The Survey of the Service Quality. Application to a Hotel using the SERVQUAL Model

Quality is a subjective concept, which depends on the individual’s perceptions and expectations. These perceptions and expectations may be different one from the other and they may evolve in time. Quality is important for clients, for the personnel, it may contribute to reducing costs and may provide a better service for the same budget. The main results of the researches have taken shape into "conceptual models of the quality of the services" (Dotchin and Oakland, 1994; Juwaheer and Ross 2003; Eda Antilgan, et al., 2003). Some of these models can also be applied in tourism, but what is important for those working in this field is to know which these models are and how they can be used. I have chosen this field because lately people rely more and more, internationally, (49th UNWTO Commission for Europe) on the fact that tourism will be the surprise element which will help most countries to get out of the present crisis. The low quality of the services provided in the Romanian tourism is invoked wherever its evolution is being analyzed. As a consequence the hotels’ management should be permanently concerned by the quality of the services their hotels provide. This is why the present survey analyzes both the models to improve the quality of the tourist services, and what quality for the clients means, taking the example of a hotel in Bucharest and using the standard proceeding SERVQUAL. We found out from the survey that there are differences between the perceptions and the expectations of the clients, and that the most serious complaints of the clients of that hotel derive from responsiveness, seriousness and empathy. Knowing all this the managers can make future decisions, according to the requests of the clients.services, quality, management, models, tourism, hotel

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ON THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MARKET

In the past years the intensification of competition has changed the way in which companies communicate with their customers. The main challenge doesnâ€(tm)t represent anymore to create good products but also to be able to sell them. The best marketing strategy of a company can be best developed if the needs and the behavior of the consumer are known. In this paper there are analyzed the results of a research about the behavior of consumer towards fruits and vegetables. The research was done in the period December 2010 â€" February 2011 on 146 respondents regarding the buying behavior of consumers at retailers. The focus in the research is put on the cognitive and emotional reactions consumers have when they make the buying decision and consisted out of an observation and a survey. In this article there are presented both aspects regarding the observed behavior towards fruits and vegetables and the motives which led to this behavior. Depending on these results, there are presented the implications of this behavior on the marketing strategy of a company.consumer behavior, emotional and cognitive reactions, fruits and vegetables market

The Role o the Integrator Firms in the Insuring Process for Agricultural Goods Producers

The integration process represents an important element for the modernisation process of the marketing department within the agriculture fieeld and food industry.integration process, food industry, agriculture

Clusters of consumer behavior for food and near-food products in Romania

Abstract: The analysis of the consumer behavior has become one of the most important aspects in the way companies make their decision and the way they develop their strategy. Knowing the motivation and the behavior of buying of the consumers can help companies develop their strategy accordingly and by this to convince the consumers to buy more. Besides this, the behavior of the consumer is a good reflection of the image of the society, its values and its important aspects. So knowing the motivation of buying doesn’t only give directions to companies for their strategy, but also shows the development of a society. The facts presented in this article are based on an experiment about the behavior of the consumers in different retail formats in Romania. More precisely, from the observed behavior of the Romanian consumers there were build six clusters, which present the way consumers shop and the product groups which are more important for them. There are presented the methodology of the Ward cluster analysis, the characteristics and some demographic data of the clusters.cognitive and emotional decisions, consumer behavior, consumer clusters, consumer typologies.

Research on Consumers’ Self-Protection through a Healthy Diet

The article analyzes consumers’ concern for healthy food, emphasizing the role of the vegetarian diet. Studies on the topic are available world-wide; however, none of these focuses on the role of vegetarian diet within the concern for healthy food, in Romania. In answering this question, a qualitative research was carried out on the customers of a store that sells natural food products and products certified as organic. The results indicate that vegetarian diet has a central role within the wider concern for healthy food, endorsing arguments to support the assertion. Hence, propensities in the consumer concerns to turn to healthier diets were identified, based on a system that diminishes or eliminates meat based diets. The conclusion of the qualitative research is a premise for future development of quantitative research, assessing the dimensions of this phenomenon.healthy food, consumer behaviour, market research, vegetarian diet, eating patterns, organic agro-food products, market strategy

Education and Training Needs in the Field of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Lower Danube Region

Given the conditions of European Strategy for Labour which was ratified also by Romania, that states an intensifying implementation at national level of labour policies and especially those regarding young person labour market integration, and taking into consideration the great human and agricultural potential of Lower Danube Region, we consider the implementation of national and regional programmes in order to train agriculture and rural development specialists to be very necessary. This article inquires the necessity of training agriculture and rural development specialists within Lower Danube Region in the context of cross-border cooperation between Romania and Bulgaria. This research starts by analysing the European and national legal framework of adult training in those two fields. Subsequently, the main premises and advantages of those activities were emphasized. It is good to mention that the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, Romania, and the D. Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov, Bulgaria, proposed themselves to cooperate in the field of “human resources development – common development of skills and knowledge”. The legal base exists as the Romania-Bulgaria Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013 is enforced. Furthermore, a four years comparative study of the number of persons trained for the main jobs in rural area, including farmer, in Lower Danube Region was conducted. All these led to the idea that it is necessary to continue and to stress adult training of farmers and rural specialists as a solution for rural economy development and social welfare. Also, comparative analysis of supply and demand of professionals in the field of agriculture was elaborated. The main educational programs in training agriculture and rural development specialists were identified and some problems and perspectives were worked out. This research can be considered as a first step of future deeper and profound collaboration of Tsenov Academy of Economics, Svishtov and the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest in terms of creation of common Romanian-Bulgarian Research Area, as a part of European Research Area (ERA). It includes joint knowledge and skills development through cross-border linkages and exchanges between the universities, in accordance with Romania – Bulgaria Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013.rural development, agriculture, training, cross-border cooperation, Lower Danube Region

Improvement for the quality of the agro-food products – condition for the Romanian agriculture integration in the European Union

Romanian agro-food products’ competitivity depends, as a priority, on their quality. There are some factors that conduct to a decrease in productivity for agricultural production in Romania and in its quality, the main are: financial difficulties in input supply, small dimension of the farms and lack of the technologies, management and marketing for the main part of the farms. In order to improve agro-food products’ quality, it is necessary to harmonize Romanian quality standards to those of the European Union and to support the quality of the traded agro-food products. One of the agro-food branches of the economy which may become competitive on the European Union market is wine, with the condition of quality improving. In this paper we present some measures for wine quality improving. We intend to present some ways of improving the wine quality.Wine; Quality; Agro-food products; Competitiveness.

Competitiveness of agro-food and environmental economy

The main goal of the 'Competitiveness of agro-food and environmental economy’ (CAFEE`12), was to debate new ideas contained in scientifically research in the field of rural development, agro-food economy, agro-food system, ecological performance etc. carried out by academicians, scientists and professionals. The Conference was held in November, 8-10, 2012, to the Faculty of Agro-food and Environmental Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania. The conference proceedings volume includes all the draft papers accepted and published in the proceedings of The 1st International Conference 'Competitiveness of agro-food and Environmental economy’ (CAFEE`12), organized by Faculty of Agro-Food and Environmental Economics and Research Center of Regional Analysis and Policies from The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, in partnership with Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, National Research Institute, Poland, St James's Business School(UK), University of Verona – Italy, Institute of Agricultural Economics- Serbia, Faculty of Agriculture Zemun- Serbia, Institute of Agricultural Economics, Romanian Academy, Institute of Research for Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences – Romania and Faculty of Economic Sciences, Petroleum and Gas University of Ploiesti Romania

Competitiveness of agro-food and environmental economy

The main goal of the 'Competitiveness of agro-food and environmental economy’ (CAFEE`12), was to debate new ideas contained in scientifically research in the field of rural development, agro-food economy, agro-food system, ecological performance etc. carried out by academicians, scientists and professionals. The Conference was held in November, 8-10, 2012, to the Faculty of Agro-food and Environmental Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania. The conference proceedings volume includes all the draft papers accepted and published in the proceedings of The 1st International Conference 'Competitiveness of agro-food and Environmental economy’ (CAFEE`12), organized by Faculty of Agro-Food and Environmental Economics and Research Center of Regional Analysis and Policies from The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, in partnership with Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, National Research Institute, Poland, St James's Business School(UK), University of Verona – Italy, Institute of Agricultural Economics- Serbia, Faculty of Agriculture Zemun- Serbia, Institute of Agricultural Economics, Romanian Academy, Institute of Research for Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences – Romania and Faculty of Economic Sciences, Petroleum and Gas University of Ploiesti Romania

Proceedings "Competitiveness of agro-food and environmental economy",2013

The main goal of the conference Competitiveness of agro-food and environmental economy’ (CAFEE`13), was to debate new ideas provided by research along with experiences brought by institutional and business representatives in the field of rural development, agro-food economy, agro-food system, environmental policy and management. The Conference was held in November, 7-8, 2013, to the Faculty of Agro-food and Environmental Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania. The conference proceedings volume includes all the draft papers accepted and published in the proceedings of The 1st International Conference 'Competitiveness of agro-food and Environmental economy’ (CAFEE`13), organized by Faculty of Agro-Food and Environmental Economics and Research Center of Regional Analysis and Policies from The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, in partnership with Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, National Research Institute, Poland, St James's Business School(UK), University of Verona – Italy, Institute of Agricultural Economics- Serbia, Faculty of Agriculture Zemun- Serbia, Institute of Agricultural Economics, Romanian Academy, Institute of Research for Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences – Romania and Faculty of Economic Sciences, Petroleum - Gas University of Ploiesti Romania