Systems Thinking And Action Research

Question: Identify ten systems of interest from chosen restaurant. Draw system map and detailed causal loop diagram for two of your systems of interest and customer flow management situation? Answer: NANDOS RESTAURANT Nando is an international restaurant originated from South Africa and founded in 1987. The restaurant is spread to 30 countries with 1000 outlets worldwide. The restaurant is specialized in chicken dishes added and garnished with lemon mango and lime, lemon and herb and many more with an optional flavor of Mediterranean. SYSTEMS OF INTEREST OF NANDOS RESTAURANT SYSTEM OF INTEREST 1 Reservation System Reservation system involves reservation of the table by the customer to have food in the restaurant at a particular table at a specific date and time. Reservation system can be done through the phone or through online, where payment is done prior to seating usually and sometimes later. Reservation management tools enable the reservation system through online. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 2 Take Away System Take away system is synonymous to take out, parcel or carry out system in many countries. It refers to the prepared food items that are purchased by the customer right at the restaurant. And the customer eats it in the place other than the restaurant. It fastens the serving system to more number of customers than the table services. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 3 Table Service System Table Service system is the most important service system for Nandos or even any other restaurant. Food is served usually on first come first serve basis or sometimes based on the reservation. Food is served by waiters and waitresses to the customers. The table service system is usually associated with payment at the end of the food consumption. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 4 Point of Sale System Point of Sale or checkout system is now termed to be electronic point of sale system. It is the point, where the customer of the restaurant pays for the food and the services of the restaurant, through retail transaction. The customer of the restaurant is given certain modes of payment as options to make the payment. And a receipt is a given as an evidence of transaction to the customer, after the payment is made. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 5 Food Ordering System Food ordering system is the system of ordering the food by the customer and it can be done either through the telephone or through online ordering system. food ordering system can be enabled through three service types, restaurant controlled, independent and food cooperatives. Nandos restaurant enables the food ordering system through restaurant controlled service type, most of the time. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 6 Food and Beverage Ordering System Food and beverage ordering system is similar to the food ordering system, which is ordered by the customer through a telephone or through internet. However, this system includes beverages alongside the food, like soft drinks, soda, fruit juices, etc. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 7 Food Home Delivery System Food delivery system is the system of delivering the ordered food to the home or any specified address by the customer. The delivery is usually done in the thermal bags to preserve the heat of the food. Sometimes the delivery is done through SYSTEM OF INTEREST 8 Food Preparation System Food preparation system usually has the phases of selection, measurement and finally combination of the specified ingredients in the systematic manner to prepare the desired food. Food preparation majorly includes cooking and many other aspects of preparation. Food preparation system includes several ways of preparation, like baking, broiling, frying, microwaving, roasting, hot smoking along with many chemical and mechanical techniques. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 9 Kitchen Management System Kitchen management system has the primary objective of effective preparation and efficient and timely serving of the food to the customers. Apart from effective preparation of the food, garnishing of the prepared food is done with objective of eat with the eyes. SYSTEM OF INTEREST 10 Human Resource System Human resource system includes the selection of the appropriate and apt professionals into the restaurant, who receive the customers with great hospitality and indeed dynamic to serve during the peak hours. SYSTEM MAP For selected system of Table Service System CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAM CUSTOMER FLOW MANAGEMENT SITUATION System Map Causal Loop Diagram REFERENCES Bosch, O., Maani, K., E, Smith, C. (2007). System thinking - Language of complexity for scientists and managers. Paper presented at the Improving the Triple Bottom Line Returns from Small-scale Forestry Jackson, M. C. (2003). Systems thinking: creative holism for managers. Chichester, UK: John Wiley Sons. FoodService System, A guide to Centralized Foodservice System, accessed on 16 Jan 2015,