McDonalds Influence over the World - Essay Example

McDonald’s Influence over the World Fast. Fast. Fast. Everything nowadays should be fast and efficient- from food services to high-speed Internet, from education to travel, from the criminal justice system to health care services. Society has craved for efficiency over the decades leading to the fast-paced lifestyle that modern man has come to know in many societies all over the globe. Not only is modern man obsessed with efficiency in practically all structures of the social system but a want for bigger things or for more benefits- bigger serving size, bigger houses, more insurance coverage, more gas mileage, etc has risen. The concept of “bigger is better” and “get more pay less” is set in the minds of many. Systems have been set-up by numerous companies to gain the efficiency and quantity that their customers need, and they have established such efficiency and quantity through calculated actions and control. One company that has mastered efficiency and possibly started the idea that bigger is better is McDonalds. McDonalds has taken the world not only with the tens and thousands of McDonalds’ franchises that are in major cities and towns in hundreds of countries all over the world, but with its business principles, system and organization. McDonalds has set the bar for globalizing a company through franchises, for penetrating a local community, for providing efficient services, and the notion of bigger meals with its Big Mac and the infamous Super Size option. It has contributed to the growth of capitalism and is sometimes criticized for the influences it has set upon popular culture and the lifestyle of local communities all over the world, which some say to be irrational. I will not discuss in this paper McDonalds the corporation and how it came to be, rather I will discuss the principles that McDonalds has spread; the way in which McDonalds influenced capitalism and popular culture; and lastly, the negative effects of McDonaldization in a community. McPrinciples So strong is McDonalds that it has influenced society and certain principles have already been identified with the processes of the so called global McDonaldization- the term coined by American sociologist George Ritzer (2004) that describes a sociological phenomenon where “society takes on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant” where processes are more efficient and fast-paced. It did not essentially start with McDonalds the company but it started with Henry Ford, when he started the assembly line form of production to change the way how many automobiles could be produced in an efficient way (McDonaldization, 2000). It was McDonalds however that popularized and somewhat perfected Ford’s vision at a global scale and in the food industry through several principles such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and increased control. Efficiency is a key feature in the McDonaldization of society. A certain task is identified and broken down into smaller tasks until the single most efficient method for completing each task is identified, while the other tasks deemed inefficient are discarded (ibid). The optimal method for accomplishing a task is done through efficiency; this is the fastest way of completing a task hence McDonaldization is about minimization of time in every aspect of the organization (Ritzer, 2004). It all equates to the fastest method from getting from point A to point B such as in a McDonalds chain- from the fast order-taking to the fast relay of the order to the fast-way of cooking to the fast payment up until to the fast service of the food, and even down to the fast stay inside the restaurant. Efficiency leads to a pressure for increased calculability or the emphasis on quantity rather than quality (Zayani, 1997). The more efficient you are, the more you will produce- quicker is better. Also, the idea of bigger is better falls under this McDonaldization principle, but not always (Ritzer, 2004). Quantity is preferred over quality- bigger cars, bigger burgers, bigger soda drinks. Everything is calculated and quantified, even human behavior can be calculated and hence predicted- which is the third principle. Predictability is achieved since things can be calculated, and it refers to an attempt to structure the organization and even society in such a way that surprise and differences do not occur (Keel, 2007). This is when things are standardized and services are uniform, and in the case of the workers their tasks are highly repetitive, routine, and well…predictable (Ritzer, 2004). No matter the branch you or country you are in, the service and product you would be receiving is basically the same (ibid). For things to be predictable there has to be control and control is important in McDonaldization. Control is achieved by standardization in employees, and by replacement of human capabilities with non-human technology (Keel, 2007). According to Ritzer (2004), “replacement of human by non-human technology is often oriented towards greater control” since for him people are the source of uncertainty and unpredictability that is why the human element is eliminated in some of the processes. Everything is already pre-packaged, pre-measured, and automatically controlled so we don’t have to think that much anymore; we are becoming dependent upon and subordinated to the machine (Keel, 2007). These principles are governed by Weber’s theory of formal rationality, where individuals rely heavily on pre-determined rules, procedures and larger social structures in choosing methods to reach their ends. Ritzer (2004) says that a McDonalized society is where “people rarely search for the best means to an end on their own. Rather, the previously discovered best possible means to innumerable ends have been institutionalized in a variety of social settings.” We can make our salads the way we want them in a salad bar; microwaves make it easier for us to heat and prepare food; high-tech hospitals provide higher quality of medical care; automated bank teller machines allow us to access money any time; and packaged vacation tours allow us to go to countries we would be apprehensive about because of the individual travel experience (ibid). Formal rationality is the concept behind McDonaldization. Ford’s assembly line led to Fordism which rationalized industrial processes, “McDonaldization rationalizes social interactions” (Smart, 1999). It applied the partially assembly-line concept of Ford – the automated factory system – to the provision of services that involve interactions between customers/clients/consumers and service providers (ibid). A fixed formula has been imposed on the provisions of the services in McDonalds such as the food preparations down to the service and dining. “Service is done by automated technologies and the rest is governed by a rigid set of rules that are executed by a de-skilled workforce. Consumers and clients are controlled as much as possible by rules and human engineering” (ibid) such as the colors of the walls, the uncomfortable seats inside McDonalds and other fast-food restaurants, which encourage an eat-and-go attitude. McInfluence The rationality of McDonaldization has led other companies and institutions to be McDonaldized. Its operating procedures that has been “adopted and employed in the production of its fast-food exemplify a form of economic organization which is increasingly evident in the delivery of a wider range of goods and services” (Smart, 1999). Burger King, Wendy’s, Pizza Hut, Chili’s, Outback Steakhouse and Starbucks among many restaurant chains have used the principles of McDonaldization in their expansion all over the world (Ritzer, 2004). Fitness clubs of different countries such as Bally’s, Fitness First, Gold’s Gym have done the same; Toys “R” Us even said they want to be thought of as the McDonalds of toys; retail outlets such as the United States’ Gap, Spain’s Zara, Britain’s H&M and Top Shop, and the British cosmetic store The Body Shop have applied the same processes of other McDonaldized institutions in their expansion. Our very own Tim Hortons with its chain of coffee shops is also a McDonaldized institution with its 2,200 outlets, 160 of which are in the US (ibid). Max Weber’s theory of domination explains why McDonaldization has thrived and influenced popular culture and the growth of capitalism. In the theory of domination people are said to be expected to obey commands issued by their dominators and they themselves decide to obey orders thus acceding to routine domination (Hayes, 1994) and this is seen in the processes of McDonaldization where the employees are standardized and subjected to control in the tasks that they do. Domination is when “the individual’s goals and purposes, and the means of striving for and attaining them are prescribed to him and performed by him as something prescribed” (ibid), which is the case of employees in a McDonaldized institution- their goal is to produce more and be more efficient so they ascribe to the processes given upon them. Employees at the bottom and/or front lines of corporations are not required to think so much (Keel, 2007); they just have to follow the instructions to be able to do their jobs. In supermarkets, checkers just have to scan the barcode; airline crew has to look and serve with how they are trained; baristas just have to prepare a drink through their coffee machines. This domination is interconnected with the concept of formal rationality I have mentioned earlier. These formal rationalities seen in the principles of McDonaldization were born out of bureaucracies, which are the epitome of modern social organizations for Weber (Lippman & Aldrich, 2003). These bureaucracies highlight six dimensions that are used in McDonaldization: fixed offices, hierarchy, documentation, credentials and training, hardening of tasks into occupations, and universal standards (ibid). Tasks are broken down for efficiency to occur, and documentations are needed in each step of the way even in calculations. These standards and processes would all fall into Weber’s rationality. This rationality, also according to Weber, articulated with capitalism and spread “to other areas of existence such as education and training, and art and music,” not just with corporations and the government (Smart, 1999). Our educational institutions want to breed a specific type of student which is unique to their university; our hospitals have bureaucratic processes that are similar with the government – the forms that have to be filled out, the paper work needed to be done, etc. The dominating effect of McDonalds has supported not just capitalism but globalization as well, since capitalism is also linked with globalization given the want of giant corporations for a bigger market and more revenue. With the different nations working together and different cultures spreading, so have the corporations in different countries. To gain more revenue, companies such as McDonalds have tapped into markets outside of their home country and expanded. This expansion not only expanded the company and its products but also the culture which it represents. Companies which have taken on globalization aside from McDonalds include Coca-Cola, Nike, H&M, and many more. These global corporations provide what we need and will still provide them in the future; they compete to expand the market for the goods and services, which are standardized all throughout the world (Smart, 1999). McDonaldization is seen as a set of tendencies that “take part of an overriding trend toward the rationalization, modernization and globalization of social life at large” (ibid). The early start of globalization may have also contributed to McDonaldization since it opened the door for McDonalds to expand to one country, and to another, and another, and until it conquered the world. Trade led to the opening of doors of various countries, and foreign investments even invited in more people. Capitalists wanted to maximize this by building their brand in numerous countries so that they can have the highest income possible in a very huge market. For them to build their presence in other countries, franchises to other countries was a cheaper way to go and McDonalds was the first to do this, and this built their global empire, which others followed in. Hence, McDonaldization and globalization is a two-way system. Popular culture has also been influenced by McDonaldization since McDonalds has become the “model for rationalization” (ibid). TV dinners have now been joined and sometimes superseded by microwavable dinners; camping has been McDonaldized by development of “country-club campgrounds” and by the use of modern campers; movies are more predictable and even have sequels (Ritzer, 2004). Benefits from this McDonaldization abound such as world-wide standards for goods and uniform quality has been set up; there are more economical alternatives in some customized goods and services; quantification has made it easier for consumers to compare competing products; dependence on geographical location or time for availability of goods and services has lessened; MySpace, text messaging, e-mails, online dating and/or gaming has emerged; people are treated more similarly- there cannot be any discrimination; popular products of one culture are easily disseminated to others (ibid) - sushi anyone? Even education has been McDonaldized with the standards on the quality of education and the way programs are created; even colleges in Canada are subjected to the globalization processes with scholarships and recruitments focusing on the Asian, South American or European market- depending on the current economy of each region (Levin, 1999). McEffect The rationality behind McDonaldization has consequences which are somewhat irrational for Ritzer (2004); thus, the label of irrationality of rationality, which is “the overarching label for all the negative aspects and effects of McDonaldization...That is, McDonaldization can be viewed as leading to inefficiency, unpredictability, incalculability, and loss of control” (ibid). The long lines, the lower nutritional value of the food we eat, and the loss of family communal meals among other reasons (Keel, 2007). The microwave oven and the wide array of microwavable food products have led to the slow death of family meals (Ritzer, 2004). The rationality of Weber has “spawn(ed) a series of irrationalities that serve to limit, ultimately compromise, and perhaps even defeat, their rationality” (ibid). Ritzer says this because of the dehumanizing effect of the systems and processes in McDonaldization since some employees are like robots with the tasks that they perform; there is impersonal contact in a McDonalized institution. People become easily replaceable because they can be quickly and cheaply trained, and with machines and technology a workforce can have “minimum abilities possible to complete simple focused tasks” (McDonaldization, 2000). In some cases we are already being endangered; high-fat, sugar, and cholesterol in fast-food has led to overweight and obesity problems in some developed countries such as the United States; restaurants contribute in the creation of eating habits of children that may harm their health at a later stage in life (ibid). Ritzer (2004) has come to say that McDonaldization has come to be a set of menacing and probably inescapable tendencies toward de-humanization. With the trend of companies leaning towards to be an impersonally configured social organization, the ubiquity of the McDonaldization’s standardized processes of commercialization in areas which should not be impersonal, which include health care, child care, higher education or sexual conducts. The wide use of technologies, which have been an aid and at the same time in part a result of McDonaldization, is an expression of alienation and the loss of personal relations (Smart, 1999). Another effect is the impingement of creative ideas and operations from the workforce, especially those at the front line. In a McDonaldized organization, everything is done in order to “subdivide, standardize and control the labour processes, also within the sphere of services performed for individuals” (ibid). Capitalism was suppose to enormously depend on creative ideas and operations but with standardization of tasks to be performed, there is no room for such anymore, especially for operations that are suppose to be catered to the personal needs of the customer. McDonaldization has also led to the death of small to medium enterprises, especially local community stores. The giants kill the small time players when they enter a small community. Mom-and-pop groceries are still there; however, supermarket giants are a tough competition. In some locations, bed-and-breakfast inns are killed by McHotels and motels (ibid). McDonaldization has also led to environmental problems. The fast food industry “produces an enormous amount of trash, some of which is non-biodegradable” (ibid) and McDonalds produces tons and tons of wastes everyday in every country all over the world, and its processes create environmental hazards and wastes, particularly with their use of Styrofoam and plastic. That’s just McDonald’s alone, what more the other McDonaldized industries. Consumerism in the McDonaldized society has led to trash and pollution on both sides of the stream. Some factories needed to produce technologies, products, etc pollute the environment, and consumers who keep buying throw their old things away; disposable wares are also preferred in households because of the efficiency they provide. Conclusion McDonaldization is similar to the concept of Ford’s general assembly line wherein rationality was used. Both have influenced societies across the world because of the rationality they provided in their system. Fordism rationalizes industrial processes while McDonaldization rationalizes human processes and services. McDonaldization was applicable to more industries particularly because of the standard processes for the employees, as well as the clients/consumers, and its processes gave support to the growing capitalistic nature of countries all over. The rationalization in the processes of McDonaldization are seen in the principles that it exemplifies, which are efficiency, calculability, predictability and control. Efficiency brings in the optimal output, calculability goes hand in hand with predictability since everything can be calculated and hence predicted in the future, thus there can be control since everything is already standardized. This is McDonaldization which supported the concept of globalization. The early start of globalization also helped ignite McDonaldization because it paved the way for McDonald’s to expand to other countries through franchises, which other corporations followed suit. Globalization may have also led to McDonaldization since there is already a window of opportunity to franchise the company outside the United States and bring it to other countries in order to maximize profit. Other multi-national companies patterned their selves in one way or another with McDonalds, which the global economy has benefited from. The positive effects of McDonaldization are there such as receiving the same kind of efficiency and standardized quality and services wherever you are in the world, however there is an irrationality that has came about since the rationality behind McDonaldization has produced inefficiencies, dehumanization in both the service to the customers and to the actual workforce, and negative health and environmental hazards to the communities. Bibliography Hayes, M. D. (1994). Chapter three: Domination and critical theory. Retrieved June 2, 2008, from http://www.dovenetq.net.au/~mahayes/Thesis/7aPt1Ch3CritTheory.html Keel, R. O. (2007). The McDonaldization of society: Introduction to sociology. Retrieved June 2, 2008, from http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/010/mcdonsoc.html Levin, J.S. (1999). 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