scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Occupational Stress in Restaurant Work: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10378
Author(s):  
Julia F. Lippert ◽  
Mackenzie B. Furnari ◽  
Charlie W. Kriebel
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Occupational Stress ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Food Service ◽  
The United States ◽  
Restaurant Industry ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Impact

The economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted the food service industry—one of the largest workforce sectors in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the occupational stressors experienced by restaurant and food service workers during the COVID-19 pandemic through a detailed assessment of their lived experiences. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns within data from sixteen semi-structured interviews with people employed or recently employed in the restaurant industry during July of 2020. Five themes were highlighted including fear of being exposed to the COVID-19 virus while working under inadequate safety policies, job insecurity, inconsistent pay and hours and a lack of health benefits and paid time off, all of which increased occupational stress and led to uncertainty if respondents would return to the restaurant industry. Hardships associated with the pandemic were mitigated by the support and connections fostered by the communities built within the restaurants. Results led to several recommendations to address the social and economic contributors to occupational stress at the structural and population levels which can be used in the current and post-pandemic workplace.

Perceived Job Demands: A Qualitative Study of Stress in Healthcare Workers after Organizational Changes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoume Zeinolabedini ◽  
Alireza Heidarnia ◽  
Ghodratollah Shakeri Nejad ◽  
Mohammad Esmaeil Motlagh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Organizational Change ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Occupational Stress ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Primary Health Care System ◽  
The Impact

Abstract BackgroundHealth care workers (HCWs) are at risk for occupational stress. The negative effects of stress HCWs subsequently affect the quality of their job performance. Since 2014, there have been extensive changes in the primary health care system in Iran. Because evidence has shown that organizational change can cause stress in employees, this study was designed and conducted to explore the perceived job demands by HCWs in primary care centers after extensive organizational change.MethodA qualitative study was designed with a content analysis approach. Study data were collected through 11 semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group with HCWs.ResultsParticipants reported high stress at work. They reported various factors as stressful job demands. These factors included: organization's supervisory function (Weakness of the monitoring process, Unfair policies, Apply regulatory pressure), Role features (Role load, Role conflicts, Role ambiguity(,Workload )High workload, Not having time, Great variety of tasks), job insecurity (Lack of job security due to employment status, Concerns about payments, Lack of physical security, Uncertain job future), Working with clients (Different characteristics of clients, Harassment of clients to achieve their expectations, Tensions in client relationships, Lack of knowledge of clients about health care work instructions), Perceived job content (Annoying work with different units of the organization, Monotonous and repetitive tasks, Meaningless tasks, No attractive and no excitement).ConclusionCurrently, HCWs working in health centers are faced with various stressful situations. Most of the factors identified in this study overlap in increasing stress. The impact of workload and organizational oversight on occupational stress seems to be more pronounced. Given the important role of HCWs in promoting health, the design and implementation of effective interventions by policymakers to control stress in HCWs is essential.

Impact of the Menu Labeling Act Upon the Market Value of Foodservice Firms

2020 ◽  
pp. 109634802097101
Author(s):  
Eojina Kim ◽  
Juan Luis Nicolau
Keyword(s):  
Service Industry ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Market Value ◽  
The United States ◽  
Share Price ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Menu Labeling ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Restaurant Firms ◽  
The Impact

The Menu Labeling Act (MLA), which requires restaurants to provide customers with nutritional information, has encountered implementation difficulties for more than 8 years, owing to the imposition of administrative costs on restaurant firms. By investigating the market value of 46 restaurant firms that publicly trade in the United States, this research analyzes the impact of MLA-related announcements on the market value of foodservice firms. Announcements associated with restrictions tend to reduce restaurant market value by 0.29% per day (market value is defined as the number of shares times the share price), whereas announcements related to flexibility increase such market value by 0.80%. The final guideline and compliance date announced by the Food and Drug Administration has provoked significant negative effects on restaurant market value. Meanwhile, the congress’ proposed opposition act has elicited great positive effects. This study provides important implications for policy makers and practitioners in the food service industry.

scholarly journals Shake Shack IPO Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 49-54
Author(s):  
Caixia Hu
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Food Service ◽  
The United States ◽  
Restaurant Industry ◽  
Fast Food Restaurant ◽  
Fast Food Restaurants ◽  
Successful Business

The restaurant industry is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in the economy in the United States. According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the food service industry is the third largest industry accounting for more than 4% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Shake Shack is an American fast food restaurant chain based in New York City. It started out as a food cart at Madison Square Park in 2000, and its popularity grew steadily. Shake Shack is currently one of the best fast-food restaurants in the world. This article discusses the successful business model of Shake Shack through IPO analysis.

scholarly journals Lockdowns, lives and livelihoods: the impact of COVID-19 and public health responses to conflict affected populations - a remote qualitative study in Baidoa and Mogadishu, Somalia

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorien H. Braam ◽  
Sharath Srinivasan ◽  
Luke Church ◽  
Zakaria Sheikh ◽  
Freya L. Jephcott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Or Education ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Authorities in Somalia responded with drastic measures after the first confirmed COVID-19 case in mid-March 2020, closing borders, schools, limiting travel and prohibiting most group functions. However, the impact of the pandemic in Somalia thereafter remained unclear. This study employs a novel remote qualitative research method in a conflict-affected setting to look at how some of the most at-risk internally displaced and host populations were impacted by COVID-19, what determined their responses, and how this affected their health and socio-economic vulnerability. Methods We conducted a remote qualitative study, using Katikati, a 1-to-1 conversation management and analysis platform using short message service (SMS) developed by Lark Systems with Africa’s Voices Foundation (AVF), for semi-structured interviews over three months with participants in Mogadishu and Baidoa. We recruited a gender balanced cohort across age groups, and used an analytical framework on the social determinants of health for a narrative analysis on major themes discussed, triangulating data with existing peer-reviewed and grey literature. Results The remote research approach demonstrated efficacy in sustaining trusted and meaningful conversations for gathering qualitative data from hard-to-reach conflict-affected communities. The major themes discussed by the 35 participants included health, livelihoods and education. Two participants contracted the disease, while others reported family or community members affected by COVID-19. Almost all participants faced a loss of income and/or education, primarily as a result of the strict public health measures. Some of those who were heavily affected economically but did not directly experienced disease, denied the pandemic. Religion played an important role in participants’ beliefs in protection against and salvation from the disease. As lockdowns were lifted in August 2020, many believed the pandemic to be over. Conclusions While the official COVID-19 burden has remained relatively low in Somalia, the impact to people’s daily lives, income and livelihoods due to public health responses, has been significant. Participants describe those ‘secondary’ outcomes as the main impact of the pandemic, serving as a stark reminder of the need to broaden the public health response beyond disease prevention to include social and economic interventions to decrease people’s vulnerability to future shocks.

scholarly journals “We Are Doing These Things So That People Will Not Laugh at Us”: Caregivers’ Attitudes About Dementia and Caregiving in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232110041
Author(s):  
Candidus C. Nwakasi ◽  
Kate de Medeiros ◽  
Foluke S. Bosun-Arije
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Knowledge Deficit ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
The Impact

Some Nigerians, in their effort to make sense of dementia symptoms, use descriptions that may stigmatize people with dementia and their families. This qualitative descriptive study focused on the everyday understanding of dementia and the impact of stigma on the caregiving experiences of informal female Nigerian dementia caregivers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 adult informal female caregivers in Nigeria and analyzed for themes. Afterward, results were presented to focus groups of 21 adult Nigerians residing in the United States for more contextual insight on the findings. The three major themes were misconceptions about dementia symptoms, caregiving protects against stigmatization, and stigma affects caregiving support. Overall, we argue that knowledge deficit, poor awareness, and traditional spiritual beliefs combine to drive dementia-related stigmatization in Nigeria. Strategies such as culturally appropriate dementia awareness campaigns and formal long-term care policies are urgently needed to help strengthen informal dementia caregiving in Nigeria.

scholarly journals Measuring the availability of “good jobs” in the United States for working-class men during the Great Recession and recovery

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janette Dill ◽  
Robert Francis
Keyword(s):  
Working Class ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Food Service ◽  
The United States ◽  
Job Quality ◽  
Full Time ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Predicted Probability ◽  
Time Work ◽  
The Impact

In this study, we use the 2004, 2008, and 2014 panels of the Survey for Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to measure the impact of the Great Recession and recovery on the availability of “good jobs” for men without a college degree. We define “good jobs” using a cluster of job quality measures, including wage thresholds of at least $15, $20, or $25 per hour, employer-based health insurance, full-time work hours, and protection from layoff. We find that the Great Recession and aftermath (2008-2015) resulted in a 1-10% reduced probability of being in a “good job” across most industries, with especially large losses in manufacturing, retail, transportation, and food service (compared to 2004-2007). In the 2014 panel, there is only a slight post-recession recovery in the predicted probability of being in a “good job,” and the probability of being in a “good job” remains well below 2004 levels. Although the probability of being on layoff from a “good jobs” does decrease substantially in the 2014 cohort as compared to the rate of layoff during the Great Recession, our clustered measure of job quality shows that access to “good jobs” remains limited for most working-class men and that the recovery from the Recession has largely not reached the working-class.

scholarly journals Urban and rural children as environmental advocates : the impact of location on environmentally responsible behaviour

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Suzanne Marie Godin
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Rural Children ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Environmental Advocacy ◽  
Environmental Behaviour ◽  
Environmentally Responsible ◽  
Responsible Behaviour ◽  
The Impact

This research paper is a qualitative study of how urban and rural children (6-8 years) experience the natural environment. The literature exploring how place of residence can influence environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour among children has been contradictory. This study attempted to explore this question in order to establish any differences between the two sample groups. Semi-structured interviews and drawing analyses were used to examine the children's view of the natural environment and their knowledge of environmentally responsible behaviours. The results indicate that the urban children were more knowledgeable of environmentally responsible behaviours and displayed higher levels of environmental advocacy. These findings support the use of area-specific environmental teaching strategies that may serve to promote environmental awareness and advocacy among children residing in any location.

scholarly journals “Here in the Bible Belt, It’s Predominantly Negative”: Sexual Identity Stigma in the American South, 50 Years After Stonewall

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph J. Frey ◽  
William J. Hall ◽  
Jeremy T. Goldbach ◽  
Paul Lanier
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mental Health Disparities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
United States South ◽  
The Impact

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and pansexual (LGB+) individuals have disproportionate rates of mental illness. Minority stress and sexual identity stigma are posited as the primary social determinants of LGB+ mental health disparities. Discussions in the literature have questioned the impact of sexual identity stigma in a world increasingly accepting of sexual minorities. Additionally, the LGB+ population in the United States South is often overlooked in American research. This article details a qualitative study exploring experiences related to sexual identity stigma among adults who identify as LGB+ in the United States South. Semi-structured interviews with 16 individuals were analyzed using content analysis. Six thematic categories of stigma emerged from participants’ experiences: (a) navigating an LGB+ identity, (b) social acceptability of an LGB+ identity, (c) expectation of LGB+ stigma, (d) interpersonal discrimination and harassment, (e) structural stigma, and (f) relationship with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Findings suggest that sexual identity stigma remains a common experience among these Southern United States participants. Further, thematic categories and subcategories primarily aligned with extant theory with one exception: Intracommunity stigma, a form of stigma emanating from the LGBTQ community, emerged as a stigma type not currently accounted for in theoretical foundations underpinning mental health disparities in this population.

scholarly journals Developing Initial Middle Range Theories in Realist Evaluation: A Case of an Organisational Intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8360
Author(s):  
Hamid Roodbari ◽  
Karina Nielsen ◽  
Carolyn Axtell ◽  
Susan E. Peters ◽  
Glorian Sorensen
Keyword(s):  
Service Industry ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Realist Evaluation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Middle Range ◽  
Template Analysis ◽  
The Us ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
Organisational Intervention ◽  
National Organisation

(1) Background: Realist evaluation is a promising approach for evaluating organisational interventions. Crucial to realist evaluation is the development and testing of middle range theories (MRTs). MRTs are programme theories that outline how the intervention mechanisms work in a specific context to bring about certain outcomes. To the best of our knowledge, no organisational intervention study has yet developed initial MRTs. This study aimed to develop initial MRTs based on qualitative evidence from the development phase of an organisational intervention in a large multi-national organisation, the US food service industry. (2) Methods: Data were collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with the organisation′s managers, five focus groups with a total of 30 employees, and five worksite observations. Template analysis was used to analyse data. (3) Results: Four initial MRTs were developed based on four mechanisms of participation, leadership commitment, communication, and tailoring the intervention to fit the organisational context to formulate ‘what may work for whom in which circumstances?’ in organisational interventions; (4) Conclusions: Our findings provide insights into ‘how’ and ‘which’ initial MRTs can be developed in organisational interventions.

scholarly journals Understanding Relationship between Milestone and Decision-Making in Project Management: A Qualitative Study among Project Managers in Saudi Arabia

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umar Altahtooh ◽  
Thamir Alaskar
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pragmatic Research ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Despite the importance of milestone as a key knowledge in project management, there has been lack of research to understand the relationship between milestones and decision-making. This paper presents a pragmatic research context that aims understanding the nature of milestones and their relationship with different decision-making structures and responsibilities across projects. Data were collected through 14 semi-structured interviews with project managers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings explore the concepts of project milestones among project managers in Saudi Arabia. The paper finds that there is a relationship between milestones and the impact on decision-making.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document