Seasonality in the food and beverage service industry - a challenge for product development in small-sized businesses : case of Cafe im Goebenhaus, Stade, Germany
Völckers, Christine (2010)
Völckers, Christine
HAAGA-HELIA ammattikorkeakoulu
2010
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010120917699
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010120917699
Tiivistelmä
Seasonality of demand is seen as a major problem for the hotel and catering industry in Germany and beyond confronting businesses with negative impacts like difficulties in gaining access to capital, low returns on investment or the inefficient use of resources. Many efforts have already been undertaken to counteract these negative effects of the phenomenon, however, so far without sustainable success.
Constant development of a company’s offering is thereby not only viewed as a necessary prerequisite for businesses to stay competitive in general but also as a promising solution approach to counteract seasonality due to its consumer focus and its commonly acknowledged function as key factor for success in the tourism industry.
The issue of seasonal demand variations and the potential of the concept of product development to combat its persistence have to be seen in the light of the fragmented structure of the tourism industry being dominated by numerous small-sized businesses which often show particular characteristics like limited capital resources and a lack of managerial expertise. This fundamental face of the industry enhances the significance of the phenomenon of seasonality as it imposes a great risk for the majority of tourism businesses and, thus, for the industry as a whole.
This thesis therefore aims at developing particular opportunities adapted for small-sized businesses to increase demand in low-demand periods and, hence, to counteract seasonality. The role of product development as a potential strategy to combat seasonal demand variations thereby achieves special attention. In order to be able to present results which are as closely oriented at real business life as possible, the small gastronomic business Cafe im Goebenhaus in Stade, Germany, has been used as illustrating object in this thesis.
In an attempt to identify a clear picture of the cafe and its off-peak clientele, a questionnaire with open- as well as close-ended questions has been conducted. On basis of a careful analysis of the results from both, secondary and primary research, two particular product ideas have been developed in accordance with the concept and conditions of Cafe im Goebenhaus which aim at stimulating demand in off-season periods in order to thus combat the cafe’s problem of seasonal demand variations throughout the year.
Constant development of a company’s offering is thereby not only viewed as a necessary prerequisite for businesses to stay competitive in general but also as a promising solution approach to counteract seasonality due to its consumer focus and its commonly acknowledged function as key factor for success in the tourism industry.
The issue of seasonal demand variations and the potential of the concept of product development to combat its persistence have to be seen in the light of the fragmented structure of the tourism industry being dominated by numerous small-sized businesses which often show particular characteristics like limited capital resources and a lack of managerial expertise. This fundamental face of the industry enhances the significance of the phenomenon of seasonality as it imposes a great risk for the majority of tourism businesses and, thus, for the industry as a whole.
This thesis therefore aims at developing particular opportunities adapted for small-sized businesses to increase demand in low-demand periods and, hence, to counteract seasonality. The role of product development as a potential strategy to combat seasonal demand variations thereby achieves special attention. In order to be able to present results which are as closely oriented at real business life as possible, the small gastronomic business Cafe im Goebenhaus in Stade, Germany, has been used as illustrating object in this thesis.
In an attempt to identify a clear picture of the cafe and its off-peak clientele, a questionnaire with open- as well as close-ended questions has been conducted. On basis of a careful analysis of the results from both, secondary and primary research, two particular product ideas have been developed in accordance with the concept and conditions of Cafe im Goebenhaus which aim at stimulating demand in off-season periods in order to thus combat the cafe’s problem of seasonal demand variations throughout the year.