McDonaldization

• Definition-processes of

the fast food industry

become the dominant

organizing principle for other aspects of societies.

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George Ritzer’s book, The McDonaldization of Society, came out in its second paperback edition in 1998. In it Ritzer updates Weber’s theories and applies rationalization to modern society. Rationalization involves the processes present in modern societies in which all aspects of human endeavor become subject to control to achieve the best means to a particular end (usually organizational profit). Controls involve calculation and measurement and the control over human labor. Ritzer maintains that McDonalds is the epitome and was a pioneer in the application of rationalized processes to the fast food industry. McDonalds was so successful that is has become the model for other enterprises from theme parks to managed health care.

The McDonaldization of society has become an important concept in sociology. Sociologists present papers at conferences based on Ritzer’s work. Books have been written following up on Ritzer’s ideas. The concept appear prominently in most introductory textbooks.

You can read more about McDonaldization at these web sites:

http://www.mcspotlight.org/people/interviews/ritzer_george.html