- Paperback: 296 pages
- Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc; Third Edition edition (16 Mar 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0761986286
- ISBN-13: 978-0761986287
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 14.2 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 194,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Review
"One of the most important and influential works of the last half of this century. . . . Ritzer was both an analyst and a prophet in this classic work, which is as relevant today as it was a decade ago."
(Jonathan H. Turner )"Every time I have used McDonaldization, class meetings have been characterized by active discussions in which virtually all students participate."
(Simon Cordery )"Most undergraduate students today have never lived in an un-McDonald world, and because this book speaks to them, it sparks lively class discussion. This new edition is finely updated, and even more interesting, as it demonstrates the globalization of McDonaldization and the various different cultures individually adapt to it."
(Nathan W. Pino )"Ritzer’s texts is in a class by itself. I can’t think of another as insightful and enjoyable."
(James D. Cover )Product Description
One of the most noteworthy and popular sociology books of all time, The McDonaldization of Society demonstrates the power of the sociological imagination to today's readers in a way that few books have been able to do. It is ideal for use in a wide range of undergraduate courses and will be of equal value to anyone interested in social criticism. This book links a large number of social phenomena to McDonaldization, some which are directly affected by the principles of the fast-food restaurant and others where the effect is more indirect.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The McDonaldization of Society,
By A Customer
This review is from: The McDonaldization of Society: New Century Edition (Paperback)
If we are to agree with Ritzer, McDonalds has completely transformed our lives. To some extent he is right, and this is what is really scary. Ritzer argues how many businesses have emulated the McDonalds model of efficiency, calculability, predictability and control. In essence, McDonaldized businesses offer products and services in an as efficient way as they can by offering a limited choice to their consumers. Standardization and homogeneity is to be vital to McDonaldization but has helped businesses globalise their operations.Ritzer also goes one step further and shows us how McDonaldization has infiltrated into society as people desire to attain instantaneous gratification- and even how to some extent how our healthcare and education systems now seem to work on McDonald's ethos!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The grobalization of nothing,
By
This review is from: The McDonaldization of Society (Paperback)
McDonalds is G. Ritzer's perfect paradigm for explaining the actual structure of our planet. He has built his portrait on Max Weber's rationalization concept. This concept expresses man's search for the optimum means to a given end by rules, regulations and larger social structures. Its driving force is economics (capitalism).
This concept affects virtually all aspects of our society all over the world: work, education, health care, leisure, transport, sports, politics, justice, religion and the family. It shows a planet centered on rational consumerism. The ingredients of the system are efficiency, calculability, predictability and nonhuman technologies for controlling people. It was greatly helped by technological breakthroughs like automobiles, TV, the computer, internet and lasers (DVD) and by fundamental changes in Western societies (single parent families, working women, higher mobility, increasing disposable income, time savings, mediatization and advertising). But Max Weber foresaw also the lurking irrationalities, the dehumanization and homogenization, which expressed themselves in environmental and health problems (air pollution), McJobs (disenchantment, false friendliness), traffic jams, bureaucratization. McDonaldization produces the perfect way of life for people who, as Nietzsche said, use the wrong conjugation: they don't live, they are lived. For G. Ritzer, McDonaldization is the `grobalization of nothing': a world dominated by the imperialistic ambitions of nations, corporations and organizations, whose main intent is growth of their power, influence and profits. `Nothing' is a social form that is generally centrally conceived, controlled and comparatively devoid of distinctive substantive content. The author would like to see a more deMcDonaldizated world (see the many recommendations at the end of the book), but McDonaldization is still on the march, certainly in developing countries. This book is a crucial, superbly documented, text for all those who want to understand the world we live in. A must read.
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Most textbooks put me to sleep, this one didn't!,
By
This review is from: The McDonaldization of Society: New Century Edition (Paperback)
Being a business studies undergraduate student I had to read this text for an assignment. Most texts that I am forced to read put me to sleep. This one didn't. Ritzer is the founder of the idea of McDonaldization and in this book he puts forward his arguments in an interesting and easy to understand manner. I can honestly recommend this book if you have any interest in big corporate culture, even if you aren't studying this subject you'll enjoy the read. I didn't agree with everything Ritzer said, but I still enjoyed reading what he had to say. Also a good book if you are studying Max Weber or any form of rationalization. Overall an interesting book with good examples that should keep you reading and thinking for hours.
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