The Mcdonaldization of Society
George Ritzer describes a sociological trend that was taking root in the American society in his book titled ‘The McDonaldization of society’. He defines this trend as the process of rationalization, and in this case, taken to extreme levels. The process of rationalization is defined as replacing logically reliable and consistently applied rules with illogical ones to meet a short term goal . The process involves breaking down tasks into smallest possible tasks and determining the single most efficient way of performing the tasks. The rest of the methods are considered inefficient and thus discarded. The method identified is considered to be the most efficient way of performing a single task repetitively to give a product. Henry Ford is considered as the pioneer of his ideology, using it in the production of automobiles and it is claimed to have achieved a very efficient production method .
The process of McDonaldization is identified with main four features; that is, efficiency, calculability, predictability and control. Efficiency can be defined as identifying and making use of the most optimum means to get to an end . In this case optimum refers getting the most output with the least resources put to the process. While normal processes would give you a variety of options or methods to undertake a task, McDonaldization forces an individual to take only a single course of action determined to be one most efficient according to the surrounding environment. However, the quest for a totally efficient system has been blamed for the reduction in human interaction in many processes such as the bank Automated Teller Machines (ATM) .
The second distinguishing feature of the McDonaldization is calculability. The trend of McDonaldization has put emphasis on the determining the amount or quantity of a product, either sold or service rendered. Ritzer (2000) states that this feature is based on the fallacious thoughts common with many consumers and business that ‘more is better’. No wonder many businesses market their products with terms such as “extra” and “double sized”.
The third distinguishing feature of this process is predictability. The process insists on doing the same task in the same manner over and over again leading to descriptions of the process using terms such as routine, regular, methodical approach and consistent result . The automobile industry is known to lead in this front, with their manufacturing processes basically a routine of events carried out day in day out. Other aspects since as the television industry have also preferred this predictable mode of operation.
The last defining feature is control. Since the process McDonaldization is the methodical selection of a single method for solving a task, it has eliminated the opportunity for humans to deviate from the set course. Employees as well as consumers know what to do and how to do it before hand and so the process is easily controlled. A good example is the Aviation Industry in which pilots have a set of procedures that they are supposed to strictly follow without deviations no matter the occasion .
The process of McDonaldization has been heavily felt in the aviation industry. This industry has strictly divided all the tasks that involve the boarding of passengers, landing and letting planes as well as loading cargo. It has influenced how the pilot flies the plane as well as the procedures involved in case in a hijack. The industries tries to achieve efficiency by having each fleet of plane have and ordered manner of loading their passengers and the airports also have their routines of handling the many planes flying in and out of the airport .
Control has been achieved by routines in terms of piloting that offer a specific order of events that the pilot must perform to lift the plane off the ground. Nearly all aircrafts models have the same procedure which has been deemed as efficient and safe. No pilot is allowed to deviate from these routines .
The impact of McDonaldization is evident in this industry. The routine procedures involved in boarding of planes and loading cargo were initially meant to save time; however, it has resulting to one of the greatest time-wasting procedures. Airport hours have proved to be long with poor results of how to improve the status quo. The process of McDonaldization has also proved to be one of the most adopted models in the society. Schools are insistent on a routine or a set order of events that govern the institution, as well as teaching students to develop their own routines to follow. Children are taught be routinely from a very young age, making them non creative on how to adjust to new lives when they change schools .
Our society needs to shun all aspects that foster this trend of routine and strict procedures. Communities need to learn that McDonaldization lead to deskilling a work force by not inspiring creativity . They should instead encourage several methods of solving a single problem without relying only on the set out rules. Children are to be allowed to question routines and be allowed to develop their own ways of doing things. This is based on the fact that, every individual has a right to several attempts. It is no wonder, the great discoveries of the world took several attempts with failures and very little success reported.
References
Hayes, D. (2006). The Mcdonaldization of Higher Education. IAP.
Ritzer, G. (2000). The Mcdonaldization of society. Pine Forge Press.
Smart, B. (1999). Resisting McDonaldization;Social Theory Series. SAGE.
