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SMK UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDY PROGRAMME

AFRICAN FOOD IN LITHUANIAN RESTAURANT

Social research methodology project

Authors:
Ronnie Daruis
Donfack Tsafack

(parašas)

The Supervisor:

Mehmet Recai Uygur

(signature)
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Abstract

There is no doubt that food and the way in which the different ingredients are
combined and the meals are a major part of a country's cultural identity. I will
therefore examine here the development of African cuisine in a Lithuanian
restaurant in relation to our project. I will show that in Africa in recent years,
as part of nation-building political efforts, significant emphasis has been placed
on the creation of national cuisines and the identification of national dishes.
Describing, preparing and serving food proved to be an important "support" to
the process of "imagining" the nation.
In the United States, Europe and elsewhere, there is undoubtedly considerable
and growing interest in African cuisine, and a large number of cookbooks are
available offering multiple recipes collected and adapted from all over Africa.
In the UK for example, a popular Channel Four TV program featured a book
called ATaste of Africa clearly aimed at the Western cook in a Western kitchen.
In the developed world, it goes without saying that each nation has its own
cuisine, which even led Stephen Mennel to assert: “The emergence of cuisines
identifiable as “national” coincides with the formation of nation-states in the
15th century” , and Reay Tannahill explain that “culturally identifiable ways of
eating and food choices have come to be seen as 'characteristics' of a people
and a country.

Key words: foods,african,the culinary art,publikas restaurant,globalisation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

0. Introduction

1. The business problem definition and background, the social research

problem definition and research questions

2. Literature review

3. Methodology

3.1 Methods of Collecting Secondary Information

3.2 Methods of collecting Primary Information

3.3 Instruments for Information Collection

3.4 Samples

3.5 Data Collection

4. Data Analysis and Results

5. Interpretation of results

6. Conclusions and recommendations

7. References
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0.INTRODUCTION

The subject of our project is AFRICAN FOOD IN LITHUANIAN

RESTAURANT.

Since the dawn of time, people have defined themselves by their culture, which
translates the habits and manners of each person, from this follows an essential
element, namely the culinary art.

Food is much more than a substance allowing the body to function, but it is also
an identity a demarcation;the different dishes or even the existing differences in
the way of making a meal, of cooking a piece of meat are quite strong elements
which make it possible to identify a people in front of another but also a place
from another depending on whether some are in the countryside and others in
urban areas.

From Asia to Europe via Oceania everyone is proud to display their culinary art
proudly.

And with globalization people are more and more open to other culture,people
tend to embrace other culture.We can even say that people want to try other
cultures beside their own by dressing differently and eating food from other
cultures to identify differences and similarities with their own culture but also
people tend to see it as a part of a new experience as the world is becomes more
and globalized.

Throughout this work we will try to find if it is possible that a food from another
environment may have an impact on a culture completely foreign to him the
case of African food in a Lithuanian restaurant.
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1.THE BUSINESS PROBLEM DEFINITION ,PURPOSE

AND IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTICLE
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Business problems are current or long term challenges and issues faced by a
business. these may prevent a business from executing strategy and achieving
goals.
One of the most business problem restaurant owners face is the menu. A good
menu is a balancing act. Do you have too many or too few menu items? Are
your dishes priced appropriately? Does your menu have a coherent them?

We have noticed that the number of africans community in lithuania is growing.

According to estimates by the migration department of lithuania there are 459
men and 56 women from Africa living in the country.
Most of them live in vilnius ,very small communities can be found in other
cities.
Africans are a tiny minority of lithuania‘s population;even though they represent
a small percentage of the population a business opportunity can still be
developed as the world is more and more globalized.

So,We decide to do our research in a specific restaurant which is PUBLIKAS.

Publikas it a lithuanian restaurant which is located in gedimino pr.39,LT-011090
Vilnius,the company age is 1 year 5 months. The company has 10 people
(insured), the average salary is 601.23 euro.
Their activities fields are: coffees, tea, clubs, bars, restaurants.

We choose this restaurant because they tried once to cook african food as they
have an african who worked there.They took that risk to present to their client
african-style potatoes.

During this investigation we will show you how including some african food in
the menu could be a benefit for publikas.
They will not only have african client for those menu but lithuanian too because
they are open to try new thing.
That could lead to a monopole in this sector and will differentiate publikas with
other restaurants because they will have the opportunity to give to their client a
menu which is diverse.

As the menu is one of the most common business problem that restaurant
owners are facing,we will investigate the lithuanian market and customers in
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order to know if diversifying the menu would be a business opportunity for the
publikas restaurant.
Can we say that food from Africa can have an impact on Lithuanian customers?

Can it represent a profitable opportunity for the catering sector in Lithuania?

Can it help to bring the two cultures closer together even though they are so far
apart?

Here are all the questions that led our research on which we tried to provide
which answers.
.
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2.LITERATURE REVIEW

Traditional food is an important element of cultural heritage and is gaining

interest as tourism attraction.

Moreover, it is based on the use of regional products, valorising seasonality and

making it of interest for local economy and sustainability.
African cuisine is national and internationally recognized, but different opinions
are frequently reported by consumers.

To promote this type of gastronomy, it is important to know how consumers

perceive it and the factors that can affect such perception.
we have three main parts of perception:
1) sociodemographic data;
2) general perception of gastronomy from African food;
3) evaluation of specific dishes from ;

The perception of characteristics of the African food in the Lithuanian

restaurant, the participants imagined could present such menu.

To test the effect of dishes description, two different on-line surveys were
constructed: one presenting the list of ingredients of each dish and the other one
presenting a sensorial description of the same dishes.

The server where survey was performed allowed the random presentation of
only one of the versions to each of the participants.
It was possible to confirm that African food is seen as savoury, but at the same
salty and energy dense.

The menu presentation affected the way consumers expected the Lithuanian
restaurant characteristics, giving higher rates of acceptance and trust to
restaurant presenting menus with sensory description of dishes.

Although African food in Lithuanian restaurant is understood as gastronomy

with a marked identity, the true is that the way dish description is presented can
have an effect in the overall perception.
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3. METHODOLOGY

Research Approach and Methods

3.1. Quantitative Research:

It is the process which is focused mainly in the numerical data’s satisfaction
information’s and amounts.
It is done through the questionnaires process. Through this, it takes easier to
analyse the findings through the questionnaire survey.

3.2. Qualitative Research

Qualitative research focuses into the content. In this method, collection of
thoughts, understanding of customers , opinions and motivation for it are done.
The information’s are derived through interviews and observations in the
restaurant.
There were more than 15 questions listed related to the services and customer
satisfaction of Publikas Restaurant in the questionnaire sheet.
A face to face survey results were analysed through the qualitative methods.
Moreover books from library, eBooks , journals ,sources from internet and other
thesis were used as a secondary data for this study process.

3.3 Instruments for information collection

For our research we decided to use a survey as an instruments for collecting
information.
A survey is a research method used for collecting data from a pre- defined group
of respondents to gain information and insights on various topics of interest.
Our survey contains questions that will help us know if the clientele is ready to
accept this innovation. If the clientele acceptes it means that the Publikas
restaurant has nothing to lose by adding a few african dishes,at least to give it a
try.
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Here is link of our survey

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeabfVBdV90p99VpOmvDqq7UgKMzdWsTMs0dEPJGb8tgq
DvDg/viewform?usp=sf_link

3.4. Samples
So our work on african food in a lithuanian restaurant led us to conduct an
investigation directed to lithuanian citizens includind foreigners.
The latter have therefore constituted our main population. It shouldd be noted
that we focused mainly on smk students specifically those in second year for our
data gathering.
The difficulties were manifold however we praise the availability and flexibility
which some have shown, notwithstanding their occupations and charges they
were kind enough to answer us.
The investigation has allowed us to have a clear idea of our theme,also the
different opinions harvested will be useful not only to us but also to any
researcher and students who in the future will have to look into the matter.
We dare to believe that through this work we will benefit science and the next
generation for the sake of mixing cultures.
3.5.Data Collection
In the process of data collection it is done in the premises of Publikas Restaurant
.we collected the data in two ways .Primary and Secondary. In the first
method ,the restaurant staffs were involved , this gave the real picture of
conditions in term of satisfying the customers with African food related to
products.
Secondly, data was collected through questionnaires pattern, books and
websites.
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4. ANALYSIS RESEARCH

This section helps us to analyse the survey from Publikas Restaurant in others to
meet the aim of the project .
a.Demographic Factors
The questionnaire survey focused of people's in total. 10 of people fell under the
age group of 21 -35 years old and 5 people were under the age of 15-20 years
old.
The outcome of the survey shows that that most of the correspondents are adults.
Publikas Restaurant should take the step of extending the business with African
food which will bring more profit to the Company.
b.Number of Responders
The participants of questionnaires survey were 20 in total.
60% of responders were female and 40% of participants were males.
The outcome shows that the restaurant is popular among the female customers in
comparison to the male customers.
It is vital to focus more in their meal with consume calories because females
always paid attention to the food that they consume in the view points of health.
c.Money spent in restaurant
The responders of survey have put their opinions in the matter of pricing of
meals .Out of 20 , majority of people has indicated that they spend a moderate
amount of money in restaurant.
So they suggest that the pricing of the meal should be on average pricing.
d.Varieties of meal
In this section the total of numbers of 20 participants fully agreed about the idea
to bring varieties if meal in the restaurant.
It seems they will be satisfied with the availability of the meals.
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CHARTS
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5.INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

Based on the responses from our survey we arrived at the following results:

-On the question of whether African food in Lithuanian menu can have an
impact, the majority of people answered yes; for Lithuanians this is explained by
the taste of discovering other cultures.
And also, for the sake of finding and reconnecting with their culture beyond
geographic boundaries the Africans interviewed on this question were open
about this.

-Regarding the question of whether this approach represents an opportunity for

the catering sector in Lithuania it appears that the majority of people answered
in the affirmative way.
we report that the particular context in which we carried out this work didn’t
allow to approach a large number of professional’s restoration; nevertheless,
those who answered gave us a clear overview on this detail.
Indeed, the introduction of African dishes in Lithuanian menu will allow:
● To attract an african clientele constitute by africans living in lithuania but
also africans on mission or in transit in lithuania.
● Africans living in the baltic region will be able to make lithuania a
destination for moment of relaxation and other.
● A new lithuanian clientele in search of discovery.
This flow will greatly benefit the restaurant sector, which will increase its
financial windfall.
-Regarding the possiblity of a rapprochement between the 2 culture being so
different from each other,the majority of people answered in an affirmative way.
It is without question that lithuania as whole baltic countries have no common
history with africa.
So for many lithuanians africa is a distant universe to discover.
If food is therefore an essential element in the culture of a population as much
that music,painting,language are.
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It will give a clear overview of the way of life of a people so it can bring them
together,it can serve as a bridge through it Lithuanians will be able to travel
across different region of Africa.

Here is what arise from our investigation to conduct near the Lithuanian citizens
as well than Africans living in Lithuania.
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6. Conclusion and Recommendations

Our study on the inclusion of some african dishes in the menu of the publikas
restaurant which is a lithuanian restaurant,carried a positif result.
Through a survey submitted to a sample and a discussion with one of the
restaurant staff we were able to gather the necessary information which
subsequently led us to a positive conclusion; which is that the publikas
restaurant could use African food to diversify their menu in order to create a
business opportunity.
To make the thesis informative and inclusive, two research methods were
implemented that’s qualitative and quantitative.
These methods helped to collect the required data through primary and
secondary way.
In the first face of data collection, Interviews and questionnaires methods were
conducted with customers to collect the information about the restaurant cuisine.
In the other side restaurant website was used as the secondary data collection
about restaurant cuisine.
The outcome from the research about the restaurant is that of the meal provided
by the restaurant in other to satisfied customers with new dishes.

In conclusion, the clientele is looking for more varieties and new experiences
even with regard to food.
Based on the constant search for novelty from customers, the Publikas restaurant
is facing a business opportunity in view of all positive responses received from
our sample which turned out to be very enthusiastic.
However, the restaurant has nothing to lose by trying it out.
Recommendations
It was not easy to collect the ideas and views from the customer during their
visit time in restaurant as their time separated for the meal only.
These are some recommendations provided by the participants
-The restaurant should improve the way of sitting of tables and chairs
-To no take more time to deliver the meal
-The restaurant should be active in their social media
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