Mcdonaldization Case Study

Decent Essays
1. What does George Ritzer mean by McDonaldization?
McDonaldization, as George Ritzer (1998) would describe it, involves principles that are incorporated into modern society. George Ritzer (1998) explains that these principles are efficiency, uniformity, predictability, and control. The reason this concept is called McDonaldization, is due to the fact that the Mcdonalds restaurant has been quite successful and commercialized today. It’s taken over how we live our lives currently through these principles. This is because restaurants and many other establishments are taking characteristics from fast food restaurants, such as McDonalds, and they’re incorporating these principles in their services. McDonaldization primarily does affect how work
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The principles do contribute well into the concept of McDonaldization through these Mcjobs. Efficiency has a great deal of order and dependability (Ritzer, 1998). An example from the textbook, Essentials of Sociology by James Henslin (2014), mentioned that whether you go to a different country and get McDonalds; it’ll taste the same. In the article, it mentioned that employees need to be efficient in their work. Predictability shows how our actions are the same and can be quite repetitive. Employees generally have to repeat their actions every day when working in these restaurants. Control involves McDonaldization taking control over the employees and customers. Lastly, uniformity in Mcjobs have too many difficulties in supply (Ritzer, 1998). Overall, McDonaldization has taken over the work society through these principles that are …show more content…
Most jobs that are done by employees are now being done by customers (Ritzer, 1998). The article mentions two examples involving customers getting their own gas for their car, and going to the atm to make a withdrawal. Before, an employee would fill your car up with gas, or a bank teller will pull out the money you need (Ritzer, 1998). But due to Mcdonaldization, the customers are doing the jobs on their own without any pay. The reason the organizations are using customers is due to the fact that they don’t have to pay them a single penny. Since customers are so unaware of this, they are unconsciously going back these places to get what they need and not realizing that they’re being influenced by McDonaldization (Ritzer, 1998).
3. Why does McDonaldization seem to appeal to many people? Do you think this process is good for society as whole or harmful?

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