A Conjoint Analysis of the Determinants of Preference Towards Fast Food Restaurants Among the Expatriates in UAE- An Empirical Study
| International Journal of Economics and Management Studies |
| © 2020 by SSRG - IJEMS Journal |
| Volume 7 Issue 1 |
| Year of Publication : 2020 |
| Authors : B Rameshwaram |
10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V7I1P119
How to Cite?
B Rameshwaram, "A Conjoint Analysis of the Determinants of Preference Towards Fast Food Restaurants Among the Expatriates in UAE- An Empirical Study," SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 150-158, 2020. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V7I1P119
Abstract:
This article attempts to throw light on the determinants of preference towards fast-food restaurants among the expatriates in UAE. The main objective of the study is to unearth the factors that influence customers in the choice of a particular fast-food restaurant. The study was conducted based on both primary and secondary data. The data collected were analyzed using Adaptive Conjoint Analysis. The primary data were collected from respondents using structured questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered to the customers of fast-food restaurants based in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman. One of the important pieces of information that would foster the marketing efforts in studying the customer preferences towards fast-food restaurants would be the empirical investigation of the factors that determine the preferences towards the choice of a restaurant. To facilitate this, Adaptive Conjoint Analysis was used to investigate the relative importance of various attributes of a fast food restaurant preference. Descriptive research using a stratified random sampling method was undertaken. Results indicated that the major determinants of preference towards fast-food restaurants were quality of food, location, service quality, the reputation of the restaurant, privacy, preferential treatment, family get-together, party halls, parking facility, proximity from home, opinion of friends, and cleanliness. The empirical results showed that the combination of factors like “quality of food, service quality, ambiance, reputation, cleanliness, and parking facility” was ranked the highest and combination of factors like “proximity from home, party halls, opinion of friends, and location” was ranked the least. This study is a double-edged sword in importance and significance because it offers opinions about the customer preferences and customer behavior towards fast food restaurants, and from the management perspective, it provides information on how restaurateurs can further segment, target, differentiate and position the restaurant in future for creating, capturing and enhancing customer lifetime value.
Keywords:
Fast Food Restaurant, Conjoint Analysis, Preference, Expatriates, Attributes, Level
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