The Office of Graduate Administration is pleased to announce that Saad Ahmed will be defending their thesis/dissertation as a candidate for the degree Master of Science in Business Administration.

You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and how to attend are included below:

DATE: 14 February, 2024

TIME: 1:00PM

Defence Mode: Hybrid – In-Person

In-Person Attendees: Room # 5-140D

Remote Attendees: Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote/online attendance. 

To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: ensure you are on time.

THESIS ENTITLED: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD USING ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES IN BANGLADESH

ABSTRACT: The online food delivery service industry has the potential to be one of the biggest industries in Bangladesh and contribute significantly to the economy. Technological advancement has powered the potential expansion of online food delivery services in Bangladesh. While there has been some recent research on the shift in Bangladeshi consumers' food consumption habits, there still needs to be more research on the online food delivery service industry. Noticeably, online food delivery services are only available to people living in large cities or suburban areas in Bangladesh. Rural populations have limited access to these services. The reputation of the delivery services is sometimes adversely affected by inconsistent customer service, which includes problems with order accuracy, poor user interface, and lack of responsiveness.

Therefore, this study analyzes the consumers' attitudes toward using online food delivery services in Bangladesh. This study revisited the theory of the technology acceptance model (TAM) theory by retaining user motivation. According to the TAM theory, user motivation is considered as perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, whereas in this study, perceived usefulness has been simplified by two independent variables: various food choices and time-saving orientation. Thus, the three original constructs from the TAM theory included in this study are attitudes toward using the technology, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness. The core objective of the study is to determine the influence of perceived ease of use, various food choices, and time-saving orientation on the consumers' attitudes toward using online food delivery services in Bangladesh. Secondly, the study examines the moderating role of the 'online shopping experience' on the user's motivation in Bangladesh.

Survey methods were used to conduct this research, and 180 participants throughout Bangladesh participated. Key findings of the paper highlight that ease of use, various food choice, and time-saving orientation significantly impact consumers' attitudes toward using online food delivery services in Bangladesh. The result also suggests that the online shopping experience positively moderates the relationship between ease of use and consumers' attitudes toward using online food delivery services. It implies that consumers will find the service more reliable and most likely to use the service if the service application is more user-friendly. It also positively moderates the relationship between various food choice and consumers' attitudes toward using the online food delivery service. However, the study's findings suggest that the degree of online shopping experience doesn't impact the relationship between individuals' time-saving orientation and consumers' attitudes toward using online food delivery services.

The study indicates that increasing the online shopping experience will make customers accustomed to ordering food from online food delivery services. The more customers get used to the services, the more they order food online. This study can also be valuable to any Asian or North American markets in implementing a cost-effective and efficient strategy for online food delivery services.
 

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP:

Chair: Dr. Jianhui Zhou, University of Northern British Columbia

Examining Committee Members:

Supervisor: Dr. Wootae Chun, University of Northern British Columbia

Committee Member: Dr. Kafui Monu, University of Northern British Columbia

Committee Member: Dr. Pranesh Kumar, University of Northern British Columbia

External Examiner: Dr. Sajal Saha, University of Northern British Columbia