Marketing Strategies of Catering Firms Essay

Basically, the Descriptive method of research will be utilized in the study since it is designed for the investigation or to gather information about present existing conditions. [1]This will be done by gathering the descriptive data through the use of researcher-made questionnaires. Manuel and Medel(1990) defined Descriptive Research as a research that describes ‘what is’. It involves the description, recording analysis, and interpretation of the present nature, composition or how a person, group or thing behaves or functions in the present. It often involves some type of comparison or contrast.[2] According to Polit and Hungler(1999), Descriptive Research describes what exists and may help to uncover new facts and meaning. The purpose of Descriptive Research is to discover, describe and document. Aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs.[3] In other words, Dsescriptive Reserch design is a valid method for researching specific subjects and as a precursor to more quantitative studies. Whilst there are some valid concerns about the statistical validity, as long as the limitations are understood by the researcher, this type of study is an invaluable scientific tool.[4] Its common means of obtaining information include the use of the questionnaire, personal interviews with the aid of study or interview schedule, and observation, either participatory or not. Descriptive Research includes studies that gives meaning to the quality and standing of facts that are going on. For instance, the information about a group of person, a number of objects, a set of conditions, a class of events, a system of thought or any other kind of phenomenon or experience which one may wish to study.[5] This method will be appropriate and used in the study because it is concerned with the conditions that exist and help to answer the questions involving the Marketing Strategies of Catering Firms in selected towns in Rizal. SETTING OF THE STUDY This study will be conducted in selected towns in Rizal. Rizal is a province located in the CALABARZON, just 16 kilometers east of Manila. The province was named after the country’s national hero,Josà © Rizal. Rizal Governor Dr. Casimiro Ynares III on June 17, 2008 announced the transfer of the Capitol from Pasig. Its P 270-million capitol building, constructed in Antipolo by Ortigas & Co., owner thereof, was completed by December of that year. Built on 5-hectare lot at the Ynares Center, it employs 2,008 employees. The New Capitol was successfully inaugurated on March 4, 2009, bringing back the Capitol Building inside the provincial territory, from which it was absent for 33 years (when Pasig was incorporated into Metro Manila). Rizal is bordered by Metro Manila to the west, the province of Bulacan to the north, Quezon to the east and Laguna province to the south. The province also lies on the northern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. Rizal is a mountainous province perched on the western slopes of the southern portion of the Sierra Madre mountain range. Antipolo boasts of a wonderful view of Metro Manila and it is where Hinulugang Taktak, a waterfall popular with tourists, can be found. The Rizal Province will be accessed by the future C-6 Road connecting the provinces of Bulacan and Cavite and cities of Taguig (beside Laguna de bay), Paraà ±aque and Muntinlupa which are located within Metro Manila. [6] The selected towns to be involved in the study are Tanay, Taytay, Angono, Binangonan, and Cainta. Tanay is a first class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is located 57 kilometers (35 mi) east of Manila, although a typical commute between Manila and Tanay will take between one to three hours depending upon traffic conditions. It contains portions of the Sierra Madre Mountains and is bordered by Antipolo City in the northwest, Baras, Morong and Teresa in the west, General Nakar (Quezon Province) in the east, and Pililla, Santa Maria (Laguna province) as well as the lake Laguna de Bay in the south. According to the latest census, it has a population of 94,460 people in 15,720 households. The majority of the population consists of Tagalogs who live near Laguna de Bay, though there are also a significant percentage of mountain dwelling people living in the northern portions of the municipality. The town’s major trades consist of fishing, agriculture and regional commerce. Tanay is also believed to be the birthplace of the Sambal language. [7] *Continuation of Setting of the Study* The City of Taytay is a first class, densely populated municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is currently the third most populous municipality in the country. Conurbated with Metro Manila, it is bounded by Cainta on the north, Pasig City and Taguig City on the west, Antipolo City in the East and Angono on the South. It is the â€Å"Woodworks and Garments Capital of the Philippines†.[8] Angono is a first class urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is known as â€Å"Arts Capital of the Philippines†, and located 30 kilometers (19 mi) east of Manila. According to the latest census of August 1, 2007, it has a population of 97,209 inhabitants (or 4.26% of Rizal province’s total population of 2,284,046) in 15,740 households. First created as a pueblo in 1766, Angono was a barrio of its neighboring town Taytay and Binangonan before being legally proclaimed an independent municipality in 1935 by then President Manuel L. Quezon. It is home to the Angono Petroglyphs, the oldest known work of art in the Philippines. [9] The Municipality of Binangonan is a first class urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 249,872 inhabitants in 38,488 households in census. It has a land area of 64.38 km ². A thriving fish port and fishing industry is found in Binangonan, having a long coast line facing the Laguna de Bay, including the western part of Talim Island. The plant of Rizal Cement and Grandspan are in Binangonan as well. Their main livelihood are fishing and farming. With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, the municipality is now part of Manila’s conurbation which reaches Cardona in its eastern-most part.[10] The Municipality of Cainta (Filipino: Bayan ng Cainta) is a first-class urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is one of the oldest (originally founded on August 15, 1571), and is the town with the second smallest land area of 26.81 square kilometers (10.35 sq. mi) next to Angono with 26.22 square kilometers (10.12 sq. mi).Cainta serves as the secondary gateway to the rest of Rizal province from Metro Manila. Cainta became one of the most urbanized towns due to its proximity to Manila.[11] Subject Of The Study The subject of the study will be twenty five(25) owners or caterers in selected towns in Rizal. The selected towns to be involved in the study are Tanay, Taytay, Angono, Binangonan and Cainta. The researchers will distribute the questionnaire – checklist to the five(5) catering firms in each selected towns. Sources of Data In this study, the researchers will use a questionnaire – checklist as the main tool in gathering the needed data or information on the marketing strategies of catering firms in selected towns in Rizal. The researchers adapted the questionnaire of Caisip et al, with some modifications to suit the type of respondents. The questionnaire – checklist is divided into three parts: Part 1 pertains to the personal profile of the respondents which includes the age, job position, sex, civil status, educational attainment, monthly salary, type of catering, ownership, accreditation, affiliation and location. Part 2 consists of the profile of catering firms that perceived by the respondents which includes the physical facilities, services offered, capacity, number of staff, income per year, price per pax, target market and amenities. Part 3 contains the different marketing strategies used by the caterers to attract customers. These will be answered by the respondents by putting a checkmark on the corresponding space by using the following five-point scales: SCALE| VERBAL INTERPRETATIONS| 5| Very Much(VM)| Always(A)| 4| Much(M)| Frequently(F)| 3| Moderate(MO)| Occasionally(O)| 2| Little(L)| Rarely(R)| 1| Very Little(VL)| Never(N)| This scale will be used to know the effectiveness of the marketing strategies that the catering firms applied. Procedure Of The Study The researchers underwent planning which includes the formulation of the problem, they decided to go on the title â€Å"Marketing Strategies of Catering Firms in Selected Towns in Rizal†. After the research instructors’ approval of the title, the researchers gathered related literature and studies to complete the Chapter 1 and 2. In Chapter 1, the researchers collected the needed information involving the Introduction, Background of the Study, Theoretical Framework, Conceptual Framework, Statements of the Problem, Hypothesis, Scope and Limitation of the Study, and Definition of Terms. The Statements of the Problem will be pattern to the Study of Caisip, Catherine C. et al. While in the Chapter 2, the researchers did the same thing in gathering the data needed, which includes the Research Method, Sources of Data, Setting of the Study, Subject of the Study, Procedure of the Study, and Statistical Treatment. Upon the completion of the 2 chapters, the research instructors will schedule the researches for the colloquium. So, the constructive criticisms will be made by the panelists for the improvement of the study. Statistical Treatment To analyze the data gathered, the indicated statistical treatment below will be used in the study: Problem number 1: Frequency and Percentage Distribution will be used to determine the profile of the respondents in terms of age, job, sex, civil status, educational attainment, monthly salary, type of catering, ownership, accreditation and affiliation, and location. Problem number 2: Weighted mean will be used to determine the marketing strategies of catering firms in selected towns in Rizal in terms of physical facilities. Frequency and Percentage Distribution will be used to determine the marketing strategies of catering firms in selected towns in Rizal in terms of services offered, capacity, number of staff, income per year, price per pax, target market and amenities. Problem number 3: F-Test(One Way ANOVA) will be utilized to determine if there is any significant difference on the marketing strategies of catering firms in selected towns in Rizal with respect to the different aspects in terms of physical facilities, service offered, capacity, number of staff, income per year, price per pax, target market and amenities. End Notes 1http://www.slideshare.net/Angilo/descriptive-research, July 10, 2012 2Rupinta, Sheila Marie G. et. al â€Å"Status of Tourisim Components in the Different Hospitality Industries in Selected Towns in the Province of Rizal.† 3http://www.reserachproposalsforhealthprofessionals.com/descriptive-research.html 4http://www.experiment-resources.com/descriptive-research-design.html, August 5, 2010 5http://www.slideshare.net/Angilo/descriptive.research, July 10,2011 6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizal, August 15,2012 7http://www.wowrizal.com/towns-and-cities/tanay-rizal-facts-location-population-barangays-history/ , April 4 2010 8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taytay,_Rizal, August 24,2010 9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angono,_Rizal, July 22, 2012 10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binagonan,_Rizal, July 7,2012 11