Business, Enterprise & Management
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/5
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Item The impact of breed type, sex, method of rearing, winter nutrition and subsequent grazing treatment on the rate of carcass cooling and eating quality of beef(Emerald, 2002) Seaman, Claire; Hunter, E. A.; Hinks, C. E.; Hughes, A. H.; Lowman, B. G.Cattle from three cohorts were followed from rearing to slaughter in a lifetime study of the factors affecting the quantity and quality of saleable meat produced. The cattle were from either Hereford or Charolais sires, were either heifers or steers and were either bucket reared or suckled. Winter feeding treatments were imposed using different levels of concentrates in combination with ad lib grass silage. During the following summer the cattle grazed pastures with two different grass heights. A portion of the cattle were slaughtered at turnout (May), and during June/July, August, September, November and the following April. The present paper reports studies of carcass cooling characteristics and the eating quality of the meat. Immediately after slaughter, in commercial abattoirs, probes were attached to the carcasses and the temperature was monitored for approximately 36 hours. Although considerable variation was observed in cooling rates this could not be attributed to animal production factors. However, a weak relationship was observed with condition score (fat content) measured on the live animal immediately prior to slaughter. Carcasses from animals with higher condition scores cooled more slowly. The eating quality of the meat was assessed by a consumer panel consisting of staff and students from Queen Margaret University College. Although large differences in eating quality were recorded, these differences could not be attributed to animal production factors. Beef producers should therefore maximise production of saleable meat from each animal whilst minimising the cost of so doing.Item Staff motivation in small food manufacturing enterprises (2): the perceptions of owners and managers(Emerald, 2000) Bent, Richard; Seaman, Claire; Ingram, Arthur; Forbes, ClaireEarlier work examined the factors that affected staff motivation and satisfaction in small food businesses, focusing on staff whose roles did not include overall responsibility for the firm. As part of this work, 38 small food processing and manufacturing companies in Scotland were recruited and data collected using interviews and questionnaires. In order to examine the topic in greater detail and to offer a more complete perspective, the owners and/or managers of the 38 firms were interviewed and the results presented here as a contrast. Results highlighted differences in perception between the owner/managers and those staff who took part in the earlier data collection.Item Staff motivation in small food manufacturing enterprises(MCB UP Ltd, 1999) Bent, Richard; Seaman, Claire; Ingram, ArthurExamines the factors which affect staff motivation and satisfaction in small food businesses. Explores previous theories of motivation. Thirty-eight small food processing and manufacturing companies in Scotland formed the sample. Interviews and open-ended semistructured questionnaires were employed in the research. Results emphasise the importance of the management style of the owner/manager particularly when it comes to factors such as ``lack of appreciation'', ``poor communication'' and ``training''.