Dining Hall Facilities for Off-Campus Student Residents in Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
In 2015 the world was shocked by the unbelievable scenes from the #FeesMustFall protests that rippled through South Africa. University students were demanding free higher education for all South Africans. Even though society had always viewed tertiary students as part of the privileged few, it gradually became apparent that these students were not as privileged as many people believed. One of the main struggles for students in higher education institutions is insufficient access to food, a phenomenon that has left them exposed to food insecurity. A global phenomenon, even amongst first world higher education students. Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Learning indicates that hunger, which may be caused by food insecurity, negatively affects academic performance. With the South African government having outlined in its National Development Plan the positive contribution high quality higher education outcomes can have on the country’s future success, equipping students with everything they need to increase their chances of excelling academically has never been more critical.
In South Africa, there are various funders that financially support the needs of higher education students. Apart from paying for tuition and accommodation, they allocate funds for students to access food. Literature and the research conducted in this report have shown that students spend on more than just food and this contributes to them being left exposed to food insecurity. Literature and findings from the research done have shown that this negatively impacts the students’ wellbeing and academic performance. The research done showed that the funders are not fully aware of the situation, however, they are interested and highly motivated in ensuring their students’ well-being is taken care of.
The proposed business venture, “The Digz Diner”, seeks to address this problem by offering off-campus dining hall facilities in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Students that live in university on-campus accommodation have easy access to the on-campus dining halls that guarantee them access to food which off-campus
students do not have. The business will use a subscription business model where funders can pay in advance for a pre-determined duration for their students to
6 access 3 meals a day, 7 days a week during academic calendar days. The dining hall facility will offer tasty and nutritionally valuable meals that can be eaten sitting
at the well curated space at the facility with access to Wi-Fi or collected as a take- away option. This will give the funders an assurance that the funds they provide are indeed being used for what they are intended for. The students can also rest assured that no matter how busy their academic schedule is and even if they do not have money to spend, they will have food to eat to help them stay energised to perform at their best.
In Braamfontein, the business will be competing with the Wits University dining halls that do offer meal packages for Wits’ students staying off-campus, fast-food take away chains, local spaza shops, and a Pick ‘n Pay supermarket that sells cooked meals and where students buy groceries to cook for themselves. The research conducted shows that the business has an opportunity to gain a sustainable competitive advantage over its competitors by offering quality food that will be prepared and served by highly competent staff using a subscription model as funders have shown a great interest in the offering.
By securing endorsements and advertising platforms from the reputable universities, colleges, and trusted accommodation providers around Braamfontein,
the business will be able to attract funders. Social media activity and involvement in youth TV and radio programmes will ensure current and potential students know about the offering. Using a best cost provider strategy and employing a combination of a cost- and value-driven cost structure, the business stands to do well. Five-year financial projections indicate that after the first year of running at a loss, the business will make profit for at least the next four years. With an indication that it will have enough working capital to meet its day-to-day obligations throughout the five years
Description
A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023
Keywords
University students, Higher education, Wits students, Students dining, UCTD
Citation
Mashele, Sinomncedi. (2023). Dining Hall Facilities for Off-Campus Student Residents in Braamfontein, Johannesburg [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.