MBA PROGRAM

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

CIA-1
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A report submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for degree of
Master of Business Administration
By
Anshita bali 2127860
Under the guidance of
Prof. Hemalatha R.
SECTION K
 CONTENTS

SERIA INDEX
L NO.

1. INTRODUCTION OF FAST FOOD

INDUSTRY

2. BACKGROUND OF STUDY

3. LITERATURE REVIEW AND

EVIDENCE

4. CONCEPTS AND TERMS RELATED

TO RESEARCH PROBLEM

5. PROBLEM STATEMENT

6. ASSUMPTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS

7. RESEARCH ETHICS

8. CONCLUSION
 INTRODUCTION OF FAST FOOD
INDUSTRY

Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for

commercial resale and with a strong priority placed on "speed of
service" versus other relevant factors involved in culinary
science. Fast food was created as a commercial strategy to
accommodate the larger numbers of busy commuters, travelers
and wage workers who often did not have the time to sit down at
a public house or diner and wait for their meal. By making the
speed of service the priority, this ensured that customers with
strictly limited time. In 2018, the fast food industry was worth
an estimated $570 billion globally. Eating fast food has been
linked to, among other things, cardiovascular disease, colorectal
cancer, obesity, high cholesterol, insulin resistance
conditions and depression.

Controlling for other diet and lifestyle confounders of fast food

consumers often doesn’t attenuate these associations and it
sometimes strengthens the association between fast food
consumption and mortality. Many fast foods tend to be high
in saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories.

Despite so much popularity, fast foods and fast-food chains have

adverse impacts not only on the job and social skills, but on the
health and academic performance of students. Fifty-six percent
of students consume fast food on a weekly basis.
 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Fast-food chains have come under criticism over concerns

ranging from claimed negative health effects, alleged animal
cruelty, cases of worker exploitation, and claims of cultural
degradation via shifts in people's eating patterns away from
traditional foods.

The intake of fast food is increasing worldwide. A study done in

the city of Jeddah has shown that current fast-food habits are
related to the increase of overweight and obesity among
adolescents in Saudi Arabia. In 2014, the World Health
Organization published a study which claims that deregulated
food markets are largely to blame for the obesity crisis, and
suggested tighter regulations to reverse the trend.

In the United States, local governments are restricting fast food

chains by limiting the number of restaurants found in certain
geographical areas. To combat criticism, fast-food restaurants
are starting to offer more health-friendly menu items.

Although trying to overcome criticism through healthy options

on fast food menus, Marion Nestle, who serves as the chair of
New York University's Department of Nutrition and Food
Studies, suggests that fast-food industries intentionally market
unhealthy foods to children through advertising options and
therefore create customers for life.
LITERATURE REVIEW AND EVIDENCE

1. Fast food not only has devastating physical effects but

could also affect mental health-

Kids eating fast food daily are more susceptible to danger and
their future generations. Exercising has helped reduce this
danger, but that in itself is another challenge to pull off. Among
the fast-food eaters, 51 percent of people are likely to be under
depression. Further, it promotes being anti-social, drug
addiction, violence, and reduced intelligence. (Richard et al.,
2017)

2. Fast food habits and weight gain.

Fast food promotes a positive energy balance. This enables

obesity and diabetes risks, including excessive portion size, with
single large meals often approaching or exceeding individual
daily energy requirement; palatability, emphasizing primordial
taste preferences for sugar, salt, and fat; high energy density and
high glycaemic load. (Pereira et al., 2005)
3. Intake of fast food could increase the risk of heart
disease and diabetes

Eating fast food at least two times each week was additionally
found that Type 2 diabetes could be increased by 27 percent. As
indicated by the University of Minnesota scientists, the
existing examinations on the relationship of fast food and
metabolic danger have looked only at Western-Caucasian
populaces from the United States. (Food Weekly News, 2012)

4. Sales of healthy choices at fast-food restaurants

Many restaurants have brought changes to their menus to

healthier options responding to consumer health concerns. Even
when these changes are brought, some restaurants have not
reported higher sales. People still prefer to buy regular menu
items. (Wellard et al., 2012)

5. Purchase rates of fast food purchased

The healthier options of fast food in menus are popular, but no

evidence suggests that their purchase rates are higher than
regular fast food items on the menu. There are not many
statistics available for the matter. (Atkinson & Palmer, 2012)

6. Influence on Adolescents' Food Purchasing

Many kinds of research have found there is a relationship

between fast-food restaurants and BMI gain. The results are
inconsistent in many of those researches. (He et al., 2012)
 CONCEPTS AND TERMS RELATED TO
RESEARCH PROBLEM

Positive energy balance: when more energy is consumed

than expected and resultant is weight gain.

Palatability: It is the sensory characteristic of food when

consumed by someone described as a hedonic reward.
  
Glycaemic load: It shows how a particular food affects blood
sugar (glucose) levels.

Metabolic risk: It is the risk related to heart diseases, diabetes,

stroke, etc.

BMI: The full form of BMI is Body Mass Index, a measure for
body fat in both men and women.
 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The present study proposes to:

1. Understand the effects of fast food consumption on health.

2. Analyze the effects of health issues with food on its sales.

Research Questions

1. How does fast food affect someone's health?

2. Does fast food's effects on health affect the sales of a fast

food restaurant?

Research Objectives

1. To understand the effects of fast food on health.

2. To study the effects of health concern on consumer behavior.

3. To analyze the impact of health concerns with fast food over

its sales.
 ASSUMPTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS

1. To understand the effects of fast food on health.

 Assumptions: It is assumed that consuming fast food has

certain effects caused to the human body.

 Hypothesis: There are adverse effects of fast food on health.

2. To study the effects of health concern on consumer

behavior.

 Assumptions: It is assumed consumer’s attitude towards a

product or service can change depending on its characteristics.

 Hypothesis: There is a significant relationship between health

concerns and consumers behavior.

3. To analyze the impact of health concerns with fast

food over its sales.

 Assumptions: It is assumed sales of fast food restaurants can

change depending on the characteristics of the food offered and
their impact in the society.

 Hypothesis: Health concerns over fast food can affect its sales.
 RESEARCH ETHICS

For the research work on the proposed research questions, data

needs to be collected from restaurants, customers, and
employees. During the research, certain research ethics should
be strictly adhered to:

 Data collected should not be released to other third party

organizations.

 The data, results, methods and procedures, publication status,

should be honestly reported.

 Bias in collecting the sample should be avoided or minimized

to the extent possible.

 Data collected for the research should not be fabricated or

misinterpreted.

 Public, research sponsors and other associated institutions

should not be deceived.

 Bias should be avoided in experimental design and data

analysis.

 Honor patents, copyrights and other forms of intellectual

property rights.
 CONCLUSION

The proposed research questions will follow a non-experimental

methodology and provide conclusive findings. The work will
majorly focus on the intake of fast food and its hazardous issues
and human resource management issues that were prevalent in
the fast food industry. The factors identified through the work
on the proposed questions will help in alerting the prevailing the
fast food industry so that necessary corrective actions can be
taken. The work on the proposed questions is proposed to be
completed within two weeks of time from the date of
commencement. In addition to health critics, there are
suggestions for the fast-food industry to become more eco-
friendly. The chains have responded by "reducing packaging
waste". To combat criticism, fast-food restaurants are starting to
offer more health-friendly menu items. Since there are many
diseases happening due to unhealthy eating habits, maintaining a
healthy lifestyle is advisable.