What Is Mcdonaldized Society

In today's ever changing and flexible society, people have a sense of solidity and affinity. One way we do so is through what sociologist George Ritzer calls Mcdonaldization. Mcdonaldization is the process by which the principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control shape organization and decision making, in the United states and around the world. These principles, as Ritzer argued, “have been emulated by many organizations, ranging from medical care to wedding planning to education” (Witt,111). The success of Mcdonaldization, and the very well known restaurant Mcdonald's is due to the use of the components-- efficiency, calculability, predictability, control shape and decision making and irrationality of rationality.
Calculability is " ... an emphasis on the quantitative aspects of products sold (portion size, cost) and service offered (the time it takes to get the product)” (Ritzer, 9)." Through calculability, more is better and quantity is more important than quality. Ritzer emphasises that the “bigger the better”, the bigger the product is made out to be the better it seems to the consumer. For example, at Mcdonalds they are known for their Big Mac’s, with the addition of big the customer is more likely to get the product due to the “extra” amount. Another example given was simply how many student could be put into a classroom and what their grades look like, and not the quality of what they learned. Ritzer explains that everything in a society should be
According to Ritzer he states, “[people are] the great source of uncertainty, unpredictability and inefficiency in any rationalizing system…” (Ritzer, 101). What this means is, employers have better control over the rationalization process, through mechanization. For example, the job of a pilot has been completely mcdonaldized due to the fact that a computer runs the plane. Most places are now controlled by a system that has been put into place. In a mcdonaldized society, customers are also controlled by these technologies. The structural placings of the establishment also affect the customer to follow and act in an orderly way due to the norms of the restuarants. Although these technologies make things easier, they're also a step back for humans. They have a higher control, and as they become more advanced the need for workers declines. Essentially we are too become more dependent on not only technology, but the things mcdonaldization