Businesses in the modern world aim to achieve efficiency because it enables them to receive more profits without altering the prices of their items of services. The publication The McDonaldization of Society describes rationalization and its implications. This process inevitably affects society, and the consequences of it must be considered. This paper aims to critically evaluate the article by George Ritzer titled The McDonaldization of Society.
Firstly, it is necessary to outline the McDonaldization thesis and the main arguments presented in the article. The term McDonaldization is derived from the rational approach to all aspects of life that become increasingly important in contemporary society. The prevalence and the popularity of fast-food restaurants are not the focus of Ritzer’s article. Instead, the author uses the efficiency of work behind the idea of fast food as a model describing modern society. The irrational approach to rationalizing everything is another concern voiced by the author.
The main elements of the discussed process incorporate improvement of efficiency, predictability, prioritizing quantity, substitution, and control. Despite the criticisms of rationalization, Ritzer (1983) highlights the many benefits of rationalization. Taking the example of Mcdonald’s – the chain provides food at low costs, and the specifics of the restaurants’ operations allow serving meals faster when compared to traditional restaurants. According to Ritzer (1983), McDonaldization is a concept that describes the strive to achieve maximum effectiveness of operations. As such, it provides many benefits for society. However, as the author notes, the irrationality connected to the desire of rationalizing is the main danger of this process.
Secondly, it is necessary to discuss whether the world is becoming McDonaldized. In my opinion, Ritzer (1983) is correct, and the focus of contemporary people and businesses is on rationalizing everything. Examples include prevalent cost-cutting strategies, for instance, in the fast fashion industry that allows manufacturing products and selling them for very low prices. While this can be considered good outcomes, the underlying causes of low prices or the actual factors that allow for such rationalization are not good. As described by Hucal (2018), cheap labor, unsafe work conditions, and the use of child work is a common problem in developing countries where the majority of global brands order their items. This is the case of prioritizing quantity and failing to account for quality or sustainability, which is the irrationality of McDonaldization.
Finally, it is necessary to discuss whether the world is becoming homogenized due to McDonaldization. On the one hand, rationalization leads to the unification of many processes. As an example, McDonald’s restaurants offer the same core menu in different countries of the world. On the other hand, the restaurants appreciate the cultural specifics by incorporating the meals or ingredients prevalent in the region. The main factor is that in different parts of the world, people and their cultures, including food preferences developed independently for centuries, forming a unique set of traditions and beliefs. Hence, despite the prevalence of rationalization and the unification of some elements of life, it is not true that the world is becoming fully homogenized.
Overall, this paper discussed the article by George Ritzer titled The McDonaldization of Society. In it, the author describes the process of rationalization that enables companies to achieve maximum efficiency. While McDonaldization is not bad since it allows people to get access to many goods at affordable prices, the adverse implications of it, for example, the use of cheap labor should be considered as well.
References
Hucal, S. (2018). The hidden human cost of fast fashion. Web.
Ritzer, G. (1983). McDonaldization of society. Journal of American Culture, 6(1), 100 – 107.