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Work function analysis of vegetarian entrée production
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
|February 1, 1986
Summary
Foodservice managers can optimize operations by tracking labor time in food production. This study found significant variations in labor time for vegetarian entrées, highlighting the need for efficient management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Foodservice Management
- Operations Research
- Industrial Engineering
Background:
- Labor time data is a critical management tool for foodservice operations.
- Understanding labor distribution is essential for efficiency and cost control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the total labor time required for producing eight different vegetarian entrées.
- To analyze the distribution of labor time across various work functions in a hospital foodservice system.
Main Methods:
- A continuous time study was employed to record labor time.
- Observations were conducted in ingredient assembly and cooks' production areas.
- Labor time was categorized by specific work functions.
Main Results:
- Total labor time per portion varied significantly among the eight vegetarian entrées (19.33 to 39.97 seconds).
- Entrées demanding more labor time generally required more manual handling.
- Significant differences were found in direct labor time (p = .0009) and total labor time (p = .0018).
Conclusions:
- Vegetarian entrée production labor time is not uniform and is influenced by dish complexity and manual labor requirements.
- Management strategies should account for these variations to improve efficiency.
- No significant differences were observed in indirect labor or delay times across entrées.