Research Question

Youlou Kabasella and his wife opened Kinshasa Abroad, a restaurant in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Because of the diversity of the city and the restaurant’s proximity to Ohio State University, Mr. Kabasella had expected immediate success. However, turnout and revenue have fallen well short of his projections. To help him understand why performance has been below expectations and identify some possible ways to turn performance around, he has hired a marketing research consultant, Bill Christianson.

Immediately after his initial meeting with the Kabasellas, Mr. Christianson reflects on what yet must be learned in order to properly define the marketing problem and then later address it with appropriate descriptive or causal research.

What is the perceived quality of the menu items at Kinshasa Abroad?

a. Have previous patrons been satisfied with their dining experiences?

b. How satisfied have previous patrons been with the restaurant atmosphere?

c. What has motivated previous patrons to try Kinshasa Abroad – cultural curiosity, a more basic search for novelty, or something else?

d. Was this a one-time only experience, or do they see Kinshasa Abroad as a viable dining alternative in the future?