Globalization and McDonaldization

1
Globalization and McDonaldization

• Does it all Amount to Nothing?

2
Globalization McDonaldization

• McDonaldization is more than a phenomenon
• A particular type of social change
• Relates to the idea of globalization
• A leading form of globalization in terms of its
  global impact

3
Globalization McDonaldization

• Globalization is the worldwide diffusion of
  practices, expansion of relations across
  continents, organization of social life on a
  global scale, and growth of a shared global
  consciousness.

4
Globalization McDonaldization

• Keys to the definition of Globalization
• Practices
• Education, Law Enforcement, Fast Food
• Relationships
• International relationships fostered by
  multi-national corporations
• Relationships among foreign governments, police
  agencies, and science institutions
• Organizing Social Life
• Eating out and on the run
• Changing the nature of education
• McDonaldized systems

5
Globalization McDonaldization

• Keys to the definition of Globalization
• Global Consciousness
• Aware of the growing tide of change and local
  culture
• Cannot escape aggressive marketers that people
  can hardly avoid being conscious of the changes

6
Globalization McDonaldization

• Globalization Glocalization and Grobalization
• Two Main Questions
• Does Global Change Involve Increasing Homogeneity
  or Increasing Heterogeneity or a mixture of both?
• What is the relationship between the local and
  global?

7
Globalization McDonaldization

• Globalization Glocalization and Grobalization
• What Drives the globalization process? What is
  its motor force?
• Capitalism and the need to expand markets
• Americanization and the spread of American
  Culture
• McDonaldization and the spread of
  hyper-rationality

8
Globalization McDonaldization

• Globalization Glocalization and Grobalization
• Glocalization is the interpenetration of global
  and the local resulting in unique outcomes in
  different geographic areas
• Such a view leads to the downplay the fear of
  increasing homogeneity and the loss of local
  culture
• Individuals and groups are powerful in modifying
  the globalizing forces

9
Globalization McDonaldization

• Globalization Glocalization and Grobalization
• Grobalization focuses on the imperialistic
  ambitions of nations, corporations,
  organizations, and the like and their desire,
  indeed need, to impose themselves on various
  geographic areas.

10
Globalization McDonaldization

• Globalization Glocalization and Grobalization
• Grobalization
• In complete contrast of Glocalization
• Leads to the conclusion that the world is growing
  increasingly similar
• Scares those concerned with increasing
  homogeneity
• Global forces are seen as largely determining
  what individuals and groups think and do
  throughout the world

11
Globalization McDonaldization

• Nothing-Something McDonaldization
• Nothing is defined as a social form that is
  generally centrally conceived, controlled, and
  comparatively devoid of distinctive substantive
  content.
• Defined essentially by fast food
• Centrally conceived
• Controlled
• Lacking distinctive content

12
Globalization McDonaldization

• Nothing-Something McDonaldization
• Something is defined as a social form that is
  generally indigenously conceived, controlled, and
  comparatively rich in distinctive substantive
  content
• Local
• Controlled locally
• distinctive

13
Globalization McDonaldization

• Nothing-Something McDonaldization
• The NothingSomething Continuum
• The Nothing-Something and Glocal-Grobal
  relationship
• Heuristic device
• Ideal type
• Typological Approach and Sorting

14
Globalization McDonaldization
Glocal
Craft Barn Local Crafts Craftsperson
Souvenir Shop Tourist Trinkets
Something
Nothing
Touring Art Exhibit Guided Tour of
Collection Knowledgeable guide
McDonalds Big Mac Food Service
Grobal
15
Grobalization of Something

• Low demand for something
• Complexity of something makes it expensive
• High prices and low demand means little money for
  marketing
• Cant be mass-marketed
• Consumers are generally willing to pay anything
• Scarcity indicates value

16
Glocalization of Nothing

• Tourism stimulates the interest in local products
• More tourists come
• Low price souvenirs made elsewhere and shipped
  back (Eiffel Tower paperweight made in China
• Native Show
• Feasts
• Dances
• Displays

17
Glocalization of Something

• Expensive
• Distinctive content makes it unlikely it will be
  widely disseminated
• Dont worry about expanding markets
• Artisans
• Well paid but cannot effectively mass market

18
Glocalization of Something

• The Case for McDonaldization as an example of the
  Glocalization of Something
• Norway McLaks--grilled salmon sandwich
• Netherlands Groenteburgerveggie burger
• Uruguay McHuevos and McQuesos
• Japan Chicken Tatsuta Sandwich
• Phillipines McSpaghetti
• Russia Pirozhokpotato, mushroom, and cheese pie
• UK Lamb McSpicy and McChicken Korma Naan

19
Grobalization of Nothing

• The processes seen in McDonaldization make glocal
  something into grobal nothing
• Grobalization of nothing wrecks local norms and
  values
• Jihad Vs. McWorld
• Grobalization of nothing spawns local
  fundamentalist resistance movements