THE PERCEPTION OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON THE CANTEENSERVICES OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA Research Proposal Presented to Senior High School Department Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement in Practical Research 1 LOBO, ZEPHANIAH NANO, JALEN ROSE NAVALUNA, KRYZIELLE LOBETE, JULIET MERRY ANDRES, MICA ANGELA ADVISER: MR. ARVIN JAY MADARANG January 2018 INTRODUCTION This part will focus on the discussions of the background of the study, statement of the problem, theoretical lens, significance of the study, scope and limitation and definition of terms. Background of the Study A large proportion of students eat in school canteens every day (Yaacob, Osman, Bachok 2014). Students, when they reach high school, are capable of managing their own money to buy for their needs and wants. As the main target market of the canteen, and since they cannot leave the school during the day, students experience firsthand the canteen operations as consumers. A canteen is an establishment, which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. The Department of Health in the Philippines (2013) identified that canteens play a big role because it reinforces knowledge, skills and behaviors about healthy eating and lifestyle, which are taught in the classroom. Food plays a big role in a student’s daily life. This is where the students get their energy to have the ability to work their body and minds and overcome the challenges the school has to offer but the canteen is not just a place to eat, it is a place to socialize, to study, to relax and take a break from work. A canteen not only matters in its function to sell different kinds of food, but its ability to render services to students to comfort, improve their socialization, develop friendships, and be a study place (Tamano, 2011). In the Philippines, physical services like sanitation, tables and chairs, and comfort rooms, along with fast and efficient service are important (Gadais 2004). Supported by a study conducted by Baden & Spiller (2009), it revealed that one of the main predictors of customer’s satisfaction is the service. Part of canteen services are the following: (1) pricing, (2) facilities, (3) and sanitation. In the Australian Capital Territory, one of the problems in regards to pricing has reached crisis point resulting in many school canteens shutting down entirely. According to the meeting between ACT Parents & Citizens Associations and ACT Department of Education, many students were faced with expensive options, or no options at all (Peterson 2012). In terms of price of commodities, students find canteen food quite expensive so they resort to buying synthetic food outside the school (Maniquiz, n.d). Customers would also like to consider the place wherein the sanitation of the serving place and the place where the cooks cook the quality and quantity of the food they are served (Markieeeu, 2013). Also, an article by Castillo (2017) showed that the City Health Office (CHO) officially said that most of the public school canteens for school year 2017 to 2018 in Davao City lack proper sanitation. CHO chief Doctor Josephine Villafuerte said, “The observance of proper sanitation has to be prioritized by the school administrations as the health of the students must be ensured inside the premises of the schools. Locally, a study was conducted on Davao Doctor’s College to determine the level of satisfaction of students with the service of the educational institution (Babayen-On 2008). The result showed that canteen services was rated the lowest. The study recommended that improving the delivery of quality services on other service areas, like the canteen, will improve the satisfaction level of students. Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia (CCSA) is a private school offering canteen services. Given that this is a crucial area of customer satisfaction, the researchers are encouraged to know the perception of Junior High School students in terms of canteen services. Perceptions may generate positive or negative word of mouth, which can lead to other potential customers being deterred from a purchase or improve a business. Literature has shown that expectations are important in determining satisfaction, and brings forth a high impact on a firm’s success or failure (de Ruyter, 1998). The premise and purpose of the study will focus on students’ perception in the services that the school canteen offers specifically in facilities, pricing and sanitation. Statement of the Problem This study aims to determine the perception of Junior High School students in Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia in Davao City. It will answer the question: 1. What is the perception of Junior High School students on the services of CCSA canteen in terms of: a. Facilities b. Pricing c. Sanitation Theoretical Lens This study will be anchored to the Role Theory Perspective on Dyadic Interactions (1985), which states that the relationship between the costumers and the service provider is an important role in a business. In having a good business, the management needs to gather the feedback and the perception of the costumer regarding the services given to them, which will help improve the business. Significance of the Study The present study entitled "The Perception of Junior High-school Students on the Services of Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia Canteen" will determine the perception of Junior High School students on the service of the school canteen in terms of facilities, pricing and sanitation. It will be beneficiary to the following individuals: students, parents and guardians, canteen administrators, school management, and future researchers. First, this research will help students. Students, as daily goers of the canteen will gain knowledge and awareness on their schoolmates’ perception to evaluate on their own. They will learn to be more sensitive and critical learners who will practice social and environmental stewardship. Second, this research will help give the parents and guardians knowledge about their students perception in the canteen’s service. They will establish good relationship between their students and the school because they will be giving feedbacks or suggestions. Third, this research will aid the canteen administrators as this study can give awareness of the consumer’s perception in regards to service they are relaying. They will improvise, and apply new techniques in selling and giving out services. They will seek to improve service and food quality to earn for customers satisfaction. Fourth, this research will help give the school feedbacks and motivation about the canteen’s service and the perception of the learners for good management. The result may give them new ideas for them to improve and change. It will also bridge small gaps and enhance the relationship between all school benefactors. Lastly, this research will help future researches to have a reference for their study. They will be able to be guided by this research and may use this as pattern to their study. Scope and Limitation The scope of this research will focus only about the perception of students on the services, specifically on the (1) Facilities, (2) Pricing, (3) Sanitation rendered at the Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia’s school canteen. The participants are limited to 10 Junior High School Students, from grades 7 to 10, who are currently enrolled at Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia Davao at the school year 2017-2018. The study will be conducted at the CCSA canteen and will not go further from the research locale. The participants will be identified with the use of non-probability purposive sampling. Definition of Terms A place provided by School that gives convenience to students for food and giving a good quality service for students. Canteen Services - refers to the pricing, facilities and sanitation of Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia. Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia- refers to the private institution that offers canteen services where the study will be conducted. Junior-High school students- refers to the students currently enrolled in Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia in the SY 2016-2017 from Grade 7-10 who will be the participants of this study. Perception – refers to the positive or negative word of mouth of the Junior High School students on the canteen services of CCSA. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This section reviews related literature regarding the perceptions of students on school canteen. It includes studies on international, national, and local which will be used to determine the relationships and defining the method to be used in this research. Perception Perception is the neurological process of observation and interpretation. (Encarta 2007) Experience in interacting with the world is vital to perception. To perceive or to understand is to experience (Molyneux & Locke, n.d). Service quality perceptions influence customers’ satisfaction (Aldrige & Rowley, 1998; Patterson & Johnson, 1993; Robinson, 1999; Zeithami, Bitner & Gremier, 2008). In order for this research to progress, the perception of students who have experienced firsthand the services provided by the school canteen will be identified. According to Baden (2009), it is important to understand adolescents' perceptions of school food in order to enable policymakers, schools and school-meal providers to fulfil their nutritional requirements. In the study conducted by Jiana (2015), the customer satisfaction in today’s dynamic corporate environment is very essential. On the other hand dissatisfaction has been seen as a primary reason for customers’ intentions to switch. Dissatisfied customers are more likely to tell almost ten people their unfortunate experiences with a particular organization. Quality service and customer satisfaction are of particular importance. A perceived high quality of service that would lead to high customer satisfaction could have a good outcome. Satisfied customers are loyal, they recommended the firm, show a higher willingness to pay, demonstrate better purchase behavior and, in the end, determine the economic success of a firm (Olorunniwo et al.2006). In addition, dissatisfaction can generate negative word of mouth, which can lead to other potential customers being deterred from a purchase (Fornell 1992; Anderson 1998). Canteen Services Schools are the best places in implementing solutions to the problems in nutrition since the students spend more time in school than being at home. This statement shows how important the school canteens must satisfy the student’s need in the canteen services offered in the school (Cartagena, 2014). All canteens have responsibility providing a.) food b.) drinks and c.) school supplies. Generally, parents and guardians prefer to enroll their child in a school where quality services are offered, not only on the educational services but also at the canteen services of the school wherein their child can benefit proper nutrition and proper management of the canteen services. The canteen must be an attractive place. It must be appealing to the people in order to attract more customers. It must be well maintained in order to remain its ambiance. Consider the room and space that it is easily accessible to people. The canteen must ensure that they offer affordable products for students. The school canteen must promote by properly communicating with the students and encourage them in buying foods that are healthy. Canteen shows how the school values the people’s needs in terms of giving satisfaction of its services. According to (Adel Tamano, 2011) The canteen is not just a place where we can eat. It is a place where we can socialize, study, to relax and take a break from work. A canteen not only matters in its function to sell different kinds of food, but its ability to make students socialize and develop friendships, to be a study place for people where they can maintain mental power, and a place to just sit back, relax and take a break from all the school work. In order to deliver quality service, one must understand the importance of service to the customers. Customer satisfaction is a marketing term that measures how products or services supplied by a company meet or surpass a customer’s expectation. Customer satisfaction is important because it provides marketers and business owners with a metric that they can use to manage and improve their businesses. Hanson (2000) suggested that the level of service quality is an indication of the organization's ability to meet customers' desires and demands. So organizations must better their services to meet the customers' needs and requirements. The aim of this study is to identify the students’ perception on the canteen services. Commonly, students are the primary beneficiaries of the school. Understanding the students’ perception on the school canteen services can contribute to the improvement of school canteen services. School canteens need to have a definite canteen policy, must establish canteen committees to seek to improve service and food quality and must work closely with canteen operators (Pilgrim, 2013). A study by Conde (2013) focused on canteen administration and operation in five public elementary schools in the Santa Cruz district division of Laguna. The descriptive method of research was used in this research with two sets of questionnaire used to gather the perception of the canteen teachers and non-canteen teachers. The study showed that the respondents have observed that (1) the building is strategically located (2) the foods were safe and quality fruits and vegetable were served. Overall, they perceive that the canteens in public elementary school are good. The study is related to the present study since it deals with canteen services of schools however, the present study focuses on the services of canteen in CCSA particularly on pricing, facilities and sanitation. The study conducted by Boquiren (2017) on the level of satisfaction of students in the canteen services. The study found out that the serving attribute that satisfies the students is the fast service approach. The second one is the kind and pleasing approach to students. The respondents chosen in this study is the grade 9 students of Holy Angel school of Caloocanso. Additionally, in the study conducted by Babayen-On (2008) the study carried out to determine “The level of satisfaction of students with the services of the Davao Doctors College”. Specifically, the study sought to find answers to seven questions related to the services of Davao Doctors College. The research methodology employed in the study was the descriptive design, specifically using a combination of the descriptive status and correlational survey. The study was conducted at Davao Doctors College with 352 student-respondents who were enrolled in the different courses for the Summer 2007. Of all the services, guidance and counseling services was rated highest while canteen services, the lowest. The student respondents had only moderate satisfaction with the services of the Davao Doctors College. In relation to the present study, the researchers found out that students’ perception is important to assess the efficiency of the school canteen. Labay, Macuha, Mandragon, Sarminto, Veron, Salazar, Caiga (2015), focused on satisfaction of students in the Lyceum International Maritime Academy (LIMA) campus on the services rendered by its canteen. The problems encountered on the services rendered by LIMA canteen are: a.) Insufficient of tables and chairs b.) poor ventilation and c.) price of the food. Similarly, the present study will also discuss the perception of JHS students on the services of the CCSA canteen in terms of pricing, facilities and sanitation. Shanmarao, Malhari, Kumar, James and Napiwar (2016) conducted "A study of the facilities given by canteen in colleges - special reference to Pradhikaran" that used a descriptive method and a systematic enquiry to know the overall satisfaction of the college Indian students in Nigdi Pradhikaran area's canteen facilities. The study revealed that the students have very positive attitudes toward the canteen facilities. Their varying lifestyles and increased interest on quality gave them quality service and facilities in return. They believe that if college canteens will reduce the quality of products that they will receive, they will not accept the food and facilities. Pricing Pricing is the process whereby a business sets the price at which it sell its products and services, and may be part of the business’s marketing plan. Pricing is a fundamental aspect of financial modeling and s one of the four Ps of the marketing mix. Price is the value that is put for a product or services. It was reported that the way of money use of middle-school children in USA is related to the source of money, but independent of their age, gender, and family situation. According to Wang (2012), income and level of education influence food choice via the availability of the resources to purchase a higher quality food and awareness of nutritious alternatives. For a low-income family, pricing plays a larger role than taste and quality in whether the food will be purchased. (Steenhuis et al 2011) The basic economic laws of supply and demand, “An Increased Price can decrease The Demand” support this study. Poor pricing leads to poor financial performance, while proper pricing increases operating profit. Delaney et al (2016) studied “The price of healthy and unhealthy food in Australian primary school canteens” at ANOVA School in Australia. The method used on – participants revealed that price is a key determinant of purchase choice in schools. The present study is related to this study as this study also will discuss pricing as part of the services of CCSA canteen. Adunna (2013) discussed that along the line of canteen management is the need for an improvement system to boost not only sales but also the efficiency of its operations. In addition to providing with nutritious and affordable foods, the canteen should be based on good management practices and be financially self-sustaining. Experience shows that, with good management and marketing practices, a canteen can provide healthy foods and also be financially viable. The canteen is a small business. Like any business, it requires good management practices to be efficient and successful. Effective canteen management requires that everyone involved knows its goals and objectives and is familiar with its policies canteen staff and committee develop an implementation plan to achieve policy goals day-to-day operational procedures are structured and enforced staff are adequately trained and supervised staff carry out efficient stock management, accounting and financial procedures staff are familiar with and comply with relevant legal requirements regarding food safety and occupational health and safety standards. Facilities and Sanitation Schools, as an educational facility, play a big role because quality and education are associated with student performance (Vandiver 2011). School facilities are expected to provide a physical environment that is comfortable, safe, secure, accessible, well illuminated, well ventilated, and aesthetically pleasing. (Lackeny & Picnus, n.d.) One of the factors influencing a parents’ decision in choosing private schools are the facilities. Facilities have a great impact on academic performances of students, and inadequate facilities translate to poor performance. Facilities such as table service, dining hall, and kitchen facilities are subject to regular inspections by the official services (Virolai n.d). Facilities play a vital role to students because canteens are places where students can obtain better standard for food and refreshment. A good environment, dining accommodation, and ventilation are an essential requirement for their satisfaction. If they are provided or not provided with quality facilities, it may affect their satisfaction and perception. Maintaining school facilities is important to providing high-quality education programs, especially the schools’ canteens. Adunna (2013), said that a good canteen, should be based on good management practice. An article by Castillo (2017) showed that the City Health Office (CHO) officially said that most of the public school canteens for school year 2017 to 2018 in Davao City lack proper sanitation. CHO chief Doctor Josephine Villafuerte said, “The observance of proper sanitation has to be prioritized by the school administrations as the health of the students must be ensured inside the premises of the schools.” All these literature support the study entitled “The Perception of Junior High School Students on the Canteen Services of Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia” as it will discuss the experiences of the students, being firsthand users of the canteen. Hence, these literature and studies will serve as guide and will be used in the analysis of this study. METHODS Describe herein are the research design, participants, locale, and research instrument. Research Design The design of this study is phenomenology since researches are studying about the perceptions of the Junior High-School students in the school canteen services. Phenomenological research design aims to understand the ways of how people go through events which is related to experiences, perspective, perceptions and the meaning behind them (Baraceros, 2016). Research Participants The respondents of this study will be the Junior High School students in Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia who are currently enrolled for the school year 2017 to 2018. There will be 10 participants from Grades 7-10 who will undergo interview using the guide questions made by the researchers. The participants will be chosen through non-probability quota sampling. This type of sampling includes sample members that possess or indicates the characteristics of the target population (Baraceros, 2016). Research Locale The study will be conducted in the school canteen of Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia, a private institution located at Don Julian Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Ma-a, Davao City. It was founded by Dr. Michael T. Ang and started operations in SY 2004-2005. The school offers Early Childhood Education program up to Senior High School program. The school is also a Christian and Chinese school offering related subjects like Chinese subjects and Values Education. Research Instrument The perception of the Junior High school students will be determined through the answering of questions: 1. What do you think about the canteen services particularly the pricing, sanitation and facilities of Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia? 2. What are the strengths and weakness of the canteen services particularly the pricing, sanitation and facilities of Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia?