Financial Decision-Making in the Foodservice Industry

Amit Sharma, PhD, is Professor of Hospitality Finance in the School of Hospitality Management at Pennsylvania State University since 2006, and prior to that he was Assistant Professor at Iowa State University since 2002.

“Professor Sharma’s new book on provides a welcome addition to the blossoming literature in this relatively new area of research. Our societies are becoming more complex, people’s lives more rushed, and food choices have shifted dramatically. This book captures this trend exceptionally well, with a collection of chapters that transcend research disciplines and touch on topics at macro-, meso-, and micro-level perspectives. Although the title reflects the most important focus of the book, financial decision-making, it equally reflects nonfinancial aspects of decision-making, including cultural influences, the impact of sustainability on food choices, industry structure aspects, and behavioral economics. This brings a much-needed deeper understanding of how cost-benefit analysis happens in the consumer’s mind and how consumers can be helped in making the right food choices and lead healthier lives.” —Xander D. Lub, Professor of Hospitality Management and Experience Design, Academy of Hotel & Facility Management, Breda University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands“Professor Sharma’s book takes a deeper dive into financial decision-making in foodservice. Each chapter presents important topics ranging from ethics, sustainability, food safety, nutrition, trends, local foods, and leadership needs applicable for today’s foodservice enterprise. This book opens up a needed discussion on the bundle of needs, values, and outcomes that drive decision-making and, ultimately, survival of a foodservice operation in the food ecosystem. This approach pushes the boundaries beyond traditional notions of cost control-based decisions and outdated definitions of foodservice.” —Robert J. Harrington, Professor and Associate Director, School of Hospitality Business Management, Washington State University

• 1. Consumer Agency and the Ethical Obligations of Food Service Providers in an Era of Cheap Food, Racial Inequality, and Neoliberal Governance  2. To Be Green or Not to Be Green: Costs and Benefits Related to Sustainability Decision-Making in the Restaurant Industry  3. Food Safety: Integrating Behavior Change and Motivation Design  4. Promoting More Sustainable Consumers Decisions in Foodservice Settings: Effectiveness of the “Nudges” Approach  5. Nutritional Status of Children Participating in the Supplementary Nutritional Programme (SNP) and Mothers’ Perceptions of Services Provided  6. Foodservice Employees’ Knowledge of Healthy Alternative Meals Based on Out-of-Home Eating Trends in South Africa  7. The Impact of Farm-to-School and Local Food Expenditures on School Foodservice Revenues  8. The Influence of Managerial Traits and Behavior in the Foodservice Industry  9. U. S. Trends in Food Away from Home  10. Processing Fluency: An Approach to Look for Nudge Interventions  11. Cost-Benefit Assessment of Local Foods in Independent Restaurants  12. The Tradeoff Model: An Agency Perspective to Understanding the Process of Everyday Food Choice Transactions