Standardization: McDonald's case study

Thèmes abordés

Standardization- fast food- taylorist-MacDonald

Résumé du document

"I saw McDonald's restaurants established all over the world", says Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's.

With more than 31,600 restaurants worldwide in 2006, a new establishment opened every five hours, one every day in Europe. More than 500,000 people are employed by McDonald's. A real estate empire valued at over $2 billion, it is the largest in the world. Since its inception in 1955, the multinational brand has continued to expand its chain around the globe, to become the best-known brand after Coca-Cola. It appears as one of the greatest successes of globalization, and the climbing challenge does not seem to affect this multinational company.
McDonald's largest fast food chain is present in all continents. With 30,000 restaurants in 121 countries, McDonald's became the symbol of globalization and the dominance of American culture. A Big Mac is sold every 17 seconds worldwide. In France, 1.2 million customers eat there every day. Its total turnover is made at 75% in its own restaurants and the remaining 25% of sales are made in franchised and affiliated restaurants, representing 18.334 franchisees and 4.269 restaurant affiliates. The group also has food chains in the Boston Market and the Chipotle Mexican Grill, located in the United States, and the chain Pret a Manger based in the United Kingdom.

Extraits

[...] The first was presented in McDonald's packaging and the second in plain packaging. The child must then say whether the two products have the same taste. If not, they must indicate which product they prefer. The results are impressive with respect to chips. In fact only of children have seen that both samples contained the same product preferred the fries packed McDonalds and 13% higher than in a standard bag. For carrots, the result is very interesting, although this product is not served in the fast food chain of children prefer them in a McDonald's bag. [...]

[...] This term is a contraction of two other words that are Taylorism and Fordism second. Taylorism is characterized by: A vertical division that is to say, the separation between those who design and those who perform. A horizontal division that is to say, the distribution of tasks (simple and repetitive) between employees of the same hierarchical level. A standard time (timing) and gesture. Fordism embodies the principles of Taylorism with the dual division of labor but adds: A mechanical conveyor (line work), which notably require the cadence (pace of work). [...]

[...] McDonald's advertising is almost entirely focused on children. It shows them as a McDonald's happy place (like a circus clown with a mascot), which is distributed to everyone an at all hours of burgers and french fries. Of course, neither the appetite nor the need nor the money are not part of the world innocent of McDonald's. The firm knows what pressure it exert on those who care for a child hard not to give in to this easy way to meet. [...]

[...] He suggest to the McDonald brothers to develop their franchise network. A few year later some commercial success, Ray Kroc bought them the company for 2.5 million Risky but successful, he businessman opened his first restaurant in Des Plains in Illinois and four years later he opened his one hundred restaurant ! Below is a brief summary of the history of the fast food chain Mac Donald: 1937: Mac Donald brothers open a restaurant “Airdome” in California 1947: the two brothers moved their Airdome in California, and rename “McDonal's”, the menu consists of 25 articles. [...]

[...] It is very simple, and it comes down quickly: it standardizes all! The customer, product, employee and especially attitudes. The goal is to make people adhere to a model they think proper or at least they do not consider bad, we take care of makeup and really only benefits that the big bosses at the head of multinationals. [...]