national or local culture and tradition in an effective and efficient manner.
The people should adopt other traditions and culture without harming or declining their own at
market (Lee and Yang, 2013). In case of food and drink consumption, there is high influence of
foreign culture and tradition at local people. They easily get attract towards other or foreign
culture, traditions and values. Cultural products are originated from US such as television show,
music, social media and others which makes difficult for national or domestic works to be

competitive. There are many other aspects which influence people for adopting other culture,
traditions, values. This includes social media, advertisements and other which plays an effective
role in influencing culture diversity.
SECTION B
2) Critically discuss Slow Food Movement in relation to food consumption in the 21st century,
integrating and giving examples of the concepts of provenance and local/artisan produce.
Slow food movement was originated in 1989 at Italy to growth of fast food and other
changes in food system globally. This is global initiative that focus on encouraging people to
stop eating fast food instead of that they have to prepare local sourced foods (What Is the Slow
Food Movement, 2019). The main focus is on preserving heritage and culture related to food. As
per Meghan L. Holmes from Food First Institute for Food and Development Policy (FFIFDP),
this slow food movement was against McDonald's restaurant which opened in Rome seeing
threat to native food traditions. This movement was taken place to preserved fast food placed
consumption habits and eating traditional cuisine rather than fast food. The main objectives of
slow food movement is to preserve traditional and local food. It also discuss about ecological and
health related concerns about natural resources and chemicals. This also support agricultural and
local farmers and promote animal welfare. The movement reject factory farming but does not
reject consumption of meat together. Slow food movement is extensive in United States along
with Japan, United Kingdom and others. According to this movement, individual should eat local
food which provide various benefits to individuals. It provide help to healthy families, strong
economy and environment integrity. They are as described below:
Healthy Families
Fresh Food- The filed food contain nutritional benefits which is required for an
individual to remain fit and healthy. If they use fast food then minerals diminishes which is
contained in food. Flavour is modern agricultural breeding which focus on improving life and
appearance of individuals.
Fewer Chemicals- The local farmers focus on using organic growing methods because
they value their consumers. They use fertile soil rather than concentrated fertilizers.
Strong Economy

Supporting Farmers- This movement helps individual to spend grocery budget on
locally grown produce for valuing their money. This helps local farmer to grow more and
provide food to individuals. The profit margin of local farmers is low so they should be pushed
up for global food production and distribution system.
Supporting Local Economy- The purchasing of locally grown food help to support local
economy of nations. The local food system helps in supporting community growth and
development of nations.
Environment Integrity
Fewer Food Miles- The farmer is closed to consumed and purchased place where there is
less used of fuel for transport. Consumer prefer to use local grown food rather than organically
produced food. This helps in integrating environment within local areas or miles.
Less Waste- The production at high level leads to more waste than at local market. It is
very important to reduce waste for maximum production at national level. This movement focus
on less wastage with high maximum production.
Reducing Agricultural Pollution- It is not compulsory that all local farmers uses
organic and natural approach for growing their crops but it is important to make environment
healthy for all living creatures including humans. The local farmers focus on building topsoil
and helping global warming.
Therefore, for making environment healthy and increasing importance of local and
organic food, such movement has originated. This helps to increase value and important of local
and organic food at marketplace.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that service quality is the most important
things which is required in hospitality sector. This helps business to achieve goal and objectives
in an effective and efficient manner. Globalisation is the process that integrate world into single
market. There are different aspects of homogenisation and heterogenization which are to be
considered for food and drink consumption and cultural identity. In order to operate and open
food business in market, various factors are to be considered so that results can be achieved
without any obstacles. These can be in terms of finance, manpower, location and others.

REFERENCE
Books and Journals
Bernardo, M., Marimon, F. and del Mar Alonso-Almeida, M., 2012. Functional quality and
hedonic quality: A study of the dimensions of e-service quality in online travel
agencies. Information & Management. 49(7-8). pp.342-347.
Calabrese, A., 2012. Service productivity and service quality: A necessary trade-
off?. International Journal of Production Economics. 135(2). pp.800-812.
Dabholkar, P. A., 2015. How to improve perceived service quality by increasing customer
participation. In Proceedings of the 1990 academy of marketing science (AMS) annual
conference (pp. 483-487). Springer, Cham.
Lee, H. J. and Yang, K., 2013. Interpersonal service quality, self-service technology (SST)
service quality, and retail patronage. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 20(1).
pp.51-57.
Prakash, A. and Mohanty, R. P., 2013. Understanding service quality. Production Planning &
Control, 24(12). pp.1050-1065.
Rauch, D. A. and et. al., 2015. Measuring service quality in mid-scale hotels. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 27(1). pp.87-106.
Ryu, K., Lee, H. R. and Gon Kim, W., 2012. The influence of the quality of the physical
environment, food, and service on restaurant image, customer perceived value, customer
satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. International journal of contemporary
hospitality management. 24(2). pp.200-223.
Online
What is Globalisation. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/what-is-globalisation>.
What Is the Slow Food Movement. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/low-impact-living/what-is-slow-food-movement>.