The influences of sustainability management at institutional foodservice on store image and behavioral intention / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of sustainability management in institutional foodservice on store image and behavioral intention (revisit intention, word of mouth, willingness to pay a premium). METHODS: Based on a total of 371 samples obtained from the empirical research, this study reviewed the reliability and fitness of the model. RESULTS: According to results of exploratory factor analysis, sustainability management derived three factors, economic value, socially responsible, and environmentally sound. The structural equation modeling showed that social responsibility in sustainability management had a significant positive effect on store image and behavioral intention. In addition, customer's perceived store image in foodservice had a significant positive effect on behavioral intention. The relationship between sustainability management and behavioral intention was found to be a partially significant effect. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed the importance of sustainability management of foodservice to improve store image and behavioral intention.

A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Congregate Meal Services from the Low-income Elderly

The elderly population in Korea is rapidly growing. As the population ages, meals become a greater concern, as physical and psychological health problems are directly affected by dietary life, especially for the lower-income elderly. Although the government provides support through a free congregate meal service, there is a lack of systematic management of this meal service. This study investigates the experience of the elderly, especially the symbolic meaning and issues regarding the congregate meal service in their dietary life, to establish strategies for improving congregate meal services. Qualitative data was collected from ten elderly receivers of meal services through in-depth interviews and data was analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological research methods. Overall, 90 significant statements, 13 formulated meanings, and five theme clusters were deduced. The five theme clusters for the importance of meal services to the elderly included the followings: "a real meal", "enjoyment of living", "maintenance of regular life", "place for social life" and "meal of silence". We found that the elderly regarded the congregate free meal service not only as meals to appreciate but also as a form of social life. Furthermore, the elderly did not typically express any complaints regarding congregate meal services because they are free. The results showed that it might be difficult to evaluate the quality of meal services based on the opinions of the service receivers. This study suggests it is necessary to develop multilateral evaluation methods to reflect the needs of the elderly and to improve the congregate meal services at elderly welfare centers.

The Relationships among Satisfaction with Food-Related Life, Depression, Isolation, Social Support, and Overall Satisfaction of Life in Elderly South Koreans

Food is an essential component of good health and a high quality of life. This is especially true for the elderly, where health and quality of life can vary due to eating issues. This study attempts to measure the satisfaction with food-related life in the elderly of South Korea, while examining differences in social support, depression, isolation, and life satisfaction based on the level of satisfaction with food-related life. Data collection was conducted using one-on-one surveys from December 2011 to January 2012. A total of 390 elderly (aged 65 and over) who live in Korea participated in this study. The results showed that the satisfaction with food-related life was high (3.52 out of 5). The elderly who had company during a meal or a meal preparer showed a higher satisfaction with their food-related life. Social support was high (5.32 out of 7) and the feelings of isolation were low (3.85 out of 5). The average satisfaction with life was 4.42 out of 7, indicating a fair satisfaction with life, while the average depression score was relatively low (8.77 out of 26). In general, the elderly with a higher satisfaction with food-related life had a higher social support and overall satisfaction with their life. On the other hand, the elderly with a lower satisfaction with food-related life generally reported higher levels of depression and isolation. A positive correlation was observed between satisfaction with food-related life, social support, and satisfaction of life, while a negative correlation was found between satisfaction with food-related life, isolation, and depression. The results of this study indicate that managing the satisfaction with food-related life is an important component of mental health in the elderly.