EVALUATION OF THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, AND MARKET POSITIONING IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS. (A CASE STUDY OF STARBUCK COFFEE COMPANY QATAR

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Practice Based

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Practice Based

(A CASE STUDY OF STARBUCK COFFEE COMPANY QATAR)

Background & Context (approx. 500 words)

An enterprise can accomplish success when its employees and personnel involved can attain job satisfaction from intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Amongst all the organizational assets, employees are considered the most valuable and vital resource, paramount for the satisfactory operation of all other corporate resources (Kapur 2018). When employees are satisfied with their work, then they contribute towards the effective functioning of a company to the best of their potential, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction. Job satisfaction refers to a psychological state of how an employee feels toward work (Alromaihi, Alshomaly, & George 2017). Job satisfaction among employees is impacted by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors as well as non-occupational and occupational variables. Diaz and Rhodes (2018) noted that in simple terms, employee job satisfaction reflects how workers feel about various elements of their jobs and the level to which they either dislike (dissatisfaction) or like (satisfaction) their work. Thus, human resource practices play a significant role in helping employees attain job satisfaction and high performance, which, in turn, culminates in enhanced customer satisfaction (Sarker 2014). It is also worth mentioning that there is a significant association pf employee satisfaction with human resource practices including workers’ benefits, staffing, training, and compensation practices.

The importance of evaluating employee job satisfaction among Starbucks employees will relate to the significance of enhancing individual staff’s level of motivation and satisfaction, which affects the company’s efficiency and, in turn, culminates in increased customer satisfaction. Factors influencing employee job satisfaction include compensation, level of job responsibility, anatomy, professional involvement, work environment, job stress, lack of communication, and promotion. Other factors include organizational culture, appreciation, job security, job characteristics, peer relationship, work-life balance and flexibility, job duties, and educational qualification (Hee, Yan, Rizal, Kowang, & Fei 2018).  Hence, comprehending the factors attributed to job satisfaction at Starbucks is indispensable, as it will assist in identifying the reasons and areas that employees are dissatisfied with. Through this comprehension, adjustments, and changes in organizational structure, policies, and work structure can be adjusted to improve the degree of employee work gratification, thereby elevating the level of customer delight.

The State of Qatar is a peninsula located in the middle of the western coast of the Arabian Gulf. It covers an area of 11,437 sk, about 160 km long and 80 km wide at the widest point. Qatar, which won independence in 1971, is the wealthiest country in the world per the list published by (The Richest) magazine. Qatar has enormous reserves of natural gas and oil both on its territory and off its coasts, but it does not rely solely on oil and gas for its vast wealth, the Qatari government’s is making significant efforts to reduce dependence on vital crude by developing its natural gas market.

Qatar people are interested in preparing and serving coffee, as they do not drink on certain occasions, but drink at all times and events and fall within the necessities and requirements of life. Coffee has its place in the Qatari society which is associated with hospitality, Qatari receives its guests, honours visitors, and shares in weddings, sorrows and gatherings, as a title to the generosity and authenticity. In Qatar, coffee has its tools and distinctive ways of making, and protocol in preparation and presentation to the guest and also to drink it. In the past, the owner of the house used to make it himself in front of his guests as a kind of attention and honour, and when pouring, there is a guaranteed way to hold the dallah (coffee pot) and be left hand and cups with the other hand. Coffee has received the attention of the Qatari community as part of its culture, and the Qatari poets were interested in it and organized poems and puzzles around.

This culture was cascaded to the new generations, but with the new ways of preparing, many more flavours and different ways of serving. Besides, Qatar people started to conduct annual coffee festival that introduce the different types of coffees and brands. This festival attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Context

Problem Statement

The impact of employees’ satisfaction on customer satisfaction continues to receive significant attention in marketing and practices. It is worth noting that behaviours of satisfied workers play an indispensable role in shaping clients’ perceptions about a company’s products, thereby determining an organization’s market positioning. Notably, satisfied employees enhance customer satisfaction by providing experience, which meets the satisfaction and expectations of clients. As a result, contented employees enable customers to view an enterprise and its products in a positive way leading to increased customer loyalty. Every organization needs employees and customers to survive. Thus, for enhanced customer satisfaction and market positioning, companies need to address employees’ needs through effective organizational practices like training, attractive compensations and benefits, increased wages, and recognition, among other factors. Market positioning at Starbucks aims at presenting the company in the coffee industry as a quality and superior product by creating a high standard, offering quality services, and introducing innovative coffee products. Employee satisfaction at Starbucks plays a crucial role in market positioning and customer satisfaction as it allows workers to provide personalized in-store customer experience heightened by trained and qualified workers. Employee satisfaction at Starbucks enables management and employees to share ideas pivotal in positioning the company as unique among competitors as well as promoting customer satisfaction. Therefore, the study explores the underlying factors that influence employees’ satisfaction and the corresponding influence on client delight at Starbuck Coffee Company Qatar. The study will answer the following questions: What are the factors that influence employee satisfaction at Starbuck Coffee Company Qatar? What is the impact of employee satisfaction on customer satisfaction at Starbuck Coffee Company Qatar? What is the association between market positioning, employee and customer satisfaction at Starbucks? How to improve marketing positioning in consumer products at Starbucks Coffee Company Qatar.

Significance of the Study

Understanding the role of employee job satisfaction in promoting customer satisfaction is crucial in the current competitive corporate world. Organizations are seeking strategies for attracting skilled and talented employees as well as finding ways to retain their best-qualified workers. Besides, it is crucial to comprehend the association among employee satisfaction, market positioning, and customer satisfaction. The understanding will be vital in enabling organizations to improve their human resource practices, thereby enhancing marketing positioning through customer satisfaction. In this case, identifying the factors influencing employee satisfaction (a case study of Starbucks Coffee Company Qatar) will be vital in proposing strategies that Starbucks could employ globally to improve employee job satisfaction, thereby enhancing their competitive edge through increased customer satisfaction. As a result, the study will contribute significantly to appreciating the role of various human resource practices, which improves employee satisfaction, thereby promoting effective market positioning and customer satisfaction.

Aims and Objectives (approx.. 250 – 500 words)

The core aim of conducting this research will be to explore the factors that influence employee satisfaction and the impact on customer satisfaction and marketing positioning in consumer products at Starbuck Coffee Company Qatar.

Objectives

Broad Objective

The broad objective for engaging in this research work is to explore the underlying factors that influence employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and marketing positioning in consumer products at Starbuck Coffee Company Qatar.

Specific Objectives.

i.                    To explore the existing literature on factors that influence employee and customer satisfaction practice.

ii.                  To assess the current market position of Starbucks in the café business sector in Qatar

iii.                To evaluate the underlying factors that influence employee and customer satisfaction practice at Starbucks, Qatar.

iv.                To establish the linkages between market positioning, employee, and customer satisfaction practices at Starbucks, Qatar.

To propose an employee and customer satisfaction proposition for repositioning Starbucks, within the café business sector in Qatar.

Proposed plan of work including timetable

The plan of work explains stages and the activities that will take place from the commencement of the project to the end of the thesis culminating in publishing and binding the project. The table below explains the action, writing, and target completion date for each activity.

Research Design

Objective 1

The objective will be achieved by conducting in-depth secondary research on available literature on the factors influencing employees’ satisfaction and the impact this has on customer satisfaction. The study resources will emanate from books, scholarly articles, business journals, management journals, white papers, and other essential resources. After conducting a comprehensive literature review, a model will be developed predicated on the knowledge gained to show the relationship between employee satisfaction, market positioning, and customer satisfaction.

Objective 2

The objective will be achieved by conducting meta-analysis research to assess the current market position of Starbucks in the café business sector in Qatar. Data from the relevant website an company website will be employed to understand more about Starbuck’s market positioning in Qatar.

Objective 3

The objective will be attained by using structured questionnaires to customers shopping at Starbucks and employees working at Starbucks, Qatar. The data will then be analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).  The study will use the descriptive cross-sectional research design with the information collected from the Starbuck Qatar, in the course of assessing the underlying factors that influence employee satisfaction and corresponding increased customer delight. Hancock and Algozzine (2016) explained that a descriptive research design provides the features of a real phenomenon in a population essential in discovering insights associated with the population under statistical scrutiny. The study unit of analysis will encompass of all employing working at Starbuck Corporation, Qatar. Notably, the employees form the subject of the research evaluating the underlying factor attributed to their gratification and the corresponding impact it has on the customer delight. The study will use a total population sampling technique where each employee will be treated as a sample in the study. The aggregate population sampling technique is a purposive sampling method that encompasses an assessment of an entire population under investigation, which depicts a set of specific traits. Bell, Bryman, and Harley (2018) defined a purposive sampling technique as a method where researchers rely on their judgment in the process of selecting a study sample. The sampling method is non-probabilistic, making the approach useful in the course of studying a chosen phenomenon. The research will utilize survey techniques in the process of collecting data for the research analysis. Creswell (2014) noted that the survey method in research encompasses the administration of a standardized questionnaire to a chosen unit of analysis in a study. The technique makes the survey the best option in the process of evaluating the underlying factor that influences employee satisfaction and the corresponding impact on customer satisfaction in Starbuck Coffee Company Qatar. The study will utilize a standardized structured questionnaire that will be distributed to the employees working at Starbuck Qatar. The quiz will be designed to collect the data specifically for this study. The research instrument will comprise three main sections; the first section will consist of the demographics; part 2 evaluating the employees’ satisfaction factors, while the last section will assess the impact on customer delight. The tool will enhance in making inferences essential to accomplish the objective of the study and making informed recommendations.

Objective 4

The objective will be attained by developing a discussion chapter to understand the association of employees’ satisfaction, market positioning, and customer satisfaction at Starbucks, thereby analysing which factors contribute to high customer satisfaction and identify recommendations.

Objective 5

The objective will be achieved after attaining 4. In this case, a framework will be developed aimed at enhancing client satisfaction and employee satisfaction to heighten Starbucks, Qatar, from its present marketing position to becoming a luxury coffee provider by proposing an employee and customer satisfaction proposition for repositioning Starbucks within the café business sector in Qatar.

Ethical Considerations

The research will make considerations to various ethical issues to enhance the ability to attain the aims and objectives of the study. Besides, ethical considerations will increase the authenticity of the research work, increasing the validity and reliability of the research. One of the ethical considerations will be to obtain necessary authorization from the faculty to ensure the credibility of the study. The second ethical consideration will be to get requisite approval from Starbuck Coffee Management to collect data from their employees and within the company premises. The approval will include assuring the management team that information will be used for this thesis aimed for partial fulfilment for the university requirement in completion of the course. Besides, as part of ethical consideration, the research will provide the management of Starbuck with the findings and the recommended actions to enhance employee satisfaction and corresponding customer delight. Lastly, the study will utilize an informed consent form that the employee will be required to sign, assuring their anonymity, and the purpose of collecting the information.

References and Background Bibliography

References

Alromaihi, M. A., Alshomaly, Z. A., & George, S. (2017). Job satisfaction and employee performance: A theoretical review of the relationship between the two variables. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 6(1), 1-20.

Bell, E., Bryman, A., and Harley, B., 2018. Business research methods. Oxford university press.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Sage Publications.

Diaz, L. and Rhodes, R. (2018) Job Satisfaction : Influencing Factors, Gender Differences and Improvement Strategies. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc (Business Issues, Competition and Entrepreneurship). Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1670011&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

Hancock, D.R., and Algozzine, B., 2016. Doing case study research: A practical guide for beginning researchers. Teachers College Press.

Hee, O.C., Yan, L.H., Rizal, A.M., Kowang, T.O. and Fei, G.C., (2018). Factors Influencing Employee Job Satisfaction: A Conceptual Analysis. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(6).

Kapur, R., (2018). Organizational Culture, Politics and Job Satisfaction. Research Gate.

Kothari, C.R., 2004. Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Age International.

Sarker, A. R. (2014). Increasing employee job satisfaction as well as organizational performance through effective HRM practices in private commercial banking sector of Bangladesh. Journal of Economics and Sustainable development, 5(10), 157-165.

Background Bibliography

Abuhashesh, M., Al-Dmour, R., and Masa’deh, R.E., (2019). Factors that affect Employees Job Satisfaction and Performance to Increase Customers’ Satisfaction.

Andrew, L., Haris, N., Zakariah, H. and Zekaria, N.A.B., (2016). Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction Among Employees: A Case Study At Craun Research Sdn. Bhd., Kuching, Sarawak. International Academic Research Journal of Business and Technology 2(2)

Awan, M.A., Rizwan, M., Razzaq, J.B., and Ali, U., (2014). Factors Affecting Employee Satisfaction in the Private Organizations of Bahawalpur Pakistan. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 4(2), p.147.

Beiu, A. and Davidescu, A. A. (2018) ‘An Empirical Investigation of the Expectancy Theory among Romanian Employees’, Journal of Social & Economic Statistics, 7(1), pp. 19–31. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=134420507&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

Buehler, Nathan. (2019). If You Had Invested Right After Starbucks’ IPO (SBUX). Available from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/120215/if-you-had-invested-right-after-starbucks-ipo.asp

Ijadi Maghsoodi, A., Azizi-Ari, I., Barzegar-Kasani, Z., Azad, M., Zavadskas, E. and Antucheviciene, J., (2019). Evaluation of the Influencing Factors on Job Satisfaction Based on Combination of PLS-SEM and F-MULTIMOORA Approach. Symmetry, 11(1), p.24.

Online Qatar. (2019). Starbucks location in Doha Qatar. Available at https://www.onlineqatar.com/living/dining-and-entertainments/starbucks-locations-in-doha-qatar

Online Qatar. (2019). Starbucks locations in Doha, Qatar. Available at https://www.onlineqatar.com/living/dining-and-entertainments/starbucks-locations-in-doha-qatar

Parvin, M.M. and Kabir, M.N., (2011). Factors affecting employee job satisfaction of pharmaceutical sector. Australian journal of business and management research, 1(9), p.113.

Pichère, P. et al. (2015) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs : Gain Vital Insights Into How to Motivate People. Namur [Belgique]: 50Minutes.com (Management & Marketing). Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1096505&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 27 October 2019).

Sila, E. and Širok, K., (2018). The Importance of Employee Satisfaction: A Case Study of a Transportation and Logistics Service Company. Management (18544223), 13(2).

Tan, T.H. and Waheed, A., (2011). Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory and job satisfaction in the Malaysian retail sector: The mediating effect of love of money.

Unutmaz, S., (2014). Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction of Employees in a public institution. The Gratude School of Natural and Applied Sciences of Middle East Technical University.

Word Factbook. (2019). Middle East: Qatar. Available from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/qa.html

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