Ch 1: An Introduction to McDonaldization

Essay Questions

1. Discuss the ways in which the model established by McDonalds influenced other
competitors in the restaurant industry as well as in other industries.

2. McDonalds as a corporation is a global icon. Discuss the ways in which this helps to
promote McDonaldization as a process.

3. What are some of the advantages of McDonaldization?

4. Do the advantages of McDonaldization outweigh the disadvantages?

5. Discuss the ways in which one’s social location – class, sex, race, location, etc. –
might affect their answer to the above.

6. Imagine the world of your grandparents, one relatively less dominated by
McDonaldization. Would you rather live during such a time? Why or why not?

7. In what ways does the rationality of McDonaldization lead to irrationality?

Chapter 2: The Past, Present and Future of McDonaldization

Essay Questions

1. Describe how Weber’s theory of rationalization is amplified and extended in Ritzer’s
theory of McDonaldization.

2. Describe some of the socioeconomic factors that were precursors to
McDonaldization.

3. What are some of the advantages of a bureaucracy? Some of the disadvantages? Do
the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?]

4. In what ways can the Holocaust be seen as a natural extension of rationalization?

5. What were some of the improvements Ray Kroc made over existing forms of
restaurant and franchise organization that helped make McDonald’s so successful?

6. What are some of the forces driving McDonaldization?