Chapter2 TheSystmemsApproach

Foodservice Management:
Principles and Practices, 12th

ed.
Chapter 2
The Systems Approach
Key Concepts
 Socioeconomic trends and demographic changes
continue to afect the foodservice industry.
 To provide customer satisfaction and to run a
financially sound operation, a foodservice manager
must possess an awareness of current trends.
 A number of challenges face the industry that will
require innovative solutions.
 The foodservice industry is vast and complex. The
wide range of establishments in the industry may
be classified into three major categories:
commercial, on-site, and military. Each of these
three may then be further categorized by type of
operation.
Foodservice Management: Principles and © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ
Practices, 12e 07458. All Rights Reserved.
2
Key Concepts
 The mission of a foodservice organization is
the foundation on which all decisions should
be made.
 Systems theory evolved from earlier
management theories such as scientific
management, the human relations
movement, operations research, and
general science theory.
 A system is a set of interdependent parts
that work together to achieve a common
goal. A foodservice organization is a
system.
3
Key Concepts
 The systems model and some key systems
definitions are important for developing an
understanding of systems thinking.
 The four major types of foodservice operations in
existence today are conventional, ready-prepared,
commissary, and assembly/serve. These
classifications are based on diferences in location
of preparation, amount of holding time and
method of holding cooked food, the purchase form
of the food, and labor and equipment required.
 Each of the four major types of foodservice
operations has distinct advantages and
disadvantages.
4
Introduction
 The concept of the systems approach is
based on the idea that complex
organizations are made up of
interdependent parts that interact in
ways to achieve goals.
 Each of the four types of foodservice
operating systems found in the United
States today is described in this
chapter.
5
Classification of
Foodservices
 The foodservice industry can be divided into
three major groups of establishments:
• Commercial (restaurants, supermarkets,
convenience stores, delis, snack bars, and

other commercial retail food
establishments)
• Noncommercial (business, educational,
governmental or institutional organizations

that operate their own foodservice)
• Military
6
Classification of
Foodservice
 Within each type of foodservice
organization, a broad scope of services
is ofered.
• Scope of service refers to the number
and types of business units ofered

through individual foodservices.
• For example, food and nutrition
departments in hospitals ofer both

patient and employee/visitor services
7
Scope of Services
Figure 2.3 Examples of scope of services of four

foodservice organizations.
8
Foodservice Operations
 The nature of foodservice management
• All organizations have a mission

A mission statement is a summary of an
organization’s purpose, goals, and objectives.
• To achieve the mission statement,
objectives must be developed

Objectives are specific and measurable goals or
targets of an organization.
9
The Systems Concept and
Approach
 A brief history of systems theory
• The classical approach to management says
that if all workers perform efciently, the
organization’s goals can be reached.
• The human relations movement found that
social and psychological factors were
important measures of employee satisfaction.
• The systems theory emerged in the 60’s and
70’s and put emphasis on the organization’s
relationship with its environment.
10
Approach
 Some basics of systems theory
• System: a set of interdependent parts
that work together to achieve a
common goal.
• Subsystems: the interdependent parts
of a system, the parts of a system.
• Systems Theory: viewing the systems
as a whole made up of
interdependent parts.
11
A Systems Model
12
Approach
 Some key systems definitions
• Inputs – resources such as money, material,
time, information required by a system.
• Operations – the work performed to
transform inputs into outputs.
• Transformation – the process required to
change inputs into outputs.
• Outputs – finished products and services of
an organization.
13
Approach
• Equifinality – the same outputs may be
achieved from diferent inputs or
transformational processes.
• Feedback – information on how operations
worked or failed or how they should be
changed to restore equilibrium.
• Controls – the self-imposed plans and legal
documents that impact the organization’s
function.
14
Approach
• Management – the integration and
coordination of resources to achieve the
desired objectives of the organization.
• Memory – records of past performance
that assist in improving future
efectiveness.
• Open Systems – a system that interacts
with external forces in the environment.
15
Approach
• Linking Processes – methods used to unify a
system.
• Entropy – the amount of disorder,
uncertainty, or randomness in a system.
• Hierarchy of Needs – characteristics of
organizational structure ranging from
subsystems to systems to suprasystems.
• Suprasystem – a larger entity made up of a
number of systems.
16
Approach
• Interdependency – the parts of the system
interact and are dependent on one another.
• Wholism – the whole of the organization is
more than the sum of the parts.
• Synergy – the working together of parts of a
system such that the outcomes are greater
than individual efort would achieve.
17
Approach
 Benefits of systems thinking
• More efective problem solving
• More efective communication
• More efective planning
• More efective organizational
development
18
Types of Foodservice
Systems
 Conventional – raw foods are
purchased, prepared on site, and
served soon after preparation.
• Advantages

Quality control

Menu fexibility

Less freezer storage required
19
Operations
 Conventional
• Disadvantages

Stressful workday

Difculty in scheduling workers
• Rationale

Foods may be procured with limited
amounts of processing

Conventional system demands skilled
labor
20
Systems
 Ready-prepared (cook/chill or
cook/freeze) – foods are prepared
on-site, then chilled or frozen and
stored for reheating at a later time.
• Advantages

Reduction of “peaks and valleys” of
workloads

Reduction in labor cost

Improved quality and quantity control
21
Systems
 Ready-prepared
• Disadvantages

Need for large cold storage and freezer units

Need for costly rethermalization equipment in
some cases
• Rationale

Reduced labor expenses

Decreased need for skilled labor

Volume food procurement may decrease food
costs
22
Systems
 Commissary – a central production
kitchen or food factory with
centralized food purchasing and
delivery to of-site facilities for final
preparations.
• Advantages

Large volume food purchasing reduces costs

Efective and consistent quality control
23
Systems
 Commissary
• Disadvantages

Many critical points where contamination of
food can occur

Specialized equipment and trucks are needed
for food safety

High cost of equipment and equipment
maintenance
• Rationale

Accommodates remote service areas
24
Systems
 Assembly/serve – also known as the
“kitchenless kitchen,” fully prepared
foods are purchased, stored,
assembled, heated, and served
• Advantages

Labor savings

Lower procurement costs

Minimal equipment and space requirements
25
Systems
 Assemble/Serve
• Disadvantages

Limited availability of desired menu items

High cost of prepared foods

Additional freezer space requirements

Concern over recycling or disposing of
packaging materials
26
Systems
 Assembly/serve
• Rationale

Assuming a lack of skilled labor and an
available supply of highly processed
foods, this system can be successful.
27
Summary
 Today’s foodservice managers should
view their organization as a system
composed of various elements.
 The arrangement of subsystems,
procurement, food preparation, delivery
and service, and sanitation into varying
ways is the basis for grouping
foodservices into types of systems.
28
Summary
 The vast and ever-changing foodservice
industry continues to be shaped by
socioeconomic changes, demographic
shifts, and the varying food habits and
desires of the American people.
29

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Foodservice Management:

Principles and Practices, 12th

convenience stores, delis, snack bars, and

governmental or institutional organizations

and types of business units ofered

departments in hospitals ofer both

Figure 2.3 Examples of scope of services of four

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