case 4 Kinshasa Abroad African Cuisine and Culture (B) Apart from the above questions, there is the issue of Youlou Kabasella and his wife opened a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, called Kinshasa Abroad. The underly the perceived quality of the menu items at Kinshasa ing concept is to provide a unique African cultural expe- Abroad. In particular, have previous patrons been satis- Mr. Kabasella had the cultural diversity in the area and proximity to Ohio previous patrons to try Sate University. However, customer turnout and reve- been motivated by cultural curiosity, a more basic sea f cuisine, music, and atmosphere fied with their dining experiences? Also, how satisfied expected immediate success due to were they with the atmosphere? What has motivated Kinshasa Abroad? Have they nue have fallen well short of his projections. He is seek- for novelty, or something else? Was this a one-time-only ing guidance from a consultant as to how marketing experience, or do they see Kinshasa Abroad as a viable research might help him understand why performance dining alternative in the future? has been below expectations and identify some possible At a broader level, what are people in the area seek- ing when they dine out on different occasions? What types of food and entertainment are they seeking when meeting with Mr. Kabasella at Kinshasa Abroad. He felt they go to restaurants on these occasions? Does confident that Mr. Kabasella had answered his questions Kinshasa Abroad provide an experience that is consistent honestly and comprehensively. However, he was less with what is being sought on any of these occasions? confident that the client's perspective alone was a suffi- What changes might Kinshasa Abroad consider in its ient basis for formulating the marketing problem. As he concept to make itself more attractive to consumer vays to turn around performance. Bill Christianson returned to his office after his initial reflected on the meeting, he began to create a list of groups in Columbus, Ohio? goesions he had about what might account for the lack-These questions and more kept swirling around in Bill's mind as he tried to identify Kinshasa Abroad's It is clear that Mr. Kabasella is not pursuing a well- underlying marketing problem(s). Because you were also defined market segment, but that is probably true of at the meeting with Mr. Kabasella, Bill shared his thoughts nost restaurants in the area, perhaps even of some that re highly successful. But what segments would be most inclined to frequent Kinshasa Abroad? What groups with you and asked you to help him attack these issues. dld be most interested in African food and beverages? Would these same groups be the ones most interested in African music? Are there groups interested in dancing in restaurant environmen Questions 1. What consumer groups (possible target markets) 2. What secondary sources are available that might 3. Sort through the issues Bill Christianson identified which ones would be more appro- should be studied using exploratory research methods? The absence of a target market might account tor the advertising messages Mr. Kabasella places al provide useful information for this project? newspapers are so general in nature. What have consamers thought when they have seen these ads? comes to mind when they think of trican food, African beverages, or African music? Are heir thoughts at all consistent with what the food, bev- ges, and music are really like? Among consumers who ave not tried Kinshasa Abroad, what would their reac- ons be if they sampled African food, beverages, or above and any others you think may be relevant Which ones would be best addressed using dept interviews, and priately investigated with focus group interviews? Create a Ii propose using in the depth interviews to the insights necessary to more precisely define Kinshasa Abroad's marketing problem(s) 4 Create a list of open-ended questions you would ucAre there more ffective ways to communicate 5. Create a list of e nature of an African restaurant to people in Ohio? there some "hot button" advertising themes that ould be employed if Mr. Kabasella better understood open-ended questions a focus group moderator could use to guide participants through a discussion of issues that might generate insights concerning Kinshasa Abroad's mark consumer groups? Ph.D. Associate Professor Cedarville Universty. 251 North Main Street, Cedarville