Problem of the Elderly Driving in the US

Introduction As individuals get progressively older their mental capacities, response times, and physical abilities tend to deteriorate yet despite such limitations people aged 60 and above still continue to drive on America’s roads and highways (Cobb, 411).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Problem of the Elderly Driving in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a total of 3,981 individuals age 70 and above died as a direct result of motor vehicle crashes in 2009, this number does not include other drivers and pedestrians affected by the subsequent loss of vehicular control and as such the total number of fatalities as a direct result of such incidences could potentially be double the current number given by the IIHS. Various studies examining the impact of older drivers on America’s roads today state that as America’s ba by boomer generation gets progressively older the amount of individuals aged 70 above on America’s roads has escalated dramatically (Reisman, 356 – 357). Unfortunately, as shown by data from the IIHS, this has resulted in an actual increase in the number of car accidents in which the elderly have been involved. What must be understood is that driving a motor vehicle requires a certain degree of spatial awareness, responsiveness and the ability to accurately and succinctly gauge the speed and distance of the car that is being driven relative to other vehicles on the road (Reisman, 356 – 357) (Fox and Fama, 31). When an individual lacks the ability to express such aspects of regular driving behavior the potential for accidents to occur increases exponentially as the overall lack of spatial awareness, speed and distance results in a driver often misinterpreting the relative distance of their vehicle from either another car, obstacle or exit point which usually resu lts in an accident occurring. Studies examining elderly drivers all unanimously conclude that physical deterioration in the form of vision problems, depleted mental acuity, and a lack of physical responsiveness result in a reduced capacity to drive properly (Ratner, 23).Advertising Looking for research paper on land transport? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They go on further to state that since physical deterioration becomes progressive over the time the same can be said for their ability to drive (McKinnell, 67). In other words as individuals get older their ability to mentally and physically embody the necessary behaviors needed to drive safely diminish up to a point that not only do they become a danger to the themselves but to other drivers and pedestrians as well (Ratner, 23). It must be noted though that surveys examining drivers aged 55 and above show that when the respondents were questioned as to their ability to dr ive nearly all of them stated that they drove â€Å"rather well† or had â€Å"no problems† on the road when driving (McLeod et al., 613 – 618). When comparing the survey results to accumulated scientific data as well as statistics on the number of vehicular accidents involving the elderly it can be seen that the respondents were unaware of the potential danger they represented both to themselves and other motorists due to an apparent inability to discern that their progressive physical and mental deterioration has had a detrimental effect on their ability to drive (McLeod et al., 613 – 618). Further examination of the research results also showed that when asked whether they planned to stop driving in the immediate future nearly all the respondents answered that they had no plans to and that they would continue driving for several more years (McLeod et al., 613 – 618). Based on these responses as well as data from the IIHS and other studies examini ng elderly drivers and their impact on America’s roads it can be seen that the attitudes as well as the physical and mental deterioration of elderly drivers presents a distinct problem due to their potentially adverse impact on both themselves and other drivers. As such it can be stated that, the government needs to limit the maximum age for driving because elderly drivers have caused many deaths and severe injuries each year. Similarity in Being Drunk and Being Old Driving under the influence of alcohol is considered a punishable offense in many states within the U.S. due to the potential dangers an inebriated driver possess to other drivers on the road. What must be understood though is that the reason why this action is considered illegal is due to the reduced physical and mental capacity of the driver, such a condition has been proven through literally millions of cases within the past several decades that a driver operating a motor vehicle under a diminished capacity due to the presence of alcohol in his system is more liable to cause accidents on the road and as such should be prevented.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Problem of the Elderly Driving in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Taking the concept of â€Å"diminished capacity† into consideration elderly drivers should also be restricted from being allowed to drive since they also possess a diminished capacity similar to people that are drunk. While there are certain differences such as an elderly individual having a deteriorated physical and mental condition as a direct result of natural causes while an inebriated driver has a diminished capacity as a direct result of the consumption of alcoholic beverages the fact remains that both individuals display behaviors which place them at risk of not only harming themselves but other drivers as well. For example, one of the main reasons why drunk driving is considered a punishable offense is due to the diminished mental capacity that a drunk driver is under which results in their inability to effectively drive their vehicle. Studies examining drunk driving show that the diminished mental capacity takes the form of being unable to gauge distance and speed, the inability to formulate fast enough decisions while on the road and finally the propensity to overcompensate resulting in wider turns and faster speeds. While such symptoms are not present in drivers 55 and below studies examining drivers 70 and above show an almost similar degree of deteriorated mental capacity in the elderly comparable to drunk drivers which makes them just as likely to cause the same type of accidents as the average drunk driver (Branaghan and Gray, 580 – 581). Another factor that should be taken into consideration is the concept of perception and how drunk and elderly drivers tend to perceive things almost similarly. Studies examining the effect of al cohol on the average person’s ability to perceive objects reveal that a person’s ability to accurately distinguish numbers, colors, warning signs and other similar forms of road safety measures tends to decrease the more alcohol an individual consumes. This is another reason why driving under the influence of alcohol is considered a punishable offense since the inability to distinguish proper road safety signs makes the driver of the car more liable to cause accidents despite the precautions put into effect in order to prevent them. In the case of the elderly, physical deterioration once more comes into play however in this case the focus of attention is on their vision.Advertising Looking for research paper on land transport? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What must be understood is the fact that as a person gets older their vision tends to deteriorate over time, while there are measures available to correct this such as glasses or corrective surgery in some cases elderly individuals suffering from eye deficiencies such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration are unable to get the necessary corrective surgery (Branaghan and Gray, 580 – 587). This results in elderly drivers having to contend with either blurred or hazy vision, a distinct reduction in their peripheral vision and even loss of their central portion of vision which can not only cause them to misinterpret road signs but could lead them into not realizing they are approaching and obstacle, car or pedestrian (Friedman et al., 1846). Such cases are similar to what happens to drunk drivers and as such is further evidence of the necessity to place elderly drivers in the same category of â€Å"diminished capacity† as drunk drivers. The last piece of evidence showing the similarity between drunk and elderly drivers is once more connected to the concept of diminished physical and mental capacity but in this case it involves the ability to take in information and react immediately. In most situations when driving motorists need to take into account other cars in their lane as well as cars from the front and the rear. By taking into account their relative distance, speed and their proximity to the car a driver is able to make decisions within seconds as to how to properly handle their car given the situation at hand. In the case of drunk drivers their ability to discern information from their general environment and take subsequent action as need be is heavily impaired by the fact that both their physical and mental reaction times are greatly slowed down by the presence of alcohol. This makes them more likely to be slower in taking into account outside information which delays their ability to physically respond to the situation. The same c an be said of elderly drivers wherein their diminished mental capacity combined with their frail physical capabilities makes them less likely to be able to sufficiently take in information from their surroundings when driving and take appropriate actions (Marszalek et al., 1097 – 1103). In both cases this results in delayed actions in stopping, turning or going resulting in accidents occurring as a direct result. Based on this information it can be seen that when comparing both drunk and elderly drivers, both operate under a state of diminished capacity that not only endangers their own safety but that of others as well. As such, elderly drivers should be categorized under the same category as drunk drivers and be prevented from operating motor vehicles due to the potential threat to public safety that they represent. Physical Capability This paper has so far argued that the physical and mental deterioration of elderly drivers places makes them a danger to themselves and othe rs, what hasn’t been mentioned yet is the fact that elderly drivers are more likely to die from car accidents as compared to the average driver. What must be understood is the fact that traffic accidents can occur at any given time due to a plethora of causes, most of them not limited to the elderly. In such cases though when accidents do occur the elderly are just as likely to be involved in an accident as any other driver however their ability to actually survive such accidents is questionable at best. Once a person reaches the age of 60 and above a notable decrease in the amount of calcium in their bones is seen as well as muscle lethargy, decreased physical stamina as well as an overall level of deteriorated health (Brock et al., 1284). While this is a natural process for all individuals what must be understood is the fact that people with deteriorated levels of health are not as likely to survive a car accident as compared to an individual who is in the prime of their li fe (Ehrenfeld, 62). An examination of data relating to the ability to survive car accidents has shown that as an individual increases in age the less likely they are able to survive a major car accident (Brock et al., 1284). Even minor accidents can cause severe damage on most elderly individuals due to their relatively fragile physical states. While it may be true that barring an individual from driving on the basis of their fragility has little legal basis, the fact remains that when taking into consideration the inherent physical fragility of elderly drivers aged 70 and up and combining it with the fact that they are more likely to enter into traffic accidents due to their diminished physical and mental capacities, as established by this paper, then it becomes a question of whether the government needs to act on the basis of protecting the elderly from themselves since clearly they are likely to kill themselves (along with others) if they are allowed to continue driving at advanc ed ages (Brock et al., 1284) (Mitchell and Suen, 17). Opinion of the Elderly While this paper has been quick to point out the negative implications of elderly driving an examination of the responses of the elderly towards the concept of limiting the age limit on driving has brought about several compelling arguments. The first argument presented is the fact that since most elderly individuals live with their spouse or are alone if they are prevented from driving this limits them towards the use of public transportation which is arduous at best which may result in increased stress, a worrisome factor given their advanced ages (USA Today, n.d). It must also be noted that in most cases within the U.S. the elderly do not live with their children and as such have come to rely on their own ability to get things done. Studies examining the responses of various elderly respondents have shown that most are reluctant to take on the use of caregivers and as such continue to try to remain activ e. By preventing the elderly from driving this may in turn place either undue financial stress as a direct result of them needing to hire a caregiver since their children would not be around to drive them as they please (Modern Medicine, 5). Other arguments presented state their inherent legal right as citizens to be able to drive so long as they prove they are capable of doing so. In such cases it has been shown that the elderly can be retrained to drive at advanced ages in order to take into account their physical and mental deficiencies and act accordingly in order to become better drivers. Based on these following arguments it can be seen that there are alternative methods to outright banning the elderly from driving. On the other hand all the arguments presented neglect to take into account the fact that the elderly account for a large percentage of all automobile based accidents within the U.S. with the number gradually rising by 5 percent each year as a direct result of aging sectors in the U.S. population (Tips, 9). Conclusion Despite the counterarguments presented it can clearly be seen that allowing the elderly to drive poses too much of a risk to both themselves and the general public to allow the practice to continue. What must be taken into account is the fact that their continued physical and mental deteriorated coupled with the necessities of being a proficient driver simply do not mesh. As such, the government should take measures in setting up an appropriate age limit that allows elderly people to drive. By doing so, not only does the government prevent the elderly from potentially harming themselves but also other drivers and pedestrians. Works Cited Branaghan, Russell J., and Rob Gray. â€Å"NONCONSCIOUS ACTIVATION OF AN ELDERLY STEREOTYPE AND SPEED OF DRIVING.† Perceptual Motor Skills  110.2 (2010): 580-592. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Cobb, Roger W. â€Å"Are elderly drivers a road hazard?: Problem definition and politi cal impact.† Journal of Aging Studies 12.4 (1998): 411. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. David S. Friedman, et al. â€Å"Driving Cessation and Driving Limitation in Glaucoma: The Salisbury Eye Evaluation Project.† Ophthalmology 116.10 (2009): 1846-1853.  Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Dwight B. Brock, et al. â€Å"Driving Life Expectancy of Persons Aged 70 Years and Older in the United States.† American Journal of Public Health 92.8 (2002): 1284.  MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. Ehrenfeld, Temma. â€Å"Time to Hang Up the Keys.† Newsweek 152.7 (2008): 62.  Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Fox, Peter D., and Teresa Fama. â€Å"Managed care and the elderly: Performance and potential.† Generations 20.2 (1996): 31. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. McKinnell, Julia. â€Å"Should Dad really still be driving?.† Maclean’s 119.48 (2006): 67. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Mitchell, C.G.B., and S. Ling Suen. â€Å"Urban Travel, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and the Safety of Elderly and Disabled Travelers.† Journal of Urban Technology  5.1 (1998): 17-43. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Modern Medicine.†Gloom lasts in elders who turn over car keys.† Modern Medicine 65.4 (1997): 5. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Ralph Marszalek, et al. â€Å"Hearing Impairment Affects Older People’s Ability to Drive in the Presence of Distracters.† Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 58.6 (2010): 1097-1103. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Ratner, Todd C. â€Å"Elderly Drivers: an Age-old Problem.† Business West 26.20 (2010): 23. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. Rebecca McLeod, et al. â€Å"Self-rated driving performance among elderly drivers referred for driving evaluation.† Accident Analysis Prevention 37.4 (2005): 613-618. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Reisman, Anna. â€Å"Surrendering The Keys: A Doctor Tries To Get An Impaired E lderly Patient To Stop Driving.† Health Affairs 30.2 (2011): 356-359. Academic Search  Premier. EBSCO. Web. Tips.†Getting parents to give up their car keys — tips for adult children.† Enterprise/Salt  Lake City 40.27 (2011): 9. Regional Business News. EBSCO. Web. USA Today. â€Å"Focus driving tests on safety, not age.† USA Today n.d.: MasterFILE  Premier. EBSCO. Web. This research paper on Problem of the Elderly Driving in the US was written and submitted by user Hallie Martinez 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.

Sister Carrie Analysis essays

Sister Carrie Analysis essays In the novel Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser, Carrie Meeber advances in social standing by using sex as a form of capital, while George Hurstwood falls from upper class status. This plot, though acceptable in modern literature, was unheard of in the early 20th century and despised by critics of the period. Dreisers work has been increasingly important since his death(Poupard, 50). The plot of Sister Carrie is exemplary in it's representation of 20th century naturalism and marks the change from conventional to unorthodox literature. Sister Carrie has become more important over time and is one of the most important American novels written in the 20th century(Stanley, 214). Sinclair Lewis stated that Sister Carrie is "widely hailed as the largest fruit of American realism"(Poupard, 164). Dresier used determinism and sentimentalism to describe how ones destiny is shaped(Poupard, 49). The inability to shape ones destiny and portayal of ill situations being inevitable was Karl F. Zender argues that Sister Carrie's emphasis on circumstance de-emphasis on character takes away from the novel. Through Dreiser's realism however the immodest nature of the novel is felt. Edgar Lee Masters exclaims that Dreiser's "clear eye and accurate hand" are exemplary in Sister Carrie and presented a reality relatable to the reader(Poupard, 165). Dianne Henningfield recognizes that it is possible to focus on Carrie's capitalism, exchanging services for goods, seeing that Carrie is pushed to her decisions for economic needs(Stanley, 215). This sort of literature was not common in the early 20th century and was not accepted by most critics of the period . Many early critics focused on the fact that Carrie was not reprimanded at any point in the novel for her exchange of sex for goods(Poupard, 49). From Carries situations the book can be read as a tragedy of putting that much importance and value to sex, however to advan ...

Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Critical analysis of EU law system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critical analysis of EU law system - Essay Example In 2001 was accepted the new constituent Treaty, which has received the name the Treaty of Nice and is one of the major founding treaties of the European Union. According to this Treaty, which has come into force in 2003, were made essential changes in institutional structure, to process of formation and functioning of institutes of EU. The Nice Treaty, "once it comes into force, will allow for more categories of cases to be moved from the jurisdiction of the ECJ to that of the European Court of First Instance (CFI) and from that of the CFI to new judicial panels hearing appeals in special in special areas of the law that are of lesser importance for the general evolution of the European Union"3. Since May, 1st, 2004 10 more Member states has entered the European Union and the general number of Member-states has reached twenty five4. The European Union is becoming the leading economic world centre, has sharply strengthening its political influence on a world scene, having united the states, which population is made nearby half milliard people. And all these people have right, which must be efficiently protected. Issues of cognition, perfection, and realization of law have always been of great value for communication and interaction of people, resolution and prevention of conflicts between them. Historical way of the development of legal matter and spirit of different people was long and complex. It took some thousand years for people in their majority to understand, from the very beginning intuitively, and then more and more deliberately, the sense and the role of law in their lives. Nowadays these issues continue to remain topical, being shown both inside of the personal, and in interpersonal communications, in mutual relations between various associations, communities, and states.Research of above mentioned issues should be begun with a human being, whose essential features, ideal and behavioural images obviously or implicitly are connected with the law. Only a person among all other live beings possesses an intellect and is capable to feel and realize law, to observe legal establishments, and to adapt to legal activity. Any person is a social essence, who in the course of communication with similar like he/her can improve legal norms, create more and more convenient models of public behaviour. Living in this word, a human being lives in a legal system and owing to some social, economic, political and other factors of development cannot exist without the law. According to Chauhan (2004, p. 1), "human beings are rational beings. They, by virtue of their being h uman, possess certain basic and inalienable rights which are commonly known as human rights. These rights of human beings are not derived from being a national of certain state, but belong to them because of their very existence and are based upon the attributes of human personality"5. As a matter of fact we may consider the relations between a human and the law from two sides. From the one side a person acts only as a user, a consumer of this law. But there is the other side of these relations, when a person acts as a creator of this law. First of all it is necessary to understand that the law is an integral quality of a human and a property of its objective reality6. The European

Global Division Of Labour Sociology Essay

Global Division Of Labour Sociology Essay The GDL is defined as the division of socially necessary activities, including productive and reproductive tasks, on an international level. Classically, this would see the specialisation of countries in the production of particular types of products. Few inclusive analyses of the GDL have been offered, as differing opinions exist in relation to the GDL. According to classical theorists such as Adam Smith, division of labour has allowed for an increase in production and has allowed industrious nations to experience universal opulence (Smith, 1776: book 1); specialisation, for Adam Smith, is the key to productivity and substantial development. Karl Marx, who focused on changes into the modern times, viewed capitalism as a system of production that contrasted previous economic orders in history (Giddens, 1993: 708); capitalism would advance with the intensification of the division of labour. Émile Durkheim, who concentrated on the social implications of the division of labour, concluded that new forms of social cohesion form resulting from advances in the division of labour (Giddens, 1993: 707). Theories of this GDL have altered over the years. The classical division of labour saw two domains of production linked by one-way trade in raw material and factory-made products, respectively; the metropolitan countries were countries with the most factories, with the colonial countries having less. This classical international division of labour continued in the postcolonial period, with Northern hemisphere countries still dominating as the worlds industrial hubs; Southern hemisphere countries predominantly engaged in primary sector production. Furthermore, the classical theory persisted in the form of the modernisation theory, which suggests, that uneven world development can be linked to the advance of industrial societies overtaking traditional societies (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 306) industrial societies being northern countries, and traditional societies being those in the south. The main differences between these countries include their cultural identity, where northern countries focus on individualism, and southern countries on community and family. As long as traditional culture stays strong, the classical division will remain and modernisation will remain a struggle to achieve. Carefully related to the modernisation theory is the world systems theory, which revolves around a clear division concerning the core and periphery. It is because of this belief that there is only a single world that is connected by a complex network of economic exchange relationships (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 306), that some believe is an unequal international division of labour (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 306). Immanuel Wallerstein further described this phenomenon as a system encompassing of three spheres, namely the core, periphery and semi-periphery. Based on the logic of capitalism, the system promotes unevenness, absorbed with wealth and power in the core, leaving the periphery facing poverty and exclusion (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 306). As a result of unexpected development in some peripheral regions in the 1970s, the classical international division of labour was altered to the emerging New International Division of Labour (NIDL). It was because of falling profitability that resulted in the relocation of some manufacturing processes to the peripheral countries from the core. This was a reaction to the rapid industrialization of East Asia and other newly industrialised countries (NICs) and to the partial deindustrialisation of the old heartlands of capitalist production (Cohen Kennedy, 2007: 197). This global industrial shift did occur due to the supply of labour in the periphery, and the low-cost labour-intensive manufacturing processes. The global division of labour, although focused on economic issues, did also have its hand in social issues, initiating advantages and disadvantages in both areas of society. It was Durkheim who concluded that the increasing division of labour allowed for an increase in independence; it is here where Durkheim would link this view with his study of anomie the feeling of aimlessness provoked by certain social conditions (Giddens, 1993: 707). In an ever-growing economic world, it becomes clear that societies do not grow socially as they do economically. As industry is one of the most globalised manufacturing sectors (Giddens, 1993: 546), one could say that it has a more far-reaching effect than any other in terms of the GDL. It is here, with Transnational Corporations, that one can see the driving force of the division of labour. Tracing back to the Industrial Revolution, for example British East India Company being the first multinational (Robins, 2006: 24), TNCs have been the only winners. Whenever a company exports any sort of capital money, or labour it contributes to the unemployment in the home country, like in the case of the NIDL (Cohen Kennedy, 2007: 197), benefitting only the consumer and the TNCs who abuse cheap labour. These companies do develop infrastructures in peripheral countries, developing a dependence on the core countries by the periphery. Contrastingly it is also possible to move from periphery to core, which was the case for Japan, rising from the periphery to the second position in the core bloc in the 1970s (Cohen Kennedy, 2007: 196). The global division of labour is not only about factories moving, but people as well. This entails people searching for jobs across borders as well as internally in a country. As a result of large labour migrations, friction can occur in the form of xenophobia against a workers culture, or an issue involving trade unions. It is in this case that NIDL, a form of glabalisation, has generated more extreme forms of racism as people try to defend their own national identity (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 164). Globalisation, a result of the GDL, is for many women around the world a concrete process of exploitation (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 514) as there is no known instance of society in which women are more powerful than men (Giddens, 1993: 173). This should not come as a shock to anyone as women remain compelled to work in the sweatshops of the world' (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 513). This is a solid example of just one gender group marginalised by the GDL. It is in peripheral countries where workers are exploited to produce goods for the richer nations, as in Korean enterprises where many Burmese workers work on textile production (Macionis Plummer, 2012: 513). The spread of work between genders across borders are as questionable as the wealth gaps between First and Third World nations. The GDL, as a result of its differing theories and forms, can be described as complex. Smith, Durkheim and Marx had classified it differently as a result of opinions; similarly the process has evolved from its classical form to the NIDL. Furthermore, complexity is seen in a lack of a simple international arrangement as the global workforce is divided, shaped by social and economic factors. The GDL can be socially valuable or destructive as it is inclusive on a world scale yet it functions on the basis of division and inequality. By accessing the winners and losers, one can deduce the contradictions this procedure is known to harvest. (1198)

Fast food and health promotion Essay

Abstract Healthy eating is a major concern of the public and has been under-researched for decades. A successful healthy eating campaign can help to raise awareness and in the long run, prevent and minimize long-term diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. This can also reduce the burden on the National Health Service. For all of these reasons, this dissertation aims to determine what people eat, why they choose to eat the way they do and whether they feel the Government has done enough to promote healthy eating. Initially, this study examines the trends of contemporary food culture by sociologists and the marketing powers of promotion to increase student awareness on healthy eating. A discussion on Government policies indicates the efficacy of the Government to reach students with their healthy eating promotion in this country. This study uses qualitative research methods to determine the awareness of the students, on healthy eating and their opinions on the Government’s attempt to promote a healthy nation. Based on the data gathered in this research, an evaluation was made on whether healthy eating promotion is effective in today’s student society. In this study, student choices of food were shown to be primarily affected by price, taste and peer pressure. This is in contrast with the available literature which suggests that social class, culture, the food industries and Government campaigns are the main influences on people’s eating habits. Introduction This dissertation aims to understand how food is promoted and consumed by the public. Our choices of food are affected by many factors such as our social class, our culture, and the media and Government campaigns. Over the past thirty years a surge of interest has arisen and an increase in the consumption of fast food. However, more recently health concerns regarding fast food consumption has surfaced. Sociologists often seek explanations for human behavior and try to link this with the environment in which they live in. Similarly, sociologists such as Alan Warde have examined contemporary food culture and suggested reasons that influence people’s choice. Initially, changes in food consumption patterns and healthy eating promotions from different dimensions were examined. The  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 1 dissertation then describes the interviews that were conducted with regards to healthy eating. Some key findings were revealed to support the sociological theories. Finally, the discussion sums up and reflects the findings in relation to these theories and see if there is any correlation between the two. This research was undertaken at a University and based on ten one-to-one interviews. It is important to examine whether we are eating healthily. Food is the basic necessity in life humans consume daily. In this dissertation I want to explore student’s knowledge on healthy eating and whether the Government is doing enough to promote a healthier nation. Sociological Promotion. Perspectives on Food Consumption and Healthy Eating Current Trends in Food Consumption Food consumption relates to the substances that are taken in to produce energy, stimulate growth and maintain life. It consists of essential body nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins or minerals. Healthy food is considered to be highly beneficial to health, especially a food grown organically or free of additives. Food consumption has tilted towards fast food culture over the past few decades due to its price, convenience and the shortage of eating time. In this section, general consumption trends will be studied and the change of consumer culture over time will be discussed. Sociologists like Bourdieu and Bauman have written literature and devised their own theories on the consumption of food. Many of them believe that this is a structureagency debate. In other words, how social structure shapes our actions and how we, in turn, shape the social structure (Germov, 1999:302). One of the examples given by Pierre Bourdieu is that the way we consume food reflected our social class and background (Warde, 1997:9). He argued that consumption is based upon cultural upbringing and is therefore socially embedded. Bauman, on the other hand, saw consumption as â€Å"less restricted† rather than another part of life (Warde, 1997:10). In reality, Bauman claimed that there is a small role for choices, for example, we cannot choose to be born into which family, but within consumption, we have more power to alter our choices. Bauman believed that individuals are thought to gradually detach themselves from the social regulations and create their own personal identity by making their own choices. These two theories differ in relation to social environment and habits, to freedom of choice on the consumption of food. Bourdieu’s theory is more commonly practiced in modern society as different social classes dominate our choice of food. The working class tends to eat food which has a â€Å"high amount of animal fat†, compared with the middle and upper classes (Mennell, 1992:54). Besides, people from poorer backgrounds may understand that fresh food is healthier; however, they could not afford to travel further to purchase fresh food (Whelan, 2002: 2083). Therefore they tended to purchase cheap quality food with a high fat content, from nearby shops.  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 2 There have been rapid changes in food consumption over the past few decades. Alan Warde, in his book, Consumption, Food & Taste suggested four theses for the changes in eating habits. Firstly, people have more freedom on the choice of food, but are uncertain of what to eat. In modern society, we have a wider range of food available to us. As technology is constantly improving, we are no longer restricted by the seasons and harvests, which had affected people previously (Beardworth, 2000:33). However, Claude Fischler saw this as an â€Å"omnivore’s paradox† (Warde, 1997:30). Human beings want a variety to choose from; however, they feel anxious and unsure about trying new foodstuffs. This can be further explained by the changing concept of food poverty. In the past, food poverty was referred to as â€Å"lack of food, under- nutrition† (Adams, 2000:48). In the contemporary society, food poverty means â€Å"overabundance of processed foods, lack of balance diet† (Adams, 2000:48). Before, we experienced under nutrition, and now, we suffer from an unbalanced diet. Although we may have more food than before, we do not know what to choose. This reflects the lack of education in healthy eating. The second thesis suggested that in a mass producing society, people would consume similar products and gradually lose their identities. Individual producers tend to dominate particular industrial markets, for example big brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola target customers en mass. Mass food production can be explained by ‘McDonaldisation’, where customers experience the â€Å"same look, same service, same products and same taste† (Germov, 1999:12). This thesis is supported by a report by the Financial Times Exporter in 1995 (Adams, 2002:47). In the report, sixty-five percent of people in China recognized the brand name Coca Cola and nearly half of the people knew big brands like Pepsi. This concluded that large corporations ‘mould’ our taste and have great control over our choice of food. One may argue that supermarkets bring a wider selection to people. In fact, some of the varieties are created by developing alternative forms of packaging and storing methods, such as canned fish, frozen fish and fresh fish (Warde, 1997:167). Therefore, we will enjoy many versions of the same products. In a broader view of the food industry, the five largest supermarkets in the UK, dominates seventy percent of the grocery market. (Adams, 2002:47) This large market share led to the closure of many local stores. Single mothers or elderly people who live in rural areas will suffer a further limitation of food due to the restriction on mobility and financial support (Whelan, 2002:2083). Since mass production has moulded our tastes and choices, consumers start losing their personal taste and identities. To react against this passive consuming pattern, people are driven towards the post-Fordist view on consumption, which is the main focus of the third thesis. In the post-Fordist world, all commodities are expected to be more consumer-orientated. As the consumer’s expenditure increases, they expect the quality of food to be higher. People require greater differentiation of the commodities in different markets. For example, McDonalds serves a different menu across the world to accommodate differing cultures with distinct tastes. This is illustrated by McDonald franchises in Germany, whom also serve beer as refreshment. Customers hope to buy food that serves their interests and their local traditions. Businesses increase their profits and the consuming power; by produce the right products for the targeted consumers. A more suitable product for the customers, equates to more purchases which in turn equates to more income.  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 3. The final thesis describes the persistence of social differentiation. Warde uses Bourdieu’s theory to prove that food consumption is a â€Å"means of expressing ‘distinction’† and has social meanings behind it. For example, class differences play a role in dictating eating habits. In this way, food consumption has more social meanings than a consume-to-survive model. In comparing the eating behaviour of manual workers and white collar workers, Bourdieu observed that clerical staff paid more attention to body maintenance and slimness whilst manual workers, paid limited attention to their waistline. This observation is seen in France. In Britain, Warde suggested that class distinction in relation to food has been more obvious in recent decades. Finkelstein supports this idea by saying that â€Å"dinning out is an expression of individuality, choice, spontaneity and that we select restaurants for food and price in ways which demonstrate our discrimination and what we value and desire† (Beardsworth, 1997:119). The interest of the media, increasing eating-out habits and foreign cuisines are becoming more common, food consumption has made a significant distinction between classes. There is a clear line between the richer and the poorer, and who can afford to taste different types of food. These theses have helped us to understand the reasons behind changes in food consumption. Fast food outlets are one of the popular choices for dinning out and have had a big impact on our food consumption. In the following paragraph, the significant effects that fast food has on our choices of diet will be examined. A Fast Food Nation? Fast food culture has penetrated into our lives and influenced our eating habits. The fast food industry grew fast in the 1990s. In 1991, fast food had reached nineteen percent of the global consumer catering market (Tansey, 1995: 133). From 1992 to 2003, expenditure spent on eating and drinking outside home has increased by 89. 9 per cent. (Website 1) These food shops provide roast chicken, pizza, etc. However, there is a limited choice of food and most of them have a high fat content (Millstein, 1993: 220). Excessive consumption predisposes individuals to a great deal of health problems in later life. Foods high in fats can cause high blood pressures, cancer, atherosclerosis and heart disease. In recent years, the increase in consciousness of healthy eating has forced the fast food chains to change their menu in order to survive. For example, McDonalds now offers a new menu which includes green salad, carrot sticks and a fresh fruit pack. This was done in response to public concern about the nutritional values of its food, following the film â€Å"Supersize Me†. This programme follows Morgan Spurlock who lived on nothing but McDonalds for an entire month. Spurlock risked his health the sake of this project and it resulted in numerous visits to the doctor. (Website 2) Increasingly, fast food chains have started to advertise with the concept of â€Å"light or low fat† meals. As a customer, we are often misled by these statements and believe that the â€Å"low fat† meal is a healthier option. The Times Newspaper compared the fat content and the price of a standard burger with a chicken caesar salad. (Website 3) With regards to the price, the salad costs twenty nine pence more than a Big Mac. Data shows that a chicken salad with dressing and croutons contains 21. 4g of fat, whereas a standard burger only contains 7. 7g of fat. Even adding a portion of chips to the burger will result in a smaller amount of fat (16. 7g) than the salad. (Website 3) One may think that the salad dressing causes the high fat content of the salad; however, this is not true.  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 4 From the McDonalds website, a chicken caesar salad without a dressing still contains more fat than a burger. (Website 4) Another shocking data is the salt content of the crispy chicken ranch salad is more than half of the Government’s recommended daily allowance of 6g. (Website 4) Therefore, the salad which seems like a healthier option to the consumer is in fact more expensive and less healthy than a burger. Other than fast food chains, consumers can purchase fast food from the supermarkets. Ready meals, frozen or canned food can be categorized as fast food (Millstone, 2003: 94). With the invention of the microwave, ready meal culture has been further developed. There was a rapid increase in the sale of microwaves from five million in 1981 to seventy million in 2000 (Milldstone, 2003: 94). Microwaves enable food to be ready within minutes whereas it may take at least half an hour to cook a meal using the oven. In 1997, an Australian newspaper demonstrated how different social classes chose different fast foods (Germov, 1999: 137). Wealthier and well educated people believed that choosing takeaway foods such as Thai and Japanese are higher in nutrition (Germov, 1999: 137). On the other hand, people in the lower socioeconomic state tended to consume food with a high fat and salt content, for example, pizzas and burgers. Therefore, we could find â€Å"nutritional underclass† with distinct eating patterns (Germov, 1999: 137). Nutritional underclass refers to the difficulty of lower socioeconomic groups in making choices about food and diet. This is turn leads to a poor nutritional intake. By comparing different consumption patterns of takeaway food between people in different classes, two features have been developed. Firstly, fast food is consumed and well developed in all classes but wealthier people tend to have more choices available to them. Besides, most fast food does not provide the consumer with balanced nutritional values that we need from a meal. That is a reason why the public label fast food as unhealthy food. Our food consumption patterns are affected by different media in our society. These are a powerful way of educating the public with the knowledge of what is healthy to eat and how to eat healthy. The following paragraphs examine the effectiveness of the healthy eating promotions. Health Promotion (By Government, Media, Food Industries). Different groups have tried to promote healthy eating in their own distinct ways. Several groups take control over our choices of food and actively promote healthy eating. These include: the Government departments, the food industries and the media. The progress and the effectiveness of the healthy eating promotion campaigns within these sectors will now be examined. The Governments the dominant enforcement body has introduced many healthy eating promotion initiatives to push the nation to eat more healthily. Its aim is to enforce regulations on food production in a bid to prevent illness (Mennell, 1992:40), so as to reduce the costs and burden on National Health Service. The Government has come a long way on the healthy eating campaign. The emergence that some of  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 5 our diets are responsible for certain diseases such as cancer, new food policies were created to improve and promote healthy eating (Baggott 2000,168). From the early 1970s onwards, the Government became more aware of the public’s diet and set up several organizations such as the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Policy (COMA), the National Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education (NACNE) and the Joint Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education. (Baggott, 2000:136) Their mission was to provide nutritional advice to the public and promote healthy eating. (Beardsworth, 2000:136) However, the Government departments’ interference with the work of these organisations resulted in little success being achieved (Baggott 2000:170). With the increasing public interest in health and food safety in the 1990s, the Labour Government introduced tougher policies on food and health when they came to power in 1997 (Baggott, 2000:175). The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been authorized a new set of powers to give nutrition guidelines and labelling advice. The FSA recommended six grams of salt per day and wanted to introduce the â€Å"colourcoded system† on ready-made foods, so customers could identify the fat, salt and sugar content of the food by the labels. The FSA believes that specific seasoning contained within the food, will determine whether it is healthy or not. Food with a low salt, fat and sugar content is considered to be healthy by the FSA. (Website 5) The colour-coded system will show consistency for all food packaging; therefore, it is easier for everyone, including children, to recognize the foods which are considered to be healthy and also reduces any confusion. In February 2004, the National Health Service (NHS) published a free booklet called â€Å"Five a Day Made Easy† to promote a healthier lifestyle. (Website 1) It believes that eating five portions of fruit or vegetable per day, is eating healthily. Therefore, the Government considers fruit and vegetables as the key element of healthy food. In November 2004, the FSA put forward the ‘traffic light labels’ to the Public Health White Paper. (Website 7) However, there are a lot of pressures around this recommendation. The food and farming industries were worried that full labelling indicating the fat, sugar and salt content will increase their cost and cause restriction on their marketing strategies. (Baggott 2000:171) Moreover, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) who is the largest representative of the food and drink manufacturing companies pointed out that the ‘traffic light labels’ are too â€Å"simplistic, subjective and potentially misleading†. (Website 8) Rather than help consumers fit the labelled food into a balanced diet, it is likely that they will simply view the food as good or dismiss it as bad. There are pressures that prohibit the Government from implying more regulation on food labels. Since the closure of food industries do not simply lead to less food choices, but also a great deal of job losses and plunging of the economy, the Government is required to think carefully about the implications of new regulations and whether the new comprehensive food label would working on not. The media also plays an important role in promoting healthy eating concepts. The term media refers to television, radio, poster advertisements, and newspaper and magazine articles. With the media’s wide spread of power, the issues they brought up helped to give information on diets quickly. However, it is debatable whether all the media are impartial and helpful in improving our diets. Since most of the media  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 6 relied on the advertising revenues to survive, concerns are made to the effect of their advertisers (Tansey, 1995:183). In the advertising aspect, American children watch 20,000 commercials a year where at least 10,000 of them are food products. (Millstein 1993:219) In Britain, food industries have spent forty billion every year on advertising (Millstone, 2003: 98). Food advertisements are wide spread on television, magazines, radio, internet and posters on the street. Most of the advertised products are branded and processed. More importantly, compared with the perishable food, they are high in sugars, refined starches, fats and added salt (Millstone, 2003:98). These advertisements persuade consumers to buy more. Food products such as chocolates and crisps are promoted to the teenage market (Conner, 2002:120). Children consume the confectionaries between meal times which lead them to miss out their meals, consequently, not acquiring enough nutrition (Dobson, 1994:19). The effects of advertisements are powerful, but not always helping to promote healthy eating ideas. Media can be a direct tool to help the public understand the scientific reports and learn about food safety and what is healthy to eat. However, sometimes the headlines of the news reports are misleading and exaggerated. One of examples is the headline from New York Times â€Å"Low fat diet does not cut health risks†, where that heading is referring to a study of women aged fifty to seventy-nine years old with respect to breast cancer research (Newsweek, March 2006). People who do not read the details will presume that low fat diet is useless in maintaining health, whereas if you read the whole article one will find out that low fat diet does not reduce your risk of breast cancer. The media penetrates every household and although it might not always guide the public on healthy foods, they are definitely helping to shape the future food consumption patterns. Food industries and the retailers produce and sell the food. Food industries promote their products in a healthy manner only because of the market’s need. The major concern of a food business is to make profit. There is a limit on how much a person can eat and consume, therefore the overall demand for food will not increase much. However, the food industries can further expand their market and make more profit by adding value to fresh food and turning them into commodity goods such as canned food, frozen food etc (Warde, 1997:191). Food processors have a set of ingredients to ‘add-value’, they are sugar, starch, fat and flavourings (Tansey, 1995:111). Consequently, processed food is not as healthy as raw food. In order to fulfil the customers’ health desires, supermarkets use healthy eating as one of their promotional strategies. Tesco has improved their company image by initiating healthy eating and has launched food labels on its retail products (Murcott, 1998:119). Although its original aim was to increase profit, it did arouse people’s attentions to eat healthier. On one hand, the supermarkets are promoting healthy eating; on the other hand, they develop all sort of processed food such as chilled and ready meals at the same time to exploit another market. Most supermarkets have developed their own branded products. This is to enlarge their market share rather than providing customers with a wider choice. One of the examples is chilled ready-meals where this kind of product was completely new in 1980s (Murcott, 1998:119). Marks and Spencer, as a pioneer, developed this market. By the 1990s, this market was worth over three hundred million pounds per annum  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 7 (Murcott, 1998:119). These ready-meals are one of the processed foods with added salt and sugar. With confusing food labels on the packaging, consumers can hardly calculate how much salt they consume. Since the central aim of food manufacturers and retailers are to make profit, their intention to promote healthy eating is not convincing enough. There is still a baffling question of what to eat is value for money and good for health (Jenkins, 1991: 54). Do We Have a Choice to Eat Healthy? Although we are responsible for looking after our own health, the public, private and voluntary sectors have directed our choice of food. Our choices of food are affected by social, cultural and political factors rather than individuals’ preference. Social factors included class, age, family backgrounds considerations. The direct social-economical restriction of our choice of food is the amount of money we have available to spend on food. Jenkins supports this idea by noting that â€Å"knowledge is a source of consumer power, but only when you have got money to spend† (Jenkins, 1991:72). Our choices of food are based on the amount of wealth. He pointed out that poorer people tended to pay more for food. This is not only due to the limitation of transport, but due to the amount of product they could afford to buy (Jenkins, 1991: 74). Small purchases are more expensive compare with bulk sales. Poor people suffer from the consequences of supermarket sale strategy. For example, the price for two packs of chicken thighs is 148 pence per pound, whilst the price for eight packs of chicken thighs is 135 pence per pound (Jenkins, 1991:73). Customers will get a better deal if they buy products in bulk. This illustrates that poor people know how to eat healthily, but they cannot afford to do so. Other than getting food that is not value for money, poor people suffer the fact that they know what is good for them but cannot afford to purchase it. For poor people, food expenditure is elastic and paying for other bills to maintain the living is more important (Murcott, 1998:177). Cutting the food budget is the most direct way to save money. Therefore, even though parents know that fresh juice is more nutritional than squash, they can do nothing about it. At the end of the day, even if the government has successfully promoted the healthy eating concept to the public, certain people still do not eat healthily due to the financial constraints. Different age groups have various food consumption patterns. The elderly prefer to stick with the traditional food for instance roast meat, whereas young people adopt new things such as rice or curries easily (Murcott, 1998:175). There is a rapid development of convenience food, but it does not necessarily mean that people in all age groups enjoy more choices to eat healthy. The elderly is an example that demonstrates a negative perception on fast food and ready-meals and they believe that home-cooked food is healthier. Therefore, a larger range of processed products do not mean a greater choice of food for everyone. Our eating habits are also constructed by the environment in which we grow up. Therefore, our families have a direct effect on our diet. A research was carried out in the early 1980s, on all major aspects of family food provision and consumption (Rodmell, 1986:73). This study found that the role of the housewife did not  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 8 automatically give you the power to make a decision of what to prepare for meals. Surprisingly, most housewives claimed that they would cook whatever their husbands liked, in order to please them. Some wives claimed that even though they did not like the unhealthy diets, they would still cook it for their husbands to reward them for a long working day. As a child, there was less choice; they had to eat what was given to them. As a result, our tastes of food are customized by the working men. Recently, with the increasing number of single parent households, where many of them are either unemployed or earn a small amount of money, the choice of food remains to the individuals who purchase food for the rest of the family. Cultural differences affect our choices of food and whether we know how to eat healthily with our ethnicity backgrounds and traditions. There is a diversity of health implications and how people define healthy choices among different cultures. People have their own traditions in choosing and cooking food. ‘One size fits all’ health education programmes do not fit all the ethnics. One of the examples is that in Chinese traditions, food is divided in to ‘yang’ (hot) and ‘yin’ (cold), where eating yang food when our body is in yin’s condition and vice versa (Germov, 1999:150). Therefore, the health professionals have to study the background of minority groups and teach them to eat healthily without spoiling their culture. To familiarise the ethnic minority groups with the nutrient value, specialists about particular cultures are required to educate the minority group with healthy eating knowledge. There have been a few changes in food labelling policy, but these regulations have never requested manufacturers to provide a comprehensive nutrition label. As a customer, we have the right to know what kind of ingredients are in the processed food that we are consuming. However, food industries remain powerful and can keep the customers in ignorance. The Health Education Authority performed a survey with regards to food labels in the early 1990s (Hea, 1996:19). In this survey, twenty five percent of the informants have never read the nutritional information on food packages. This shows that the food label is important in directing food choices, as three quarters of those questioned follow guidance from the nutritional advice. Therefore, providing a comprehensive label on food packaging is essential. In recent years, a great deal of new products has had dishonest slogans on them, such as â€Å"low fat†, â€Å"freshly squeezed†, and â€Å"no artificial additives† (Jenkins, 1991:43). For example, olestra is a type of oil used to produce ‘low fat’ products. However, it brings significant side effects such as abdominal cramps when we consume it in large amounts (Germov, 1999:303). As a customer, reading the food label is not sufficient to conclude whether a particular product is healthy or not, we have to under the meaning behind these â€Å"low fat† products. In a food market where food labels are not universal and some of the packaging is misleading, there is no way to ensure that the product we choose is healthy. Knowing what is healthy is not good enough for the contemporary food market, consumers also have to learn and understanding the meanings behind the food labels. Therefore, understanding how to eat healthily is important, but regulations on food labels are also essential.  © 2006 The International Journal of Urban Labour and Leisure 9 Methodology. Research Aim There are a few aims for this research. This study aims to explore perceptions on the healthy eating concept and review the reasons behind people’s choice of food. Furthermore, it seeks to examine awareness of Government policies on healthy eating promotion. It is also important to examine the reliability of food labels and the popularity of fast food culture. Semi-structured Interviews. It is important to see if there is a correlation between the literatures in chapter one and the research I do, therefore, selecting an appropriate way to carry out this research is essential. Semi-structured interviews were held on a one-to-one basis where interviewees were given a few topics to discuss. This interview consisted of three main parts. Part A is concerned about the interviewees’ healthy eating concepts and their view of contemporary eating culture. By understanding how they defined a healthy diet, participants were asked to review their food consumption habits, restrictions on food shopping and their opinion on fast food culture. In the final of the interview, I enquired about their knowledge on Government policies and supermarket promotions on healthy eating. This research aimed to understand people’s view and opinion rather than to test their knowledge and numerical data. Therefore, it is more suitable to use a qualitative approach. Qualitative research helps to develop interviewees’ personal opinions and experiences for this research. The research is based on one-to-one semi structured interviews, which allows me to have more freedom in developing the interview and pursue further questions in response to the replies received (Bryman, 2004:543). Each interview lasted approximately an hour in order to allow interviewees to express themselves fully. In order not to interfere with the interview, I did not express my opinions on the topics. I guided the discussions with the same topic questions for everyone.

Pizza Hut Marketing Research Report Essay

Executive summary This marketing research report is about the strategy of Pizza Hut for entering a new market. This research includes the preferences of the customers for going to any fast-food restaurant and particularly to our. We collected primary data from people for our research. While we were making our questionnaire we focused mainly on questions that showed the preference of the fast-food customers. Especially when we talk about food quality, price, services, interior, etc†¦ We got the questionnaires filled by 28 people from our population. They found the questionnaire nice and easy and we really could analyze their answers. The population for our research consists of students of The IUC College and people from all over the country. We made the connection through some websites. This analysis helped us to come out with new ideas about the future sales and profitability and  what our brand needs to maintain its image. Introduction Pizza hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza including pasta, salad, breadsticks, garlic bread and buffalo wings. Pizza Hut is a subsidiary of the world’s largest restaurant company Yum! Brands.Inc. As of 2012, there were more than 6,000 Pizza Hut restaurants in the United States, and more than 5,139 store locations in 94 other countries and territories around the world. Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in their hometown of Wichita, Kansas. They borrowed $600 from their mother to start a business with partner John Bender. They chose the name â€Å"Pizza Hut† since the sign they purchased only had enough space for nine characters and spaces. In the early 1960s Pizza Hut grew on the strength of aggressive marketing of the pizza restaurant idea. The first Pizza Hut franchise was opened in Canada. This was followed by the establishment of the International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association. In 1977 Pizza Hut merged with PepsiCo, becoming a division of the global soft drink and food conglomerate. Sales that year reached $436 million, and a new $10 million dollar headquarters office opened in Wichita. The brand has been rewarded as the best restaurant chain internationally. In 1986, Pizza Huts started its Home Delivery service. In 2007, Pizza Hut offered online ordering at all of their 65,000 locations. In 2008, Pizza Hut introduced Total Mobile Access- the ability for customers to order by text messaging or using their web enabled cell phones. Research Our major marketing strategy has always been to satisfy the customer by offering the best, including cleanliness, hospitality, accuracy, maintenance, product quality and speed. Our brand has always been friendly and familiar. We have always done our positioning by keeping in view two basic factors: Quality and frequency. Our brand uses low price meal and expensive for high end. We collected primary data from people for our research. While we were making our questionnaire we focused mainly on  questions that showed the preference of the fast-food customers. Especially when we talk about food quality, price, services, interior, etc†¦ We got the questionnaires filled by 28 people from our population. They found the questionnaire nice and easy and we really could analyze their answers. The population for our research were students of The IUC College and people from all over the country. We made the connection through some websites. We found out that most of the people are really aware of our brand and they have even visited our restaurants. 10 out of 28 people have never heard of our brand and products. We asked all the people who have visited our restaurant, are they satisfied with the service and the ingredients in the food. All of them were undoubtedly agree that the service in the restaurant is extremely good and all of the ingredients are high quality. We became aware of the information that the majority of the fast-food restaurant customers are the people between the ages of 18 and 30. Nowadays the majority of young people can’t cook and they are really impatient for food. Some of them don’t have resources.desire and time for cooking. So the fast food restaurants are really the best choice for people between these ages. Furthermore, we found out that our potential customers are incredibly price sensitive. 16 out of 28 people preferred to give 5 to 10 leva for our services than 3 to 5 leva. This helped us to understand that our customers are willing to pay more if the service responds to their money but not too much. After our detailed analysis we concluded that quality is the most important factor which can affect our potential customers. People really prefer to eat in a fast-food restaurant which has normal prices, good service and nice interior. People have gotten tired of going to the same places like Mcdonalds and Subway. They want something new, fresh and with fast home delivery. 4 P’s Product: Salads, Pizza, Pasta, Beverage, Deserts Price: 5 to 10 leva Promotion: TV ads for now Place: We should place our restaurants in the Mall or somewhere in the centre of Sofia and Varna Conclusion From our research we conclude that we definitely should focus on consumer satisfaction. This is possible if we have control over the quality of the food, service and control over prices. We have to make sure that we can create a friendly physical environment. Our restaurant must become like a second home for our consumers. And we think that our potential consumers in Bulgaria would be very pleased with our services. Recommendations We should do some strong TV advertising. We should open branches in more cities, such as Varna, Burgas, Veliko Tarnovo We should have at least one restaurant in the mall. The competition will be extremely big but with our brand image and variety of food and beverages we think we could easily achieve successful market share. References http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/ http://www.marketingteacher.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Pizza_Hut