Management Structures


There are a variety of management structures adopted by schools for the delivery and daily management of their tuck shop differ and include a range of possibilities including having the Tuckshop operated by:

l an employee of the school (a member of staff);

l a small independent contractor;

l a large independent contractor.

The management structure operating at each school appears to reflect the desired level of direct or indirect control over the daily operation of the tuck shop so a school wanting to take more control themselves may employ someone under their direct control and at the other end of the scale where responsibility is entirely handed over a contractor can be taken on.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these structures, and the choice remains with each school and their governance.

It is essential before making any changes to the status quo that adequate time and attention is given to ensuring that the potential benefits exceed the costs, and risks have been clearly identified. Changing from for example contractor to internally run Tuckshops requires consideration of the status of the existing contract (eg, is it nearly at the finish of its term), transition, how long is it going to take to implement changes and can service delivery continue adequately, etc.

It is recommended that the current situation is examined in detail, full consultation with current providers and participations occurs and improvements considered in that before major change to another structure in order to implement the Food and Beverage guidelines.