Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Economic Case Study Of Outsourcing University Food Service - 1,857 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

... l to Bucknell, and the children one of Bucknell's dining services employee has gained admission to that same university, the student will be able to attend the college in question free of charge. Finally, Bucknell University employees can take classes at Bucknell and Susquehanna and as far as costs, they are only responsible for buying their own books. The contracting firms do not offer any of these options. With regards to retirement benefits, Bucknell contributes a fixed amount (based on wages) towards the retirement funds of its employees irrespective of whether or not the employee puts any money aside.

In contrast, from what the current Bucknell employees have come to understand, the contractors only promise to contribute a percentage of the contributions that each employee commits. Up to now we can see that Bucknell is a very generous employer; a lot more so than any of the contracting companies. What we need to understand, however, is that the benefits are the price of getting dedicated, motivated, caring and content workers. Whats more, the results show. There are really no complaints about the service provided. Although the food might not taste like home cooking, Bucknell's food service does all that it can to offer a wide variety of quality options, even when the creativity of the chefs is restrained by mass production.

All this reflects the dedication that the employees have for their work and the pride they take in doing a good job. When you consider that a number of the employees that were interviewed have been here more than 15 years, it is hard to question their love for the University and the pride they take in being here everyday. An elimination or reduction in these higher paid, happier Bucknell employees will undoubtedly make for lower quality dining services staff. The fact that there is a higher turnover rate amongst Sodexhos employees (and the employees in other contracting firms) than there is amongst Bucknell employees indicates that the contractors treatment of its staff leaves a lot to be desired. At present, it seems that it is the interspersion of dedicated and more satisfied Bucknell employees amongst Sodexhos employees that has maintained the high levels of quality that we, as a university, have come to take for granted, and not the presence of an outside contractor. Can we honestly expect to maintain similarly high levels of quality when the vast majority of our employees are unhappy or even spiteful?

Aside from the more selfish review presented above, Bucknell's current payment and benefit plan is simply more humane. Even though it is generous, it provides its workers with a wage very close to, but not quite at the Pennsylvania Self-Sufficiency Standard of employment. In fact, most of the people we interview had multiple income households and said that they needed two sources of money to get by comfortably. Given that these are Bucknell employees, imagine how hard it is for contracted workers to play their bills. Forcing a shift from Bucknell's payrolls to those of a contractor will mean a widening gap from the Self-Sufficiency Standard that is moving in the wrong direction. With contractors wages, these individuals will be forced to take on a second job in a region that is already experiencing a plight in job growth.

A common theme in our discussions with the staff was confusion and the lack of communication. This held true across the board, whether it was a Bucknell or Sodexho employee. As a matter of fact, there was a question that was included in every interview which read: What would make your working situation improve? In almost every case, the first thing that was said was a single word. Communication. Two things need to be asked when there is a response this overwhelmingly similar.

What makes the communication so bad and why has it not been improved if it is such a common problem? For the first question, the answers varied. Some employees cited a lack of contact with the administration. One employee said, I have contact with a member of the administration once a year, and it is obviously no more than a song and dance routine.

It become obvious throughout the interview process that contact between University administrators and dining services is minimal at best. And when contact is made, it seems to be nothing more than a formality. Another clear example of how poor the situation really is was provided by the fact that the managers and workers responded very differently to questions about communication. Most workers shared that communication with their direct supervisors was poor while the managers felt that current levels of communication have been adequate, if not quite good. While many of the problems with manager / employee communication seem to be reflected in the high turnover rate for lower level workers, it was obvious throughout our interviews that employees are poorly informed at best, about current issues, job expectations, and, most importantly, the future of their employment. So, why hasnt anything been done?

While this question cannot be answered definitively through our research, it is fairly safe to say that it has something to do with the fact that managers and administrators are under the impression that they are doing enough. When both dining service managers were interviewed, they stated that they make every effort to have a personal relationship with all of their employees. They expressed a willingness to meet with them about both work and personal matters. Both claimed to have an open door policy, and expressed interest in having employees look at them as both authority figures and peers. So, the sides of the communication argument seem to have very conflicting responses.

While it is arguable whether either or both sides are giving truthful accounts, it seems as though the management is not doing enough, regardless of intention. All of the long term workers that were interviewed cited a sense of community among the entire staff as one of the reasons why they have stayed here for so long. One factor of community is employer / employee communication. If this is poor, the whole concept will be in serious jeopardy.

A bigger problem that was continuously cited in our interviews was the inevitable damage that will be done to the sense of community between the staff and the students. Some workers in the dining service are on a first name basis with the students. They feel that the interaction with the students is one of the main benefits of their job. Some of these workers will have no choice but to leave their job and will clearly be missed by the student body.

Instead, unfamiliar faces, coming and going on a regular basis, will characterize the food services of Bucknell University. This would make places such as the Bison and the Caf seem like run-of-the-mill fast food restaurants where the workers barely recognize the existence of the people they serve, and the students rarely have an opportunity to get to know those who are serving them. It will be impossible for student-staff relationships to continue as it currently is, and this is perhaps the most unfortunate side effect of the proposed contract. An even broader sense of community is one of the university's relationship to the local area. According to Steven Hall, the president of the Union County Industrial Corporation, a little know fact is that money made in lower skilled jobs such as the food service jobs here at Bucknell tends to turnover, or change hands roughly seven to eight times in the local community. This is a huge deal to a small economy like Lewisburgs.

When these food service employees have reduced wages, the money saved by administration will be reallocated elsewhere on campus, likely towards construction or renovations of buildings. Instead of going to the workers or even the faculty members, who are among the big spenders in this area, the money will be leaving the community, going mainly to an outside contractor that may have little to do with the Lewisburg area. Although the extent of the damage cannot be immediately determined, the reduction in money circulation in the area will really damage the small businesses such as the ones on Market Street. Another negative effect will be the shame that many students and professors may feel towards the University. Many students and teachers are aware of the fact that the better paid workers are the happier, and the more productive they become. Students should be especially mad about this since they pay exorbitant amounts of money to attend this school.

Reducing the quality of meals should not go along with an 8 % tuition increase. Many students and professors may also feel disgraced that they attend a University that does not even pay a living wage, or approximately $ 9. 00 an hour. This means that many of the workers will not even be able to sufficiently support their families. As an academic institution, it should be our duty to set an example, a moral example at that, for the rest of the corporate world. Paying below the living wage is an awful start.

Bucknell has a great reputation for food. One of the first things that is mentioned to a perspective student when they are visiting is how great the meals are here. This sales point doesnt happen automatically. Employees have put in years of hard work and dedication to this school in order for the students to eat well and eat often during our time here. The question we need to ask ourselves when we are considering this shift to more outsourcing is whether years of work should be thrown away for the sake of efficiency. Mainstream economics and the obsession with efficiency and rationality often ignores another key concept that is taught in Intro classes nationwide: cost / benefit analysis.

Is it more efficient for Bucknell to outsource dining service workers and save what one employee thought to be at least 22 %? Sure. Anyone, economics major or not, can recognize that. Is it rational to save money? Sure. So why are we even wasting our time writing this paper?

The cost of losing years of dedicated staff members and all of the experience, relationships, and memories that will leave with them are far higher than the benefit. To conclude, we thought that we should include some of the goals of this elite institution. These are taken directly from the academic mission statement of the University. Consider what it says, and then consider what is about to happen on May 1 st. Bucknell's Goals 6. To develop new experiences that will help students grow in moral sensitivity and in respect for other persons. 7.

To engage in institutional programs and practices that exemplify compassion, civility, and a sense of justice. Are we making the right decision based on our public mission statement? Or does the administrations decision to outsource dining services blatantly contradict what the University claims to represent? Consistently and unequivocally misleading faculty, staff, and students about both the process and the ramifications of outsourcing seems to confirm the latter.


Free research essays on topics related to: high levels, living wage, mission statement, turnover rate, sense of community

Research essay sample on Economic Case Study Of Outsourcing University Food Service

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com