Mcdonaldization of the Society

McDonaldization It is safe to say that nearly every person in American from the age of a child can identify the gold arches peeking from highways across the country. McDonald’s has established itself as the king of retailing and the Mecca of guilty-pleasures. McDonaldization is the concept founded by George Ritzer that compares modern American society to the fast-food establishment McDonalds. McDonalds, the pioneer of the fast food industry, is known for consistency in service and product across the board. Such precedence is supported by the structure of operation based on four main components. Components of McDonaldization The four main components of McDonaldization are efficiency, calculability, predictability and control (Ritzer). Efficiency refers to the most methodical means of achieving an outcome based on product and cost effectiveness. Efficiency is evident in McDonalds’ structure as the processes have been so structured and devised to reduce product time and cost. Calculability is the ability to evaluate a process based on quantifiable measurements. The increase of technology has been a large driver in allowing companies (and individuals) to easily calculate results. This increase has fueled the shift of value from quality to quantity (Ritzer). Predictability is the expectation of service and product to remain consistent from one venue to another. McDonald’s ensures it’s product, service time, offering and venue are consistent whether a consumer is in Florida or Utah. The final component, control, describes a need to be able to manipulate surroundings. In McDonalds chains there is a recognizable hierarchy of power, which keeps control throughout the divisions of the company. In modern society, the most straightforward way of implementing control is through the integration of nonhuman technology. When human-driven tasks are replaced by robotic technology the processes, already defined, are more readily monitored and handled. While

Cited: Ritzer, George. 2011. The McDonaldization of Society 6. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press: SAGE, Inc.