McDonald for Efficiency, Control and Calculability

Question:

How do you account for the fact that McDonald’s appears to be more successful outside of the USA than inside the USA?

Answer:

Introduction 

George Ritzer used four dimensions to describe the phenomenon of McDonaldization. These four dimensions are predictability, efficiency, control and calculability. In the modern society, McDonaldized systems include non –human technology that enhances control over the employees and ensure customers expectations are met properly. According to Van Steden & de Waard, (2013), Mc-donaldisation is essentially the reutilization of the concepts of scientific management and rationalization, as utilized by the managerial authorities of McDonalds. The authors have commented that George Ritzer, the renowned socialist and author of the title “The McDonaldization of Society”, first coined the term in 1993. According to Reyes (2015), Ritzer  had made attempts of  shedding  some  light on the manner in which the  American  society had started utilizing the management policies practice at McDonalds. Thus, Mcdonaldisation can thus be defined as the process in which “the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as of the rest of the world” (Ritzer 1993).  

 The primary objective of this essay is to present a critical analysis on the effect of McDonaldization (both positive and negative) on the tourism and hospitality industry (Avasarala, 2016). The discussions made in the essay would shed some light on the characteristics of McDonaldization, along with the ‘pretty’ and ‘ugly’ sides of the concepts. A wide range of literary articles would be reviewed to gain some insight on the working environment of the organizations (operating essentially in the domain of hospitality and tourism), to identify the factors common to both (Speitkamp, 2015). Last but not the least; efforts would also be made to estimate the chances of globalization being capable of counteracting the effects of McDonaldization.

Resisting McDonaldization

It is possible to resist McDonaldized tourism or McDisneyization by following certain mechanisms and ways. However, as Ritzer argues, almost every nook and corner of tourism and hospitality industries is in the process of becoming McDonaldized. As stated by Ritzer, the important factors contributing to the ever- increasing prevalence of McDonaldization. These factors are material interests, the culture of United States of that awards appropriate value to the important changes taking place in this society.  

Ritzer critically analyzes the concept mentioned by Weber dealing with irrationality of rationalization. In general, the broad concept of McDonaldization associates with itself the aspects of mass culture, consumerism or even the consumer society(Waring & Bishop, 2015). Many of the critics of Ritzer have argued that this analytical and practical debate with respect to the definition and characteristics of McDonaldized systems is adequately pessimistic or negative. The different scenarios depict the problems such as fast food workers who protest against low wages or even farmers who fight for better conditions, communities pushing for anti fast food legislation and so on. According to Roudometof (2016), McDonald has promised to open around 32,000 new fast food restaurants across the world of which, two third of them would be established outside of America. Furthermore, studies have essentially ensured the tendency of young children to ask their parents to take them to McDonald’s restaurants and give them special treats or for celebrating special occasions (Bakardjieva, 2014). The Western family signifies the alternatives in terms of social experience. Therefore, it is needless to say, that McDonaldization is becoming an increasingly spreading international phenomenon. 

Modern civilian culture effectively practices food movement and pushes organic and healthier (mostly non - processed) foods (Matusitz & Lord, 2013). However, it is often the case that, these folks associated with food movements forget that there are a significant number of individuals, who cannot afford such lifestyles. 

McDonaldization and Calculability 

It is the second aspect of McDonaldization. It refers to a proper organization of the tasks that offers an easy means to calculate the bits and pieces accurately measure as well as qualify them. Calculability perspective concerning the McDonaldization phenomenon provides an emphasis on the quantitative aspects of the particular goods and products sold including portion size, cost, service offered and so on (Dorsey & Ritzer, 2016). Apart from that, Ritzer further points out that the emphasis on calculability may potentially lead to the erroneous conclusion that implies that bigger  is always better, or as stated by Ritzer, “The more the batter”. It is closely connected with the fact that this particular phenomenon of McDonaldization effectively establishes the principles of the fast food restaurants are increasingly dominating almost all the sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world. 

Information technology has effectively contributed to the growing aspect of calculability in the McDonaldized systems (Lane & Kinser, 2012). In fast food restaurants, hugeness is often treated as the synonym for quality, for instance, ‘Big Mac’ or ‘Super Size’, ‘Double’, ‘Quarter Pounder’, or ‘Extra’ meal. Hence, greater quantity is essentially treated as superior product in terms of quality. In addition to that, McDonald additionally demonstrates through its practices that quality is essentially reflected in the number of transactions by means of the advertisement ‘Billion Served’ (Waring & Bishop, 2013). Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) can be utilized for gathering the statistics about the exact number of users that are able to find what they are looking for. Apart from that, websites as well as web based databases can effectively keep track of the number of people using the resources along with the times of use (Dustin, 2016). Therefore, calculability or ‘Quantifiability’ is another key characteristic of McDonaldized systems. 

As opined by Ritzer (2011), McDonald tends to quantify things, thereby, determining merit by numbers instead of by qualities. He further analyzes this tendency of quantification that may be innate to the human nature or is fostered by the social culture. 

McDonalization and Efficiency 

 Researcher Kranjac (2012) have made an attempt at identifying the primary  components of the  concept in consideration:  the authors opine that  the ‘ efficiency’ of all the  operational  activities of an enterprise in terms of reaching the  final goals of the organization  is one of the very  basic  principles on which the concept of McDonaldization depends. The very next ideology on    which the concept relies on is that of ‘calculability’. Researchers Miskovic (2012) are of the opinion that calculability refers to the process using which  the  business enterprises  make  their customers ‘believe’ that the price that they are paying is justified  for the quality of the products that  they get  in return.

Even though the fast food industry e.g. McDonalds did not develop the aspiration for efficiency in society. The process of McDonaldization has spread other restaurants within the industries and restaurants such as Burger King, Taco Bell and Domino’s. Mass customization in the hospitality is in the process of customer demand (Van Steden & de Waard, 2013). Efficiency is one of the four different aspects of McDonaldization, which is the methodical approach to eliminate unnecessary effort or time in the pursuit of a particular objective. There are a number of examples of improved efficiency with respect to McDonalization in the society (Ram, 2012). For instance, such varied phenomena can be pointed out by the automated mechanisms of modern supermarket, television dinners, factory farming as well as housing developments. 

For achieving an improved degree of efficiency, fast food restaurants have effectively mastered the concept of establishing a particular system that allows the customers to perform some of the work (Bakardjieva, 2014). For example, some fast food restaurants allow the customers to fill out their own food trays and drinks, their own condiments, and finally dispose the trash and leftovers in the dustbin. The process of rationalization results in a particular society that places a great deal of emphasis on identifying the best and optimum solution to achieving any given end. For instance, a modern American family has little time to prepare and cook elaborate meal and naturally prefer easily prepared and quickly available meals (Engle, 2012). To most people in the modern society of America, it is far easier and efficient to eat out, specifically in fast food restaurants.

McDonaldization and Predictability

According to Chen & Ritzer (2015), the third most important principle of the concept of McDonaldization is the predictability of facilities. The authors are of the opinion that customers indeed appreciate the services of an organization when the levels of service are predictable: a fact that the higher authorities of McDonalds had taken into consideration while designing their services in a uniform manner. According to Ritzer (1993), the McDonaldization of modern society has standardized the overall customer experience. This process in turn has help bringing about a revolution in the business principles as well as creates a transformation of human production and consumption. 

This predictability of McDonaldization has spilled over into more than just food and jobs. As opined by Schlosser and Ritzer (2011), the success of fast food industry along with the consumption and production of potentially standardized products have encouraged different types of corporations across the globe in adopting these methodologies and ideologies of business. Hotel chains can be thought of as potential instances of ‘predictable settings’ (Soron, 2013). The rapid growth of these hotel chains has made it possible to change the way modern society usually experiences hotel stays. With this concept, consumers now know what to expect from the significantly popular hotel chains, as each of these establishments has a specific things that are seemingly identical to one another.  

McDonaldization and Control

Another focus on McDonaldization is ‘control’ that acts as a replacement of the significantly predictable human as well as non- human labor. In order to maintain and operate the machines, people are hired for managing the excess amounts of potentially simple work (Whimster & Lash, 2014).  As opined by Ritzer, in this age and day, life has very little value, as it has becoming significantly easier to get things done with minimal or no effort. For example, modern microwaves even have a ‘popcorn’ button that enables humans to make perfect popcorns every time (Carroll, 2013). With this attribute, it is possible to make tasks repetitive and automated so as to spend less time thinking about the task at hand and concentrate more on maintaining a tighter control over the employees. 

 Researcher Altbach (2013) point out the fact that apart from the above mentioned factors, the  organizations that  have started  utilizing the concept of McDonaldization relies significantly on  yet another policy: the standardization of the employees and the replacement of human resources allocated to the day to day operational activities of the organization with technological resources.

According to Weber (2011), bureaucracies effectively exert significant amount of control over the society (i.e. the people and their corresponding social environment). For achieving this controllability purpose, bureaucracies essentially employ non – human technology, regulations and rules that in turn defines the behavior in each of the organizations and corporations, restricting the type of products and services (options) available (Quinn, 2015). McDonaldization further establishes 

McDonaldization of Credit Cards

Ritzer explains the pros and cons of credit cards with respect to individuals, businesses and overall economy. As the popularity of this instrument grew with passing time, the idea of spending intangible money also gained significant popularity, which in turn resulted on a society that previously used to pride itself for is ability to save for future, floundering in debt caused by overspending of intangible money (Dorsey & Ritzer, 2016). 

Ritzer has further evaluated the credit card process as a means of rationalization in today’s modern civilized world. The problems created by credit cards for both individuals and society include pervasive fraud and crime, rampant consumerism, escalating indebtedness, dehumanization of people’s daily lives, invasion of privacy, violation of confidentiality and increasing homogenization of the world’s different cultures (Matusitz & Lord, 2013). By taking McDonald as an example, it can be observed that standardization is specifically a feature of its operations. 

Hospitality Industry and McDonaldization

The hospitality industry has adopted mass customization on their products and services. There are a number of literatures where the authors have talked about the standardizing forces of McDonaldization from the wider perspectives of the society. The McDonaldized systems have been created based upon the particular belief that these systems can act as mass production systems, as consumers do accept homogeneous products (Van Steden & de Waard, 2013). The acceptance facilitates potential growth in the market and the reduction of prices through economies of scale that leads to a greater price gap between customized goods and mass- produced goods/ products (Whimster & Lash, 2014). However, many of the researchers have pointed out the fact that hospitality industry across the world tend to keep the wages low, thereby avoiding the need for technological innovation, specifically in the actual delivery of its services. 

Taylor and Lyon have argued that mass customization can be treated as an alternative to the phenomenon of McDonaldization. From the various literature reviews, it can be implied that the Hospitality Industry should look beyond ways to mass customize services, goods and products in order to learn from the other industries (Chen & Ritzer, 2015). 

Glocalization and McDonaldization

Globalization, on the other hand, is a term that is used to refer to the process of development of an increasingly incorporated global economy, which is typically marked by free flow of capital, free trade and the tapping of comparatively inexpensive foreign labor market. On the contrary, the term ‘Glocalization’ refers to the act of nations, corporations and organizations to impose themselves on different geographic locations (Quinn, 2015). To be more specific, it indicates the typical desire or need by these corporations to practice business in accordance with both global and local concerns. McDonald restaurants adopted the practice of facilitating customized food menus to be able to suit local tastes in different countries (Kranjac, 2012). It is phenomenon is typically opposite of the Americanization and the suppression of the local preferences. Glocalization further involves the utilization of the culturally friendly media that encourages the acceptance of foreign goods, services and products among the local consumers/ audience (Zegre et al., 2012) 

The word ‘glocalization’ has been derived by combining the individual words ‘globalization’ and ‘localization’. Glocalization is the best concept with respect to those companies that possess a typical decentralized authority (Roudometof, 2016). The cost can naturally increase if the companies fail to standardize their projects and products. The major challenge associated with this phenomenon is the fact that different cultures have their individual differing needs and wants (Avasarala, 2016). On the other hand, various authors have proposed the glocalization of education that focuses on specific areas including culture, politics, economics, organization, information, teaching, religion, spirituality, morality and temporal literacy. 

Pros and Cons of McDonaldization 

Many of the literatures written on McDonaldization have been focusing on the negative aspects of the trend and therefore, do not attempt to isolate the individual roles of employees and consumers in the McDonaldized systems (Cis?o, 2015). There are a number of literatures where the authors have talked about terrors of McDonaldized death, McDonaldized systems wreaking havoc on the environment, the mind- deadening activities associated with the McDonaldized jobs and the frustrations of concentrating on the McDonaldized educational institution. 

There are plenty of pretty sides of McDonaldization. Primarily, it provides a means of controlling human activities, both consumers and workers. This controllability aspect of the McDonaldization involves the utilization of technology. With the use of technology, it enables strict training, close supervision and narrow tasks (Quddusi, 2015). In addition to that, there are a number of advantages associated with McDonaldization such as it facilitates a wider range of goods and services available to more number of people in greater number of places. Furthermore, it typically makes the goods and products significantly more consistent as well as uniform. As a result, people naturally require less time (Dustin, 2016). Moreover, it is far more economical as well as efficient. McDonaldized systems essentially offer greater stability and comfort in today’s rapidly changing environment. With the utilization of the McDonaldized systems, it is easier to compare competing goods or products and services that empower the consumers. It further has beneficiary factors due to the closely regulated and controlled systems. People are more likely to be treated similarly (Waring & Bishop, 2013). Furthermore, with this phenomenon, innovation diffuses in a more rapid manner. 

Conclusion 

McDonaldization refers to the particular collection of processes by means of which the ideology of the fast food industry, its predictability, efficiency, control and calculability together have made it possible to dominate a rapidly increasing number of companies in the modern civilized society. The various literatures have explored the possible disadvantages that McDonaldization can potentially lead to. The disadvantages essentially involve dehumanized jobs and services. George Ritzer proposes that there is a huge imprint up of benefit in the fries, beverages, burgers and different items sold and the multi-billion dollar net revenue consistently would affirm that purchasers are not getting a decent esteem from the item, but rather are improving the company at their own cost. Apart from that, there are certain advantages of this phenomenon, convenience and affordability being the worth mentionable ones. The characterization of Ritzer’s McDonaldization fits significantly with respect to the calculability. Ritzer’s conceptualization of McDonaldized systems has been able to generate a significant number of sales and scholarly interests. McDonald’s fast food chains, restaurants, and other associated factors tend to generate several of methods specific meanings, pleasures and affect that micro - analysis of experiences and forms of McDonaldization interrogates. The success of this specific phenomenon has been categorized using four individual dimensions, namely, predictability, efficiency, control and calculability. Ritzer utilizations Weber's hypothesis of justification and contends that even from the point of view of financial judiciousness, McDonald's does not give the quality that it guarantees. This is clearly valid and McDonald's decrease in deals over the previous year may to a limited extent be customer acknowledgment that they were getting ripped off, that McDonald's did not give great nourishment esteem. Fast food industry utilizes the desire of efficiency amongst people. Last but not the least; efforts would also be made to estimate the chances of globalization being capable of counteracting the effects of McDonaldization. Finally, it can be said that, through McDonaldization, it is possible to attain the economic goals and aspirations in a more easy and effective way. 

References 

Altbach, P. G. (2013). Franchising—The McDonaldization of higher education. In The International Imperative in Higher Education (pp. 111-113). SensePublishers.

Avasarala, J. R. (2016). Applying the Principles of McDonaldization to Medicine. JAMA neurology, 73(4), 478-479.

Bakardjieva, M. (2014). Social media and the McDonaldization of friendship.Communications, 39(4), 369-387.

Carroll, N. (2013). E-learning–the McDonaldization of education. European Journal of Higher Education, 3(4), 342-356.

Chen, C. C., & Ritzer, G. (2015). Globalization and Consumption. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Consumption and Consumer Studies.

Cis?o, A. (2015). The prospect of McDonaldization. Active in Languages–inter-Active in Teaching, 61.

Dorsey, E. R., & Ritzer, G. (2016). The McDonaldization of medicine. JAMA neurology, 73(1), 15-16.

Dustin, D. (2016). The McDonaldization of social work. Routledge.

Engle, J. (2012). McDonaldization: An Analysis of George Ritzer's Theories and Assertions. J. Peace Prosperity & Freedom, 1, 113.

Kranjac, A. W. (2012). Burger Cultures: McDonaldization And De-McDonaldization In Croatia And The US.

Lane, J., & Kinser, K. (2012). MOOCs and the McDonaldization of global higher education. education, 30536, 1.

Matusitz, J., & Lord, L. (2013). Glocalization or Grobalization of Wal-Mart in the US? A Qualitative Analysis. Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, 10(1), 81-100.

Miskovic, M. (2012). McDonaldization and Glocalization: Local Culture Affected by Global Changes (Doctoral dissertation, Filozofski fakultet, Sveu?ilište u Zadru).

Quddusi, K. S. K. A. (2015). Globalization: Concepts, Currents and Critique. Journal of Governance & Public Policy, 5(1), 90.

Quinn, B. (2015). The McDonaldization of Academic Libraries?. College & Research Libraries, 76(3), 339-352.

Ram, U. (2012). McDonaldization. The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization.

Reyes, V. (2015). Investigating Global Culture: Its Creation, Structure, and Meanings. In Globalizing Cultures (pp. 21-38). Brill.

Roudometof, V. (2016). Glocalization: A Critical Introduction. Routledge.

Soron, D. E. (2013). George Ritzer, The McDonaldization of Society.Canadian Journal of Sociology, 38(3), 447-449.

Speitkamp, F. (2015). Prepare for total McDonaldization. It might hurt a little: Moving towards a global monoculture. GRIN Verlag.

Van Steden, R., & de Waard, J. (2013). ‘Acting like chameleons’: On the McDonaldization of private security. Security Journal, 26(3), 294-309.

Waring, J., & Bishop, S. (2013). McDonaldization or commercial re-stratification: Corporatization and the multimodal organisation of English doctors. Social Science & Medicine, 82, 147-155.

Waring, J., & Bishop, S. (2015). George Ritzer: Rationalisation, Consumerism and the McDonaldisation of Surgery. In The Palgrave Handbook of Social Theory in Health, Illness and Medicine (pp. 488-503). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Whimster, S., & Lash, S. (2014). Max Weber, rationality and modernity. Routledge.

Zegre, S. J., Needham, M. D., Kruger, L. E., & Rosenberger, R. S. (2012). McDonaldization and commercial outdoor recreation and tourism in Alaska.Managing Leisure, 17(4), 333-348.

MyAssignmenthelp.co.uk is a name in assignment writing services that students trust. We offer our assignment writing services for a wide variety of assignment including essays, dissertations, case studies and more. Students can place their order with us anytime as we function 24x7, and get their copies at unbeatable prices. We guarantee that all of our solutions are plagiarism-free.