Diet of Worms: Quality of Catering in Kenyan Prisons

2. Literature Review

Literature Review CHAPTER TWO Literature Review Overview T his chapter reviewed literature relevant to the research problem under four broad sections; quality of catering which was the dependent variable in this study; type of prison food in some parts of the world under which there are seven subsections dealing with prison menus, nutritional requirements of different people, retaining nutrient content of foods, assessing nutrition of adults, special meals in prison, food as punishment in prisons and the cultural significance of food; food preparation in prisons; and lastly, food service in Prisons with two subsections dealing in the number and timing of meals and recommended servings. Finally, the Kenyan recommended prison food menu as stipulated in the Prisons Act, CAP 90 is presented. Quality of Catering According to Scanlon, (2007) the term “quality” is difficult to define in relation to hospitality operations but easy to recognize. Quality is a perception of how good or bad a product is based on an individual’s points of reference. He further states that training is an important factor in implementation of a quality-service program hence training for all employees is critical to maintaining a standard of quality service. However he alludes that the first step in establishing quality is to identify the level of quality to be produced. An overall level of quality for products and services should be determined for the particular target markets that a catering business services. The Quality of Catering in Kenyan Prisons According to New Zealand Qualifications Authority, (2009) which is a standard setting body in accreditation and moderation of standards in that country, there are three elements and performance criteria used to supervise and monitor the quality of food production, foodservice and the catering staff in a food service catering operation. Firstly, is the quality of food production whereby the performance criteria ranges from procedure that include but not limited to recipes and menus, cooking methods, receiving and storage of goods. Further food preparation is monitored to ensure all customers’ dietary requirements are met in accordance with establishment and dietary requirements. Hence food production quality includes but not limited to taste, texture, quantity, fitness for purpose, appearance and wastage. Secondly, is food service which the performance criteria includes factors but not limited to establishment culture, sequence of service, standards for service and safe food handling. The quality standards of food service include but are not limited to presentation of food, service of food, temperature of food, transportation and wastage of food during service. Lastly, in supervising and monitoring the quality of food, the catering staff in the food service catering operation in terms of the staffing numbers, rosters, experience and the integration of new staff into the existing team in terms of induction and on-going team development. The SERVQUAL Model The SERVQUAL model (Figure 2.1) can be operationalised by both qualitative and quantitative research. The model measures tangible and intangible service elements (Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry, 1990). It defines quality as the differences between customers’ expectations and perceptions of service delivery. The model therefore, investigates discrepancies or gaps in the consumer – supply to highlight target areas where quality may be improved. Specifically, the model shows the relationship between the external 18 Literature Review gap 5 and the internal gaps 1-4. Gap 5 depends on the size and direction of the four gaps. If gaps 1-4 are reduced, the service quality can be improved, hence gap 5 can also be reduced. Source: Parasuraman, et al,( 1990) Figure 2.1: The SERVQUAL Model The SERVQUAL instrument has been proposed as an instrument for the measurement of perceived service quality within a wide range of service categories. However, there has been no catering related replication of the initial SERVQUALwork nor any refinement of the instrument based on its application to catering. The upper part of the model includes phenomena tied to the consumer, while the lower part shows phenomena tied to the supplier 19 The Quality of Catering in Kenyan Prisons of services. The expected service is the function of earlier experiences of the consumer, their personal needs and oral communication. Communication with the market also influences the expected service. Experienced service, here called perceived service, is the result of a series of internal decisions and activities. The management’s perception of the consumer’s expectations is the guiding principle when deciding on the specifications of the quality of service that the company should...