5-3 McDonald’s and the Worldwide Bureaucratization of Society In his book The McDonaldization of Society, sociologist George Ritzer notes the enormous influence of a well-known fast-food organiza- tion on modern-day culture and social life. Not surprisingly, Max Weber’s five char- acteristics of bureaucracy are apparent in McDonald’s restaurants, as well as in the global corporation behind them. Food preparation and order-taking reflect a painstaking divi- sion of labor, implemented by a hierarchy of authority that stretches from the food workers up to the store operator, and ultimately to the corporate board of directors. Store operators learn McDonald’s written rules and regulations, which govern even the amount of ketchup or mustard placed on a hamburger, at McDonald’s Hamburger University. Little bonding occurs between servers and customers, creating a pervasive sense of impersonality. The empha- sis on efficiency is partly to blame for this characteristic. Because McDonald’s French fry machines lift the fries out of the hot oil auto- matically, for example, employees cannot meet a customer request for “crispy” fries. Finally, employees are expected to have specific tech- nical qualifications, although most of the skills they need to perform routine tasks can be learned in a brief training period. McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of bureaucratization have increasingly shaped organizations worldwide. Its real significance is that it is not confined to the food-service industry or to coffee shops like Starbucks. Worldwide, McDonald’s brand of predictability, efficiency, and dependence on nonhuman technology have become custom- ary in a number of services, ranging from medi- cal care to wedding planning to education. Even sporting events reflect the influence of bureaucratization. Around the world, stadiums are becoming increasingly similar, both physi- cally and in the way they present the sport to spectators. All seats offer spectators an unre- stricted view, and a big screen guarantees them access to instant replays, which fans have become accustomed to seeing at home and in sports bars. Scores, player statistics, and attendance figures are updated automatically by computer and displayed on an automated scoreboard or fed to people’s smartphones. Spectator enthusiasm is manufactured through digital displays urging applause or rhythmic chanting. And of course, the merchandising of teams’ and even players’ names and images is highly controlled. McDonald’s reliance on the five character- istics of bureaucracy is not revolutionary. What is new is the bureaucratization of services and life events that once were highly individualized, at times even spontaneous. More and more, society itself is undergoing McDonaldization. LET’S DISCUSS 1. What features of fast-food restaurants do you appreciate? Do you have any com- plaints about them? 2. Analyze life at your college using Weber’s model of bureaucracy. What elements of McDonaldization do you see? Do you wish life were less McDonaldized?
5-3 McDonald’s and the Worldwide Bureaucratization of Society In his book The McDonaldization of Society, sociologist George Ritzer notes the enormous influence of a well-known fast-food organiza- tion on modern-day culture and social life. Not surprisingly, Max Weber’s five char- acteristics of bureaucracy are apparent in McDonald’s restaurants, as well as in the global corporation behind them. Food preparation and order-taking reflect a painstaking divi- sion of labor, implemented by a hierarchy of authority that stretches from the food workers up to the store operator, and ultimately to the corporate board of directors. Store operators learn McDonald’s written rules and regulations, which govern even the amount of ketchup or mustard placed on a hamburger, at McDonald’s Hamburger University. Little bonding occurs between servers and customers, creating a pervasive sense of impersonality. The empha- sis on efficiency is partly to blame for this characteristic. Because McDonald’s French fry machines lift the fries out of the hot oil auto- matically, for example, employees cannot meet a customer request for “crispy” fries. Finally, employees are expected to have specific tech- nical qualifications, although most of the skills they need to perform routine tasks can be learned in a brief training period. McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of bureaucratization have increasingly shaped organizations worldwide. Its real significance is that it is not confined to the food-service industry or to coffee shops like Starbucks. Worldwide, McDonald’s brand of predictability, efficiency, and dependence on nonhuman technology have become custom- ary in a number of services, ranging from medi- cal care to wedding planning to education. Even sporting events reflect the influence of bureaucratization. Around the world, stadiums are becoming increasingly similar, both physi- cally and in the way they present the sport to spectators. All seats offer spectators an unre- stricted view, and a big screen guarantees them access to instant replays, which fans have become accustomed to seeing at home and in sports bars. Scores, player statistics, and attendance figures are updated automatically by computer and displayed on an automated scoreboard or fed to people’s smartphones. Spectator enthusiasm is manufactured through digital displays urging applause or rhythmic chanting. And of course, the merchandising of teams’ and even players’ names and images is highly controlled. McDonald’s reliance on the five character- istics of bureaucracy is not revolutionary. What is new is the bureaucratization of services and life events that once were highly individualized, at times even spontaneous. More and more, society itself is undergoing McDonaldization. LET’S DISCUSS 1. What features of fast-food restaurants do you appreciate? Do you have any com- plaints about them? 2. Analyze life at your college using Weber’s model of bureaucracy. What elements of McDonaldization do you see? Do you wish life were less McDonaldized?
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