Mcdolnization as the Conceptualization of Modern Fast Food - Case Study Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxx Title : Management and society Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Management and society Due to the evolution of the modern society, a lot of changes have taken place which is inevitable. The society has changed from being rigid to being so flexible in terms that one has to embrace changes that seem to take place so rapidly. In this case, Mcdolninazation model has been employed to relate on the up to date societal culture. On the centrally is the Weber’s ideal bureaucratic model which is in complacent to change due to its hierchial procedures. However both models are at times similar though their views are sometimes conflicting Thus Mcdolnization is the conceptualization of the modern fast food outlets or restaurants to try and explain on the contemporary society settings. These food outlets are highly technologically advanced thereby offering very fast services as the name suggests (Henslin 2007). As for the current society, life is on heels due to technology. For instance there is the use of the internet that makes one access anyone within the globe as fast as possible without any change in geographical location via emails and face book. Thus the world becomes human friendly and a global village at the same time. This correlates well with the fast food outlets since they are consumer friendly in terms of their services being within consumer’s reach and food being ever ready (Kendall 2008). While Weber’s ideal beau racy model seems to be more or less rigid in that the society is viewed as to adapt to revolution gradually, the current society requires one to alter his or her lifestyle on daily basis. Lack of modification renders one “unfit” for the fast growing society. For example in pre- modern times, mothers were baby sitters. However nowadays, due to high cost of living mothers are also in the job market to earn a living. This calls them to use micro waves in their food preparation and cooking so as to save kitchen time. In the former, microwaves were not seen as ideal sine time salvage was not an issue. Still, mothers in the post modern era opt for packed foods .This was not the case way before as fresh food was highly valued than is ready to eat foods. The fast food restraints provide services that are uniform in that one can get similar food item in a different geographical coverage. This goes well with consumers psychologically as they feel secure due to the predictability of life. In the same way the post modern society has become so advanced such that one can carry out fiscal transactions anywhere and in any time. This has been made possible by the use of ATMs. As a result one can go about his activities un-interfered with and life becomes more bearable. As for the workers in these fast food outlets their work is predetermined whereby one is aware of his or her duty (Henslin 2007). This means everything is routine. This has been reflected in the modern society whereby many organizations are programmed in set order such that one is aware of his role in an organization. Here one finds an inter play of both theories whereby their ideas intermarry since both embrace control. As a result there is monotony which eventually leads to boredom. Clothing also is uniform in most sectors which makes ones life to routine thus less adventurous. As the present society becomes more and more sophisticated, more of scientific resource is employed in regard to human manpower. This poses a risk whereby many people are rendered jobless or retrenched due to replacement of human resource by non human power. In connection to this the airlines, shopping malls amongst others are having advanced automated machines. This renders cabin crews and mall attendants respectively almost irrelevant. Most of their chores rotate around set instructions like ‘press a button’. Consequently there is no continuity due to displacement rather than replacement in the systems at stake. The current society has placed a lot of emphasis on capitalism, individualism rather than the former traditions. In this breath, family gatherings and get together are becoming extinct due to high mobility of persons. This makes family meetings almost impossible as each individual is in pursuit of his or her endeavors. Still as one goes around his or her daily activities one can have a meal where it is convenient for him or her. The food is readily available in labeled packages. Most of the food is under preservatives which is a detriment to people’s health. The society becomes exposed to health hazards like cancer and his blood pressure due to salt and chemicals involved. Similarly, the food is of low nutritional value. Nevertheless, the society has become enriched with cultural diversity (Taylor 2006). The market is looking for a way to cater for consumers needs as they maximize on their profits due to capitalism nature of the society. One of the greatest needs of the post modern man is time redemption. The service and product givers have a mechanism of selling their products without price tags which are made available as one makes payment or after consumption in terms of pay bills. This is seen in phone bills, supermarkets among others. Incase one does not have money at hand, credit facilities are offered. At the end of the day consumers dig dipper into their pockets hence pay more than necessary. Still they are unable to plan on their budgets though their life becomes manageable as they never totally lack what they want. On the other side the manufacturers maximize on their returns (Ritzer 2007). Mcdonaldism that is fast food restraints offer foods that is tantamount to ones pocket. This idea has been borrowed whereby similar goods are packed in packages of different weights. Different sizes of package favor consumers in that one can purchase for what he or she can easily afford. As a result efficiency has been achieved whereby there are limited goods that go unsold or overdue shelf life due to missing on the targeted consumers (Taylor 2006). As for the fashion and designer markets, they have ensured that the future of their clients is well secured by ensuring that they keep up dating their current trends before the current one shrinks off the market. The media and entertainment industry does the same by ensuring that their consumers never go without product. This predictability makes them reliable by their consumers. The virtue has been stressed by Ritzer whereby he argues that fast food outlets sell same foods every day, all year round and in all places. Due to high technology as well as ever escalating needs, distance learning is being referred to classroom learning (Smart 2004). The later is more effective in that there is the interactive aspect between the teacher and the learner. Still, it is less costly compared to distance learning. The quality of education becomes diluted yet one is heavily charged. On the other side distance learning is more applicable to career persons though they end up coughing more money due to online modules or books involved. However, Weber’s ideal bureaucracy seems to be applicable since it states that the society is reluctant to change. As seen in the education sector, education is readily accessible to the financially empowered individuals. At the end of the day, this ensures that only the well able climb the ladder of success thus maintaining ones status quo within the social set up (Allan 2009). As the current culture become highly mobile, different people are living in localities far from their native ecology. This means there is borrowed culture, intermarriage and dilution of ones cultural systems due to human interaction. There is erosion of ones original culture as communities assimilate others. Mcdolnadism model gives room for such as these compared to bureaucratic system that has tighter and well formulated rules. As in the case of modern management the structures are moderated in that one has to strife to fit in them. This does not leave room for questioning or critical analysis. This is because any change implemented will have to affect the entire organization as they are chain like connected. In case of any change the decision has to be discussed at length however sensible it may be before being implemented. This is due to the hierchial procedures in many organizations. As a result people become less rational (Wynyard 2007). In most organizations, they have fixed working hours mostly eight hours. One is paid in response to days or hours worked. Salaries rarely are they calculated dependent on ones productivity apart from those who work on commission. The same principle is employed on fast food restraints whereby they give quantity instead of quality as they are aware of how most of human mind is framed (Patricia 2006). On irrationality upon the high expanding society on packed foods are the wrappings which are environment unfriendly unlike the pre modern lifestyle. Some are non bio degradable thus polluting the environment. Also children become accustomed to such foods. Cookery skills and healthy eating habits are compromised as they become slaves of these unhealthy junks. Still family togetherness and sharing slowly wanes as there is no time of feeding together after ones day time errands. As a result children never get inculcated with fundamental moral values. Consequently the society’s moral fiber gets eroded (Ritzer 2005). As for the conveniences of ATMs and the 24 hour running shopping centers one ends up over spending since of their availability. These are some of the setbacks of the in progress Mcdolnadism in our present society. There is also health institution whereby also has been done on drug and food supplements through research. While this absolutely an excellent idea, consumers end up paying damn expensive to cater for the development phases that the drug went through. This applies to the food industry where one is unconsciously charged for packaging, preservation among others (Tyrone 2005). In conclusion both models are applicable though McDonald’s has refined on Weber’s theory since it is more liberal thus more applicable in this ever evolving society (Wynyard 2007). Bibliography Allan, K., 2009, Explorations in Classical Sociological Theory: Seeing the Social World, SAGE Publications, New York. Kendall, D., 2008, Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Cengage Learning, Detroit. Patricia, H., 2006, Communication for business and the professions, Waveland Press, Indiana. Henslin, J., 2007, Sociology: A Down-to-earth Approach, Allyn & Bacon, New York. Tyrone, P., 2005, Managing and organizations: an introduction to theory and practice, SAGE, New York. Taylor, F., 2006, Sociology: the essentials, Cengage Learning, Detroit. Ritzer, G., 2007, Modern sociological theory, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, California Ritzer, G., 2005, Encyclopedia of social theory, Volume 1, Allyn & Bacon, Michigan. Smart, B., 2004, Resisting McDonaldization, Sage, London. Wynyard, R., 2007, The Mcdonaldization of Higher Education, IAP, Los Angeles. Read More