Planlı Davranış Kuramı Bağlamında Mutfak Çalışanlarının Coğrafi İşaretli Gıda Ürünlerini Kullanma Niyeti

The purpose of this study is to determine the intentions of kitchen staff working in hotels to use geographical indication (GI) food products and the factors affecting their intentions within the scope of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Within the research framework, the relationship between staff’s familiarity with GI food products and their intention to use these products has been examined. The study was conducted in 4 and 5-star hotels located in Istanbul. Data were collected from a total of 423 participants by questionnaire technique by interviewing the kitchen staff of the food and beverage departments of these enterprises. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis and difference tests. As a result of the research, it was determined that the most important factor affecting the intention to use these products among the participants was familiarity with the products. It was observed that individuals with knowledge of GI food products and those who have previously worked with these products exhibit a notably positive attitude towards using them. In addition, it has been determined that the reason for the negative attitudes of the decision-making managers in the enterprises where the participants work towards the use of GI food products is the high purchasing costs and seasonality of the products. Finally, it was observed that the positive attitude towards GI food products increased from the lower to the higher positions in the kitchen hierarchy, and this was due to the knowledge of recognizing and using the product correctly gained with professional experience.