Book Report On The Macdonaldization Of Society

Book Report On The Macdonaldization Of Society

            Ritzer defines McDonaldization as a set of procedures by which the tenets of fast-food restaurants are tending to take control or to dominate many sectors in American society and also the world as a whole. Ritzer develops this concept from rationality or bureaucracy, which is the concept of the theory developed by Weber who was using the model to show the direction being adopted by the fast-changing society. In Weber’s rationalization, the traditional thinking modes are being replaced by a formal formalized and efficient ends analysis. In a bureaucracy, an official organization is being made up of an authority whose structure is hierarchical, made up of labor division and also a set of rules and regulations, as well as encompassing technical competence. In simple terms, McDonaldization can be argued to refer to the situation when a particular society takes up the characteristics reflecting those of a fast-food restaurant. Ritzer views the fast food restaurant represents modern theory or thought pattern.

Ritzer explains different areas where the McDonalds model is taking place. Examples include the Red Lobster restaurant which has a McDonald model in its systems. Further, some countries which have had the model in its chains include Canada, especially Tim Horton.IKEA represents an example which serves to show areas where furniture has been McDonalized.According to Thomas Friedman, and McDonald’s seems to a peace symbol globally. Ritzer gives an insight into the McDonaldization dimensions or aspects which are: calculability, efficiency, control over customers and predictability. They are the main reasons for McDonaldization. Ritzer further explains the McDonaldization process, criticizing the labor process and its degree of McDonaldization, the relationship and the Americanization and globalization processes and also the credit card.

Efficiency is the method that one uses to accomplish a specific task, or as Ritzer puts it, “moving from being hungry to the full”. Generally, this component is geared towards minimizing the time used in the achievement of a task. Control is encompassed with the task of creating a uniform and standardized set of employees, while also taking into consideration the replacement of human labor by the non-human technologies which might include robots. Further, the control of employees is evident in their manner of dressing and also the way they act in their activities and even manuals which are distributed to the employees detailing their do’s in their tasks, and there don’ts. The Author gives a good example where there is control as Disney Theme Park. Calculability is mainly quantifiable in terms, as in the case of sales and not generally subjective as in the matter of taste or preference. According to Ritzer, McDonaldization argues that the delivery of large quantities of products to customers within limited time duration equals the high quality of the product. Generally, organizations aim is for customers to get a large amount for a lower cost. The workers in the organizations are defined by fastness of a task and not the quality of their produce. Predictability goes by the assumption of standardization of products and services, implying that no matter the place, one gets a similar service when keeping in contact with the McDonald organizations. The same standardization applies to workers whose tasks are predictable, repetitive and routine.

In chapter two, which is titled, Ritzer further outlines irrationality of rationality as also a component of McDonaldization. He argues that the essential humanity of systems is denied by intelligent systems which are unreasonable. He explains that despite the numerous advantages of bureaucracy, it is affected by the irrationality of rationality component. Sometimes, the administration or bureaucracy is like a fast-food restaurant which is dehumanizing to work at and also to be served. It acts as a setting when human beings cannot freely behave in the social aspect.

Further, the component of the irrationality of rationality may risk the effect of inconsistencies, where fast foods no longer become fast but are made up of long lines which are defined by taste and not sales. Ritzer also suggests that, beyond the dehumanizing effect of this component, there is the emergence of irrationalities which include red tape masses which are not efficient, low quality work which occurs as a result of over quantification, and also unpredictability due to employee’s uncertainty on the tasks they are supposed to undertake. Besides, another irrationality emerging might be the loss of control.

In de-McDonaldization, Ritzer explains how different organizations have been working towards disallowing McDonaldization rationalism. The organization’s efforts are however focused on the attendance of good quality and not rather a large quantity. Furthermore, efforts are also turned to the enjoyment that comes with an unpredictable service or a product and even the recruitment of workers who are qualified and skilled without being controlled by any external forces. Also, in nation-states, protests have been a significant figure whose sole purpose is to slow down the McDonaldization process, while also ensuring their localization is under protection. Further, the protests are too focused on the protection of traditional values.

Ritzer uses some local case studies which explain how the model adjusts to the local cultural preferences within the society. The result of this adjustment majorly is on the original product of McDonald, which is its diminution. Ritzier suggests that more adaptation of companies or organizations to the local conditions appeals more to the fact that scientific calculations that are of the specific American product are at the risk of being lost. He sums the chapter by saying that McDonald’s is one of the contributing factors to globalization.

As explained by Ritzer, the iron cage irrationality a concept drawn from Weber who uses it to demonstrate an increase in rationalization especially in the Western capitalist’s societies. He describes it as the trapping of individuals into systems that are purely based on the components of McDonaldization.

Examples of McDonaldization which are outlined by Ritzer might include junk food news which is news that is not offensive and is trivial.McUniversities is also another example due to its curricula which is generally modulized and also its fastness in degree deliverance hence satisfaction of all the parties. Through a great form of advertisement, disguisement of the unique product is achievable.

On the reach of McDonaldization, Ritzer argues that this model was mainly found and restricted to the fast-food restaurants only. A supermarket, which has developed into hypermarkets markets initially used to be a corner store. However, due to its growth and the model of McDonaldization, it is currently a representative of this model in the current society. Other examples where McDonaldization has had an impact on their growth and development include the world of health care and also entertainment, Disneyland and even video shop chains. Other sectors include the leisure, dieting and the travel sector. Besides, other advancements of McDonaldization are recognizable from the press, uniquely America’s global newspaper named the “USA today” and also the higher education sector in the country.

Considering the advantages of McDonaldization, industry standardization has led to a significant improvement in the aspect of electronic data distribution and also communication. The uniformity can be attributed to McDonaldization’s impact on the task of replacing human labor with non-human technology. Due to this, organizations can control their users due to the extra-layer or class added by McDonaldization to their operating systems. The McDonaldized society is evident on the growing importance of the internet to the community due to the availability of a lot of information on the websites and also quick and easy access to the information available.

In the education sector, the McDonaldization phenomenon is evident in the similarity of classrooms in terms of its size, pedagogy and also the layout between America and Peru. McDonaldization of education, however, might have a disadvantage because it does not contribute or enhance the promotion of creativity and also inquiry. Due to this, the McDonald education sector may fail in producing creative and too critical thinkers. Considering each component of McDonaldization in the education sector, efficiency is useful in grading the student’s exams using the computer. Calculability is applied in the calculation of grades and averages which measure student’s performance over a duration of time. On predictability, it is possible to find similar courses in different universities and also identical requirements for their availability. On control, a course offered in the colleges or universities need to meet specific requirements, and they have a similar set of guidelines.

Ritzer compares McDonald’s to Wal-Mart. McDonald’s stock is suggested to be in the increase since the beginning of the 2015 fiscal year. However, McDonald’s stock is thought to inflate the prices of the capital due to its purchases.in the performance comparison, Ritzer argues that Wal-Mart’s earlier struggles can be compared to the struggles also faced by the McDonald’s. However, due to modernization, supply chains are claimed to have collapsed due to the movement of customers into the aspect of E-commerce.

In the last chapter, chapter seven, Ritzer presents out the new consumption means which include the shopping malls (supermarkets and hypermarkets), cyber malls, fast food restaurants and also the credit cards. Further, the author introduces us to the McDisneyization aspect while explaining the role played by Disney in the tourism sector. Educational consumption is also discussed in this chapter, giving examples of the universities or a higher institution where McDonaldization has had an impact. An example given is McUniversities.

In the author analysis of the book, the author’s thesis is to establish whether the McDonaldization of the society has also standardized the consumer experience and whether expansion is inevitable. The author tends to explain whether the spread of rationalization or rather McDonaldization is inexorable. The concept in the book is examined in two different ways, both temporarily and also spatially. Temporary, the growth is explained in the expansion of McDonaldization on the entire life course and beyond. Spatially, the idea of the spread and distribution of the McDonaldization globally, which is having its origin in the USA is explained. However, evidence of expansion does not necessarily imply that growth is inevitable. Besides, there are social developments which can serve as evidence of the globalization of the concept of McDonaldization.

Generally, the Author’s thesis is evident in modern society. Supporting the author’s thesis, society is becoming more past faced and also efficient in their tasks or operations. McDonaldization has helped modernize the production systems of different organizations through the introduction of non-human technologies which help ease the responsibility and burden on employees. Further, in almost every country, one can see McDonald’s, whereby companies are using the concept to penetrate new markets hence making up more sales. Also, fast food restaurants are becoming more dominant in modern society, an implication of the globalization of this concept. McDonaldization has changed the world by making it a consumer society where people spend a lot. The idea has influenced the community in the manner that the society has imposed standards which one has to follow, citing as control, which is an element of McDonaldization. Considering health care, in the past, it had nature which was simple. However, modern health care is composed of the four elements of McDonaldization in its systems, and this shows how McDonaldization has profoundly impacted the sector. The concept of McDonaldization can be helpful to an entrepreneur who aspires to develop a business model which can be sustainable in the capitalist economic system. Because consumers want the fastest, largest and also the best products, the idea of McDonaldization comes into practice.

In conclusion, the idea of McDonaldization is evident in modern society as implied by Ritzer. The concept of McDonaldization now characterizes consumer experience in society. The revolutionary system that is characterized by changes in different aspects of social life today is evidence of the future changes that are to come as a result of McDonaldization.