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McDonaldization is a term used by sociologist George Ritzer in his book The McDonaldization of Society (1995). He describes it as the process by which a society takes on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant. McDonaldization is a reconceptualization of rationalization, or moving from traditional to rational modes of thought, and scientific management. Where Max Weber used the model of the bureaucracy to represent the direction of this changing society, Ritzer sees the fast-food restaurant as having become a more representative paradigm contemporarily (Ritzer, 2004:553).

Ritzer highlighted four primary components of McDonaldization:

• Efficiency - the optimal method for accomplishing a task
• Calculability - objective should be quantifiable (i.e. sales) rather than subjective (i.e. taste)
• Predictability - standardized and uniform services
• Control - standardized and uniform employees, replacement of human by non-human technologies

With these four processes, a strategy which is rational within a narrow scope can lead to outcomes that are harmful or irrational.

The process of McDonaldization can be summarized as the way in which "the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as of the rest of the world.” (Ritzer, 1993:1).

In subsequent publications, Ritzer conceptualized a cultural process he labeled "de-McDonaldization" as a reaction to McDonaldization, and cited modern baseball stadia with simulated nostalgic features as one example for this phenomenon.

Alternatively, McDonaldization can refer to the replacement of traditional restaurants with McDonald's.

• McWords
• Cocacolonization
• Organizational studies
• Fast Food Nation
• Disneyfication
• Walmarting

eat my tat rashed

• The McDonaldization of Society by George Ritzer (ISBN 0-7619-8812-2)

McDonaldization: The Reader by George Ritzer (ISBN 0-7619-8767-3)

The McDonaldization Thesis: Explorations and Extensions by George Ritzer (ISBN 0-7619-5540-2)

• McDonaldization of America's Police, Courts, and Corrections by Matthew B. Robinson
• McCitizens by Bryan Turner
• Resisting McDonaldization ed. Barry Smart
• Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia by James L. Watson
• Sociology of Consumption: Fast Food, Credit Cards and Casinos ed. George Ritzer
• The McDonaldization of Higher Education Ed. Dennis Hayes & Robert Wynyard

McDonald's

People: Dick and Mac McDonald | Ray Kroc Ralph Alvarez | Fred L. Turner | George Cohon | Don Gorske | Michael R. Quinlan | Joan B. Kroc Foods: Menu items | Arch Deluxe | Big Mac | Big N' Tasty | Big Xtra | Chicken McNuggets | Chicken Selects | Egg McMuffin | Filet-O-Fish | Happy Meal | Lean Beef Burger | McChicken | McDLT | McDonald's Fruit and Walnut Salad | McFlurry | McGriddle | McRib | Mighty Kids Meal | Quarter Pounder | Shamrock Shake | Snack Wrap | Special sauce Characters: Ronald McDonald | Mayor McCheese | Birdie the Early Bird | Hamburglar | Grimace | Captain Crook | Big Mac | Fry Guys/Fry Kids | Uncle O'Grimacey | Mac Tonight Places: Countries with McDonald's franchises | McDonaldland | The Hamburger Patch | McDonald's Museum | Ronald McDonald House | Hamburger University | Rock & Roll McDonald's Other: History | TV campaigns and slogans | Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun. | McDonald's Menu Song | i'm lovin' it | Fast Food Nation | Super Size Me | Golden Arches | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald | Legal cases | McDonaldization | M.C. Kids video game | Global Gladiators | McDonald's Monopoly | Supersize | Urban legends

eat my tat rashed