The Effects of the McDonaldization of Society Essay

Introduction

McDonaldizaion is a principle that has been defined by George Ritzer to describe the situation of the society in the current world. This is done in relation to the quick procedures that are being applied by various sectors to ensure that their products delivered in the fastest means possible. George Ritzer compiled this basing on the theory of rationalization by Max Weber. The modern society has been considered to be in need of faster and quicker services which have made companies to adapt a similar trend (Ritzer, 38). Ritzer looks at McDonaldizaion both in the positive and negative way. As much as companies are using a similar trend to attract customers in all corners of the world, it has certain impacts that are impacting negatively on the society. In his book, he has identified areas in which the society is, likely to benefit and those in which it is likely to loose. His concluding remark is simply to advice the society to strike a balance and not compromise on the morals of the society in the name of desiring high output. In this paper we critically look at the concept in relation to George Ritzer’s view point.

Positive implications on McDonaldizaion

The positive impacts of McDonaldizaion as described by George Ritzer are summarized in four concepts namely; Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability and Control. In efficiency, Ritzer observes that it is the fastest way that can ensure that clients get what they need. In relation to the famous fast foods, Ritzer observes the manner in which the foods are prepared very fast and yet they grant an immediate satisfaction to the clients. There is a faster way that is being used to ensure that the foods are delivered to their customers on demand. This hence means that people are looking for faster ways of ensuring that their needs have been made. Nobody is willing to take the longer route, but just the easiest and fastest. In calculability, it has been assumed that quality equals quantity. This gives people a chance to effectively measure on what they will gain and the time taken to accomplish a thing. It has affected organizations in that they require employees to record high productivity in the shortest time possible. In predictability, Ritzer brings out the need for similar services to be provided at all centers. What clients get in one region should be similar to what they get in another. This makes such services reliable and hence predictable. In control, there is a need for effective services that will always be appreciated. This hence calls for manpower that is reliable and able to record a uniform productivity. Since human beings can not always be relied on, most organizations are resorting to replacing human labor with machines. Machines are considered to be more reliable and effective.

Negative implications on McDonaldization

Despite the positive implications that has made the trend to be preferred in the current society, it has negative influences that are not only affecting people’s health but also compromising on the quality of goods and services provided. As a solution to the same, Ritzer came up with a concept he termed as De-McDonaldizaion which can be used by the current society to change the trend. Even though the trend of the fast food hit America and the globe as a whole, it has had some impacts that have negatively affected the society (Ritzer, 82). It has made people especially entrepreneurs to be less concerned about the quality of goods and services provided. In the process of finding for a means of satisfying the needs of their customers within the shortest time possible, they have mounted a lot of pressure especially on their employees. Such pressure results into a number or consequences. First, the quality is compromised since there is no perfection in human beings and second it affects their general health. In as much as the companies will earn more money within the shortest time possible, they may end up loosing their employees to ill health or their customers whose needs change abruptly. Despite the attention that the products will receive from their clients, their tests are easily lost as the customers get excited with the newer ones that hit the market. As people continue consuming unhealthy products, their general health is interfered with and hence affecting the general productivity of the nation.

McDonaldizaion in other sectors

Apart from the retail and food industry, McDonaldizaion has also been observed in other health and religious sectors. For instance, in health sectors, there are machines that have been invented that facilitate quicker diagnosis of ailments. Compared to the recent past where people had to queue to find out their results and probably wait for a number of days or even weeks before they had their results out, health care centers have come up with equipments that have the ability of revealing the health status of individuals in an instant. Better still, there are even potable gadgets or simpler ones that can be used at home. For instance gadgets for testing the HIV/AIDS status of an individual can now be bought and used at home. For those that still have to go to health care centers, they will only have to wait for an average of five minutes before they have their results released. Diabetes and asthma patients also have facilities that can enable them test their health status at their convenience and take the necessary action when need arises.

Looking at a similar scenario in religious settings, we encounter religious leaders feeding their congregation with what they want rather than what they need. People are looking out for religious centers that would teach on how to make quick money rather than maintaining good morals and conduct. In a society where morality has lost its values, religious leaders are generally afraid of telling their congregation the truth with the fear of loosing them. Such religious centers have become business units where by the leaders hope to receive their due through the giving of the people. The bigger the congregation that one has, the more the gain in terms of offerings. This has hence prompted them to look out for summons that will motivate and encourage their congregation towards prosperity. For the principle to have affected religious centers to such a level, then something is really wrong with the society. There is hence a need for such sectors to reconsider their stand and take care of people’s moral conduct rather than focusing on how much they would gain.

Conclusion

As the world gears up to the new technological changes, its effects are not hidden from the masses. Modernization has made man to loose their importance and credit is granted to machines and machineries. There are many inventions that are promising people an easy and better life (Ritzer, 56). This has led to a clear distinction between the rich and the poor due to how fast they adapt to the changes taking place. In organizational settings, the procedure is costing them a lot in terms of installing new machineries. Even though they install them with the aim of minimizing on their general costs, they will incur a lot when a newer irresistible technological development comes into the market. There is usually the need of training the existing workforce to familiarize themselves with it. They will also have to employ new people that have specialized skills who may also demand a better pay. There is no ultimate satisfaction to the needs of human beings and they are always looking for a promising change and hence adapting to any unique things. Instead of compromising on the quality of production and people’s health, the society needs to take time before adapting an ‘easier’ trend.

Works cited

Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization of society. New York: Pine Forge Press, 2004.

Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization thesis: explorations and extensions. London: SAGE, 1998.