외식산업 경쟁력 제고 방안

Abstract

2008년 MB정부 출범 이후 정부는 외식산업의 진흥을 위해 주관부처를 농식품부로 이관하면서 외식산업의 진흥을 위해 노력해왔다. 특히 경기침체로 인해 자영업 비율이 높아지면서 외식산업 발전은 사회적으로 중요한 산업이 되고 있다.

그러나 우리나라 외식산업은 종업원 수가 5인 미만인 업체 비중이 다른 서비스산업보다 높고 노동생산성은 낮아 영세성이 높은 문제점을 가지고 있다. 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해 그동안 많은 연구가 있었으나, 외식산업 발전을 저해하는 요인과 외식산업 발전을 위한 세부 요소에 대한 발굴 정리, 이를 통한 외식산업의 세부적인 발전을 위한 제안이 부족하였다.

이 연구는 외식산업의 경쟁력을 결정하는 요인을 객관적 및 현실적으로 선정하여, 외식산업의 발전을 위한 경쟁력 저해 요인을 찾고, 외식산업 내에서 규모별로 분석하여 외식산업의 정책적 방안을 제시하기 위해 추진되었다. 연구의 완성도를 높이기 위해 외식업체들과의 현장 점검 및 조사를 통해 문제점과 현실적인 방안을 강구하였으며, 전문가들과의 심층면접을 통해 외식산업 경쟁력 제고 방안을 제시하였다.

Background of Research Korea’s food service providers with at most 4 staff members account for a large portion in total food service providers, resulting in a low labor productivity index to imply a low level of the food service industry. In this context, although many researchers have studied how to develop the food service industry, their studies have not focused on barriers to food service business development, investigation of detailed elements for developing the food service business, and suggestion thereof. To address this issue, this study aims to analyze factors for improving the competitiveness of the food service industry to suggest the direction of policies.

Method of Research This study employs various methods of research including literature study, statistics and quantitative analysis, interviews with researchers and professionals in involved institutions and service providers, expert’s investigation, in-depth study, and a questionnaire survey. The direction of this study for a strategy for improving the competitiveness of the food service industry was established through examining previous studies in literature, and the strategy for improving competitiveness is established through analyzing the current state of the industry. The factors of the competitiveness of the food service industry in this study are based on Porter’s diamond model. Fifty-three factors for determining the competitiveness of the industry were determined by reflecting indexes and prior studies related to the food service industry among global competitiveness indices of the WEF (World Economic Forum) and the IMD (International Institute for Management Development), and opinions of experts and food service providers. The result of the questionnaire survey for 150 food service providers and 27 food service professionals is used to do a gap analysis of importance of determinants for competitiveness, gaps and the level of barriers, and measure the level of difference between the current level of each determinant selected according to the priority and the optimum level to devise an index for the competitiveness of the food service industry. The positioning analysis (or phase analysis) and the pooling regression were employed to establish the strategic direction for improving the competitiveness of the food service industry. The dummy variable for considering features (business type, scale, etc.) of respondents of the survey was added to identify difference of each feature.

Result of Research and Implication The analysis of the current food service industry reveals that its production amount is the lowest in the food industry, but it employs many people to result in the lowest labor productivity. With respect to the number of businesses, those with at most 4 staff members account for 87.5%, implying a very small business type. The sales amount of the food service providers with at most 4 staff members shows an annual average increase of 3.9% lower than 7.7% of the entire food service providers. Their business expense increase is 7.1%; their labor cost increase is 6.7%; and rent increase is 8.8%, indicating higher increase than the sales amount increase to result in poor outcomes of business operation. The food service business shows low labor productivity and more working hours, but the lowest wages, and low contract for 4 insurances in comparison with other service businesses to result in 3.6 years of employee’s continuous service, the lowest. With respect to the hygiene standard, 266 cases of food poisoning occurred in 2012, among which 95 cases occurred in restaurants, more than 54 cases in school catering service. The 53 determinants for the competitiveness of the food service industry were divided by weighted average into small scale, medium-large scale and professionals for analysis. The analysis reveals the biggest barrier to competitive food service providers is their lack of management skills. Other barriers to the competitive food service industry include government’s support programs and policies, staff member’s skill and productivity, shop rent. Therefore, generalizing the analysis result of the food service industry and the barriers to competitiveness thereof, the first issue is the food service providers. Because most food service providers of Korea run small-scale business, improving the competitiveness of small-scale food service providers is absolutely important to make the entire food service industry more competitive. To this end, it is necessary to provide public services including startup consulting to enhance growth potential rather than making artificial entry barriers. Second, it is necessary to develop the R&D for the structure of food service provider’s revenues. Recently, economic downturns and rising food material cost contribute to worsening food service provider’s management. To address this issue, it is necessary to reflect consumer’s trends by means of stylish interior designs to induce more customers’ visit, and to enhance customers’ satisfaction by developing new menus. It is necessary that the government makes a plan for providing statistics, analysis of prospects, and information on features of each area and business type. Because the cost of food materials accounts for the most part in business expenses of food service providers, it is essential to encourage them to do direct transactions and cyber transactions for buying food materials. To this end, it is necessary that the government builds a system for direct transactions between food service providers and the Nonghyup Logistics Center and public wholesale markets. Third, process improvement is required for innovative management in the food service industry. It is necessary to reduce expenses and implement innovative management for increased revenues by improving labor productivity of employees through improved management for operating food service business, that is, re-engineering innovation, and raising the level of output following labor input through food service provider’s specialty dishes. To this end, reducing employee’s labor costs is not a viable option. A recommendation is to support pre-processing and semi-processing businesses to standardize and supply raw food materials so that food service providers can easily use them. This process contributes to reducing labor costs. It is also necessary to develop menus for specialty dishes, and observe the policy of localization, safety and environment-friendliness of used raw materials for customer’s high level of taste. Fourth, it is necessary to recruit specialized staff members by improving the working environment. Because the average continued working years of workers employed in the food service industry is not long, it is needed to change awareness of low wages through training food service providers, and motivate staff members with reward. It is also necessary to develop a standard training course with human resource training programs specialized in the food service industry for each type of jobs therein through joint research among the industry, universities and research institutes. Fifth, it is necessary to improve profitability through collaboration with the industries related with the food service business. It is necessary to develop high yielding varieties wanted by food service providers and processing companies, to support producers for food service and processing, or create specialized production areas. Long-distance supply of intermediate, low and off-grade products for food service and processing involves high transportation costs, and it is thus good to have a local supply system if possible. It is necessary to construct a joint logistics system for local food service providers to stably supply raw materials to small-scale food service providers annually at low cost. Sixth, it is needed to endeavor to improve consumer’s satisfaction and trust. For consumer’s trust in food service, it is necessary to encourage food service providers to mark the origin of food materials and to keep hygiene. Seventh, the role of the government is important. It is necessary to make a plan for further using agricultural products produced in Korea and reducing food service provider’s burden of material cost through the deemed input tax credit program. The program was reduced because it was used as a means of tax evasion, for example, exaggerating transaction particulars for agricultural products produced in Korea. However, if local Nonghyup or municipalities use wholesale markets, it is necessary to establish a program for issuing the tax credit through authorized authorities including a management corporation. It is necessary to reflect the current scope of simplified taxpayers to enable the small-scale food service providers to receive the benefits. Role sharing between subjects is required to make the food service industry competitive. Roles of the government, food service providers, universities and R&D centers are important to implement the program for the competitive food service industry. Food service providers should actively expand their business scale, improve the revenue structure, recruit specialized human resources, and improve customer satisfaction and trust. The government should enhance the competitiveness of the food service industry by establishing support programs. Universities and R&D centers should continue to monitor acts and programs for narrowing the gap among current issues in the food service industry, policies and present circumstances to present their opinions to the government.

Researchers: Kim Seongwoo, Kim Byeongryul, Kim Yoonjin, Jun Iksu Period of research: 2014. 1. ~ 2014. 10. E-mail address: swootamu@krei.re.kr