Setting strategic direction for complex publicly funded foodservice systems: application of multicriteria decision analysis

摘要

Decision making for publicly funded foodservice operations can be a complex process. If multiple criteria, such as quality food, efficient service, customer acceptance, creating healthy food environments, and financial performance, are combined with legal and political considerations, such as community planning, environmental stewardship, and governance, stakeholders may have considerable difficulty in making unbiased and rational decisions.1 Strategy is integral to the success of foodservice management as it helps navigate challenging environments with often limited resources. In the context of publicly funded foodservices (eg, health care, recreation facilities), where public–private partnerships are often formed to meet various operational demands, including revenue generation, strategy may be particularly relevant, as trade-offs are made between corporate profitability and adherence to ethical principles of creating supportive healthy food environments.2 and 3