McDonaldization and Its Effect on Globalization - Coursework Example

Insert McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of successful and revolutionary food production and sales are becoming dominant in most sectors of the United States other societies across the world. The principles that govern the process are accountability, efficiency, control and predictability. This is mostly achieved by replacing nonhuman with human technology. Also connected to McDonaldization is the seemingly foreseeable irrationality of rationality. The main idea, and it basic dimensions, is gotten from Max Weber who is a German social theorist, in his work about official rational systems (Luhman, 18). Therefore, the process of McDonalization obliviously predates the starting and the proliferation of McDonald’s restaurant. The system of McDonald and the standard on which it spread so successful across the world is a representation of the example of modern development of rationalization. Whereas the fast food restaurant is the paradigm of the McDonaldization process, the process by now has affected many if not all of the social structures as well as institutions in the US. The same has penetrated many countries across the world. Therefore, the term ‘McDonaldization’ is not limited to just the fast food industry or the US. Instead, it refers to far reaching distinctive process of social change (Ritzer, 121). The model of McDonalization has been used well beyond the industry of fast food restaurant and even daily intake to such disparate phenomenon as higher education, vegetarianism, theme parks, southern fork art and politics. This process is a wide social development. Not all systems are the same as McDonalization which may be a matter of extent, with some situations being more McDonalized than others. Nevertheless, few modern social situations or institutions have managed to escape its impact altogether (Ritzer, 105). The relevance of the thesis of McDonalization to the issue of globalization ought to be apparent, both explicitly and implicitly. It asserts that social systems in the modern society are increasing in McDonalization and more so, that the fundamental principles of efficiency, predictability, accountability and control by the replacement of nonhuman for human technology that undergird it have been brought in from America to most of the rest of the world. This is to the degree that these principles have been adopted and turned to be defining characteristics of institutions in other countries and it can be stated that they are undergoing the process of McDonaldization (Richland WA (US) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 3). It is worth to note that when some of the globalization theorists mostly those of the idea of heterogeneity have addressed the McDonalization thesis, they have tended to criticize McDonaldization’s heart-on processes emerging from the United States and for its emphasis on its homogenizing effect on most of the world. Instead, they pay attention to diversity, the multi-directionality of world flows and the existence of world processes that are quite independent of particular nation-states. Whereas there are all these processes and they are important, it is also the case that some elements of globalization are best described coming from the United States and with a large homogenizing impact on much of the world. McDonalization has global effects and can therefore be of use in examining globalization theory, or some of perspectives of Robertson on McDonalization (Ritzer and Stillman, 213). Effects The effects of McDonalization can be witnessed everywhere today and it is getting to extremes. There are a number of stores, that are mostly in the suburban areas, such as Wal-Mart where one can shop for almost everything [from clothing to food], develop a film in less than an hour, pump gas, access an ATM machine, eat at McDonalds and get some beverage from Starbucks. Moreover, all this can be done without interacting with an employee with use of bankcards and automated checkout. Syracuse is only a tip of the McDonaldized iceberg as is put by Ritzer in his article, “Rethinking Globalization: Glocalization/Globalization and Something/ Nothing.” According to Ritzer, McDonaldization is now a global issue as businesses are crossing borders in every part of the world. The McDonalds Company is usually the first multinational corporation to arrive in a newly open foreign market, and thus setting pace for other businesses (Ritzer, 195). The interaction of economics and culture is obviously the centre of the origins of McDonalization. Even as Ritzier, same as Robertson, stress on the importance of cultural aspects, he finally comes to a conclusion that economic aspects are the main forces behind the spread of McDonalization. Since McDonalization is about a far more particular set of processes than globalization, it is possible to identify specifically its driving force. For example, there is no restaurant or the entire chain itself that would be in existence if it was not for profits and that the businesses are profitable (Ritzer, and Malone, 97). The spread of McDonalds’ chains across the world represents the type of empirical case that is suggested by Robertson. This determines it as a case study into historical facts on organizational stability, growth and success. It is the techniques by which McDonalds attained that success, that have lead to the growth of local chains. Perhaps, the notable point is that just as Robertson sees his work on globalization as a part of the cultural turn, the work on McDonaldization is of a similar genre. Even though it is the motor force behind the process of McDonald, this process is much more vital culturally than it is economically. The process is changing not only the culture of the United States but also that of the rest of the world. One of the notable cultural effects is the manner in which McDonalds is changing the way in which most of the world eats. What people eat is an important part of almost all cultures. However, with the spread of McDonaldization, virtually everybody in the McDonaldized societies is eating French fries, so quickly and often on the run (Hannigan, 453). In Brazil, the largest private employer is McDonalds. In Saudi Arabia, during the country’s Ramadan holiday, Kentucky fried chicken gained more than $200,000 in a week. This is an indicator that these companies do not involve local traditions as much as they overshadow them. By including indigenous traditions and flavors in foreign franchises, it is nothing more than a way of profiting off local customers. Cities are losing their individuality quickly and becoming a sea of only the same bright signs from coast to coast. In addition, Wal-Mart is now the greatest employer in the United States and the fastest growing multi-national company (Ritzer, 196). As more franchise businesses open across the world, the more success they enjoy, the easier it turns out to be to give in to the influence of McDonaldization. Nevertheless, there are some opposition against these businesses, mostly Wal-Mart and McDonalds. One of the issues that are highlighted by the specifics of McDonalization is the new nature of resistance to it. Such resistance is discussed by Robertson in terms of anti-global movements that entail globalization (Ritzer, 483). The global reach of this process has resulted to reactions against the process that are transnational. For instance, the exportation of McDonalds resulted in the well-known McLibel train in Britain and the global McLibel Movement against McDonalds’ franchisee. Many such cases have taken place where a small group speaks against McDonaldization, and owing to their visibility, McDonalds has the most scrutiny. Two persons in England gave out pamphlets that questioned the nutrition levels of McDonalds’ food and McDonalds’ targeting of children. This generated a lot of media attention and even led to the writing of a book titled McLibel by John Vidal with Ralph Nader. The two writers were sued by McDonalds and won the case because of legality. Nevertheless it raised awareness. Nutrition became the main attacking point against McDonalds (Ritzer, 483). Another reaction that has been against McDonalization has been the Slow Food Movement that was started in the middle of the 1980s by an Italian food critic who opposed the opening of McDonald in Rome. This was against the homogenization of food styles. Therefore, the above analysis shows that McDonaldization produces opposition movements that are global. It is not likely that these opposition movements will defeat the American-based forces that they are against. However, they are expected to force them to improve their worst excesses. Conclusion There are four issues that are related to globalization theory derived, in part, from the work of famous globalization theorist, Ronald Robertson. By having a look at these issues trough McDonaldization, there has been found some support, lack of support and a need to be more specific. Initially, the process of McDonaldization supported the statement by Robertson that globalization is multi-factorial, where cultural and economic factors are of much importance. From the proof of this process, it shows that though it has to be profitable to be carried out and sustained, it is really their cultural character and cultural effects that are of most significance and importance. Secondly, the biggest variance with Robertson is on the issue of homogeneity or cultural localism. Whereas Robertson stresses heterogeneity and the coexistence of the global and the indigenous, the instance of McDonalization show the centrality of homogeneity, cultural localism and the victory over the indigenous. Examining McDonaldization adds nuance to Robertson’s contention that globalization altogether strengthens and weakens a nation-state. McDonalization is used to weaken, and to show the weakness of a country such that most are too weak to resist their incursion. Finally there are cases in McDonalization that show materializing of several kinds of resistance to it and the local, individual and world level as a reality. Theorizing on resistance to it at the personal level is functional, but a great deal is learnt on resistance when specific forms that it takes in reaction to particular dimension of globalization is focused on. Work cited Hannigan, J. "Ritzer (ed.): Mcdonaldization: the Reader Ritzer: the Mcdonaldization of Society." Journal- American Planning Association. 69 (2003): 453-454. Print. Luhman, John T. "Marx and Mcdonaldization." Philosophy of Management. 5.2 (2005): 17-23. Print. Richland WA (US) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory "Globalization Theory: Lessons from the Exportation of Mcdonaldization and the New Means of Consumption." American Studies. 41 (2000): 2-3. Print. Ritzer, G. "The Mcdonaldization Thesis: is Expansion Inevitable?" Fordism of Ford and Modern Management: Fordism and Post-Fordism. 2 (2006): 483. Print. Ritzer, George and Stillman, Todd. "Assessing Mcdonaldization, Americanization and Globalization." (2004). Print. Ritzer, George and Malone, L. Elizabeth. "Conceptualizing the Global - Globalization Theory: Lessons from the Exportation of Mcdonaldization and the New Means of Consumption." American Studies. 41.2 (2000): 97. Print. Ritzer, George. "Münch(ing) on Mcdonald(ization) of Social Theory." Schweizerische Zeitschrift Für Soziologie, (1996): 112-132. Print. Ritzer, George. "Rethinking Globalization: Glocalization/grobalization and Something/nothing." Sociological Theory, 21.3 (2003): 193-209. Print. Ritzer, George. The Mcdonaldization of Society 6. Los Angeles, Calif: Sage, 2011. Print. Read More