Introduction
Tobacco policy has assumed center stage in recent years. A product responsible for more than 400,000 premature deaths annually in the United States alone clearly raises a serious public health concern. Yet in society there is a strong presumption that freedom of choice to engage in risky activities ought to be protected from paternalistic regulation. As a consequence, it does not follow inexorably that public health concerns require governmental action (Rabin & Sugarman 2001). Perhaps the clearest evidence in support of this proposition is the lack of any discernible current support for an absolute prohibition on the sale and consumption of tobacco products. Correspondingly, until very recently, the tobacco industry relied, with unbroken success, on this same personal responsibility theme in the judicial forum as the foundation of its defense to smokers’ compensation lawsuits. Along with small employers, the strongest opponents of restrictions on smoking in public places have been bar and restaurant owners. Despite such opposition, some recent state legislation and local ordinances have banned smoking in restaurants and required strict ventilation systems in bars (Rabin & Sugarman 2001). Due to health problems brought about by cigarette use, governments determined means to regulate the use of such products. The use of cigarettes has been banned in some restaurants and pubs. The ban created various effects to business entities. This paper aims to identify the effects of the introduction of the smoking ban last year on the pub/restaurant industry. The paper aims to compare the situation in cigarette ban situation in two countries.
Methodology
Surveys and experiments are probably the main vehicles of quantitative research. The analysis of previously collected data, like official statistics on crime, suicide, unemployment, health, and so on, can be subsumed within the tradition of quantitative research. Quantitative research is a genre which uses a special language which appears to exhibit some similarity to the ways in which scientists talk about how they investigate the natural order of variables, control, measurement, experiment. This superficial imagery reflects the tendency for quantitative research to be under-pinned by a natural science model, which means that the logic and procedures of the natural sciences are taken to provide an epistemological yardstick against which empirical research in the social sciences must be appraised before it can be treated as valid knowledge (Bryman 1992). Quantitative research’s goal is to make use of mathematical data to understand natural phenomena. This research will make use of the quantitative research method. Questionnaires will be used to determine the effects of the smoking ban. The questionnaire will contain the purpose of the study. The questionnaire will be comprised of some personal information of the respondents and a set of attitude statements that intends to determine the level of agreement or disagreement using a five-point Likert scale. To determine the number of respondents that will be asked to participate and give information regarding the study random sampling was used. Based from the random sampling a minimum of 20 respondents will be the participants for the study. The respondents will compose of pub/restaurant owners in the US and UK.
Questionnaire
The researcher is conducting a study on the effects of the introduction of the smoking ban last year on the pub/restaurant industry. Your participation is highly appreciated. The information that will be acquired will be treated well and will not be divulged to any other person.
Thank you.
Personal Data
The following are questions pertaining to the demographic information from the respondents. The responses will be helpful in getting to know more about the respondents.
Direction: Please check the necessary information about yourself.
Educational Attainment
Elementary ( ) High School ( ) College ( ) Graduate school ( )
Nationality
American ( ) British ( )
Business owned
Restaurant ( ) Pub ( )
Determining the respondent’s ideas
Directions: Check whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, disagree and neutral on the following statements.
1. The smoking ban has reduced the number of clients in your pub/restaurant.
Strongly Agree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) Neutral ( )
Agree ( ) Disagree ( )
2. Clients fought with the crew because of the smoking ban
Strongly Agree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) Neutral ( )
Agree ( ) Disagree ( )
3. The restaurant/ pub is still attaining desirable profits after the ban
Strongly Agree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) Neutral ( )
Agree ( ) Disagree ( )
4. More non smoking clients come to the pub/restaurant
Strongly Agree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) Neutral ( )
Agree ( ) Disagree ( )
5. Some amendments should be made on the smoking ban
Strongly Agree ( ) Strongly Disagree ( ) Neutral ( )
Agree ( ) Disagree ( )
Results of the study
55% of the respondents finished a college degree. The other respondents or 45% of the group had a post college degree. The respondents being in college makes sure that they have a certain level of thinking that can be of great help in the research. In terms of nationality half or 50% of the respondents were American while 50% were British. In terms of business ownership 55% of the respondents were restaurant owners while 45% were pub owners. In the first question 43.20% of the American respondents agreed that the smoking ban has reduced the number of clients in their pub/restaurant. 34.95% of the American respondents strongly agreed with the statement. 21.84% of the American respondents were undecided with the statement. Still in the first question 75% of the British respondents agreed that the smoking ban has reduced the number of clients in their pub/restaurant. 18.97% are undecided on such statement. While a slim percentage of 6.03% disagreed on this statement. In the second question 54.95% of the American respondents agreed that clients fought with the crew because of the smoking ban 35.14% of the respondents disagree with the idea. The smallest group of respondents, particularly 9.91% of the respondents is undecided on such matter.
Still in the second question 64.58% of the British respondents disagreed with the notion that clients fought with the crew because of the smoking ban. 31.25% of the respondents agree with such statement. Only 4.17% are undecided with the statement. In the third question 51% of the American respondents disagreed that the restaurant/pub is still attaining desirable profits after the ban. 34% of respondents strongly disagreed with the idea. Another group of respondents agreed with the statement they were 9% of the total number of respondents. 6% of respondents were undecided with the idea. Still in the third question 50.87% the British respondents disagreed with the idea that the restaurant/ Bar is still attaining desirable profits after the ban. 40.87% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the statement. 6.09% of the respondents were undecided on the statement. 2.17% of the respondents agreed with the statement. In the fourth question 62.9% of the American respondents agreed that more non smoking clients come to the pub/restaurant. 33.87% of the respondents disagreed with this statement. A mere 3.23% were undecided on the statement.
Still in the fourth question 57.41% of the British respondents agreed that more non smoking clients come to the pub/restaurant. 35.65% of the respondents disagreed. 6.94% of the respondents were undecided on the statement. In the fifth question 68% of the American respondents believe that some amendments should be made on the smoking ban. 17% of the respondents strongly agreed to this idea. 15% of the respondents are undecided on this idea. Still in the fifth question 82% of the British participants believe that some amendments should be made on the smoking ban 10% of the respondents strongly agreed with the idea. 8% of the respondents were undecided with the statement. British and American respondents have identical beliefs in pertaining to the smoking ban. They share views on statements that include the smoking ban has reduced the number of clients in their pub/restaurant, the restaurant/ pub is not attaining desirable profits after the ban, more non smoking clients come to the pub/restaurant and some amendments should be made on the smoking ban. The main difference for Americans and British pub/restaurant owner is the way their clients treat the staff.
Recommendations
The findings helped in preparing the following recommendations:
References
Anderson, G 1998, Fundamentals of educational research,
Falmer, London.
Benz, CR & Newman, I 1998, Qualitative-Quantitative
research methodology: Exploring the interactive continuum,
Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale,
Bryman, A 1995, Research methods and organization studies,
Routledge, London.
Bryman, A 1992, Quantity and Quality in social research,
Routledge, London.
Rabin, RL & Sugarman, SD 2001, Regulating tobacco, Oxford
University Press, New York.
Appendix
Educational Attainment
Nationality
Business owned
Question 1
American respondents
British Respondents
Question 2
American Respondents
British Respondents
Question 3
American Respondents
British Respondents
Question 4
American Respondents
British Respondents
Question 5
American Respondents
British Respondents
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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