McDonald's Organizational Structure and Response to Environmental Challenges
The first McDonald’s opened in 1955, in Des Plaines, Illinois. The organization has maintained a history of steady improvement and consistency within its organizational efficiency and products from its inception. McDonald’s invests greatly in their training program to ensure that employees properly perform their assigned duties according to prescribed best practices. The company continues to receive prestigious awards for their leading-edge training, including the “Employer of Choice Award” from the Restaurant Business Magazine (Restaurant Management, 2004; Early et al., 2004). McDonald’s fits the paradigm of a rational organization
From the standpoint of the rational system paradigm, the behavior of organizations and their participants are viewed as actions performed by purposeful and coordinated agents (Scott & Davis, 2007). Rational systems theory is generally viewed as a closed system (Ashmos & Huber, 1987); however, to deal with environmental changes the organization sets new tactical goals to satisfy the organization’s strategic goals (Jones, 2010). The language employed connotes…knowledge, efficiency, optimization, implementation, and design occurs frequently (Scott & Davis, 2007, p. 36).
The goals of McDonald’s remain consistent with the characteristics of most formalized organizational structures. The specific tactics to adapt to new environments change; however, the organization leverages its hierarchical structure to motivate its employees and influences change to adapt to increasing complexities (“McDonald’s USA”, 2001). The formal hierarchical structure of McDonald’s supports its ability to adapt quickly by providing clarity of roles, streamline decision-making, and coordinating activities despite of any existing individualities within its workforce (Mooney, 1937). McDonald’s