Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay Example for Free

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay In this essay, I aim to explore the term ‘McDonaldization’ dubbed by esteemed Sociologist and University of Maryland Professor, George Ritzer, to correlate his findings with those of the English Sociologist Les Back and then ultimately examine the effect both Globally and Locally. Ritzer’s concepts are fundamentally built around the theories of Max Weber, a German Sociologist who first established the idea of ‘Rationalization’. More specifically, four headings were used to define this shift in the organizational structure of society: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability and Control of new technologies increasing the productivity of the modern world. I will explore the relevance of these headings later in this essay. Weber maintained it was bureaucratization that contributes to this advance in achieving the â€Å"optimum means to ends† (Ritzer, 2008, 25). The bureaucracy as Weber defines it seems to be the prototype for flawless corporate functionality. â€Å"A bureaucracy is a large-scale organization composed of a hierarchy of offices. In these offices, people have certain responsibilities and must act in accordance with rules, written regulations, and means of compulsion exercised by those who occupy higher-level positions† With an operating structure as tightly knit as described above, it is no surprise that the paradigm of formal rationality according to Ritzer, McDonalds, is one of the most envied business models in the world. 50 million customers a day will find restaurants in 118 nations (Ritzer, 2008, 3). Thousands of businesses strive to emulate their successful rational framework yet fail to conquer, such as the fast-food giants, MacDonald’s. Franchising at an unbelievable rate, McDonalds profits are being maximized year after year as it expands worldwide. A British author Martin Plimmer captures the mastery of their expansion â€Å"There are McDonalds everywhere. There’s one near you, and there’s one being built right now even nearer to you† (Ritzer, 2008, 2). It is on the basis of this exorable power and infectious growth that Ritzer lays his ‘McDonaldization’ theory. â€Å"The process by which the principals of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world†. Ritzer, 2008, 1). Another aspect to this notable commercial structure is McDonaldization’s propensity to de-humanize. Teamed with bureaucratization, McDonaldization has the leverage to spread to modern society on a whole. Fears that people will be consumed by such a heavy emphasis on the rational and technical benefits of practicality and efficiency, destroying the human spirit and reducing them to nothing more then â€Å"a small cog in a ceaselessly moving mechanism† (Macionis and Plummer, 2005:143) as rational globalization expands. Sociologist Les Back puts forward the positive and negative influences of the flourishing technological network on globalisation in his monograph ‘Local/Global’. The concept of a global village; the idea that through new technologies and new converging forms of economy and political state that the world is shrinking and diminishing the importance of peoples differences (Back, 1998, 77) is one that can be both greatly agreed upon or just as easily denied, in my opinion. Firstly, It cannot be argued that one of McDonald’s keys to it’s worldly success was it’s overt American-style image, which many people outside the United States Of America hankered after. The book ‘Golden Arches East’ by James L. Watson describes vividly McDonalds highly anticipated entry into East Asia â€Å"Prior to McDonalds opening in Beijing, the company’s name was already popular among trendy consumers and it was only natural that, when the first restaurant was opened in Beijing in April 1994, thousands lined up for the experience. † (Watson, 1997, 48). Not only did this fascination generate billions of capital for McDonalds (and other fast-food diners such as KFC, Pizza hut etc. ) steering revenue away from Asia’s own food industries but sociologically speaking, the influx of American-Style escapism in which the people of Asia were immersing themselves in spawned a question of multinationals refusal to localize. Are Hamburgers on the Champs-Elysees or Chicken Nuggets by the Grand Canyon really necessary or is it just corporate extremism exercising their capability to the nth degree? Somehow I’m not convinced it is a case that McDonalds cuisine is so delicious that we physically need to have it within reach at all times, particularly in such countries such as France, Italy or Spain, where gastronomy is paramount to their local culture. Back’s theory on this type of globalisation seems a lot more simplistic. He argues that â€Å"globalization can go hand in hand with the commercialization of exotic local cultures† (Back, 1998, 74) but I ask to what extent is this local commercialization succeeding? Chiefly global multinationals are apparent in the rapidly developing worldwide industries, leaving little to zero space for contained business ventures to gain momentum. Although Back does recognize an effective uses of localization in advertising imagery to which these trans-national companies happily comply. â€Å"Advertisers are willing to integrate all kind of notions of difference as long as they serve their purpose† (Back, 1998, 73). A fantastic example is that of the recent McDonald’s advertising campaign, which was specifically intended for a distinctly Irish audience. Johnny Logan, a well-known Irish performer appearing to many different characters with strong colloquial Irish accents, pulls in on regional interest. Vernacular phrases such as â€Å" ye plank.. † â€Å".. sound.. †and â€Å".. free gaff.. † are used, unmistakably local and familiar to McDonalds’s Irish consumers. Back relates the decreasing size of global margins to advances in technologies, which of course is impossible to deny. Although communication overseas and intercontinental conveyance is almost taken for granted at this stage, Back reiterates the speed at which this occurs and the inter-dependence this signifies. â€Å"International flows of technology and media hardware strengthen the dependency relationship between the West and the former colonial peripheries and promote a form of cultural homogenization† `(Back, 1997, 72) In spite of the fact that many of Ritzer’s examples are American the concept of this uniformity is at the heart of his writing and falls under the four heading’s of McDonadization aforementioned. Predictability is one of the devices multinational corporations have taken under their wing in the development of a McDonaldized framework of business. Globally, these giant organizations do not start at the bottom when it comes to extending their trade name abroad and casting their image over seas. â€Å"Wal-Mart bought out 120 stores in Canada in 1994 when it purchased the Wertkauf GmbH hypermarket chain in Germany in 1997, Similarly, when Starbucks moved into the U. K. n 1998, it acquiresd the already existing Seattle Coffee Company and refitted it’s 82 stores as Starbucks outlets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Klein, 2005, 139) Specifically many coffee shops have undergone ‘Starbucksization’ to the point where any coffee shop in the western world could fail to posses a hint of originality. Insomnia, Costa Coffee and increasingly McDonalds contribution to the market McCafe, are but a few of the cafe chains that are adapting to the modern competition. In our local environment a comprehensible instance of McDonaldization would be the excessive franchising of Spar shops in Ireland, eplacing another family corner shop as it unfurls over the country. As consumers we’ve experienced the components of Weber’s ‘Rationalization’ and Ritzer’s McDonaldization in its plainest form. The efficiency of these stores is unrivalled, often containing Juice Bars, Off Licences, Delicatessens and Coffee shops, a conglomerate of effectiveness under one roof. Calculability by the selection of staff who work at each counter, pricing, weighing and recommending items for purchase. Chiefly the predictability of a Spar shop would almost be similar to what one would expect of a handful of McDonalds’, the flooring, the lighting and the layout are all but slightly in difference nationwide. Finally, these environments are controlled not only by the presence of Security guards at the entrance to many branches but they are hi-tech and forward thinking in technologies in contrast with many of there older competitors, featuring Automatic doors and self check-out services. In conclusion, both George Ritzer and Les Back have some shared views and some conflicting one’s on the matter of globalization and how it affects us directly and indirectly. Ritzer’s theory of McDonaldization worked alongside many of Back’s viewpoints on technologies, in particular as regards the dimension of control. Finally, the concepts of Global and Local, I believe will be disputed not only by both Ritzer and Back as the relationship worldwide decreases in size with the introduction of further connectivity when does the benefits of this begin and cease.

Sperm Selection After Mating :: Biology

A Bit of Background Information What is pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection? From the word copulatory, meaning to engage in sexual intercourse, pre-copulatory sexual selection refers to the female's choice in selecting a mate before sexual intercourse takes place. Post-copulatory sexual selection occurs within the female's reproductive track, and it describes the biological selection (whether due to sperm or the female's biology) that results in the fertilization her eggs. Why are guppies good subjects for research in this topic? The most significant reason for using guppies in sexual selection research is because they casually participate in polyandry. This means that in nature a female guppy will mate (willingly or unwillingly) with numerous males at a time, allowing for experiments to be conducted to see which male's sperm fertilizes the most eggs. Why use artificial insemination? Before the use of artificial insemination, the results of such experiments were obscure and varied greatly. There was no way of controlling the males' ejaculate sizes or thier specific sexual contact with the female guppies. By using artificial insemination techniques, these two variables can be controlled: equal quantities of sperm from each male guppy can be isolated, and no sexual contact need ever take place. The increased control over these variables makes it possible to attain reliable results that are directly related to postcopulatory processes. Introduction Sexual selection is a common facet of evolutionary biology that plays a key role in the mating choices of a variety of different species. Competition between the male’s sperm as well as the choice of mate by the female factor into a successful copulation.This experiment examines the precopulatory and postcopulatory behavior of Poecilia reticulata , the guppy. Artificial insemination was used to separate the factors of sexual selection before and after sexual intercourse. â€Å"Attractive† males in the guppy population—deemed attractive based on the female guppy’s affinity for them—were those with high levels of carotenoid coloration (orange, yellow, and red). Relative statures were also compared. The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate, through artificial insemination, the role of postcopulatory sexual selection in a population of guppies. If guppy females are partial to specific traits, the propagation of those traits will be e vident. The Methods That Were Used Prior to insemination, the behavior of the guppies involved was analyzed and one adult, non-virgin female and two sexually immature fish were put in observation tanks.

Assessment Task Facial expression Essay

Electronic communication plays vast roles in the way individuals communicate in today’s society, this has created a significant change to the quality of interpersonal communication. Using instant text messaging as a channel of communication detracts from the quality of interpersonal communication as it eliminates important components conveyed through face-to-face communication. Eye contact, body movements and facial expressions are all important elements that contribute to interpersonal communication. Eye contact can provide important information through non-verbal communication it can convey and enhance messages that may not be interpreted verbally. Body movement enhances information that is being expressed or received and sends strong messages through verbal and non-verbal communication. Facial expressions can communicate non-verbal signals with only minor movements of the face. When exchanging information these non-verbal signals can help display emotion and response. These important components of interpersonal communication play fundamental roles in communicating information and cannot be expressed through electronic pathways such as instant text messaging. Eye contact and eye behavior is an important element in interpersonal communication. Understanding information can at times be a difficult process, some would say without eye contact it makes it hard to verify whether the information they are conveying is being comprehended (Davidhizar 1992). Eye contact plays a fundamental role through non-verbal communication as it can be substituted for verbal communication. Using a direct gaze or certain eye behavior can be interpreted as many things such as signaling or acknowledging an individual (Davidhizar 1992; Eunson 2012). Additionally eye contact in verbal communication can enhance the information being expressed engaging the listener and helping them comprehend the information promptly (Davidhizar 1992). Absence of eye contact in interpersonal communication can result in misinterpreted information. It is likely that the sender of the message will interpret that the listener is disinterested and has minimal concern as to what is being communicated (Davidhizar 1992). Interpersonal communication is a process in which senders and receivers exchange messages between each other either verbally or non-verbally. This can be enhanced by visual elements to share information and feelings (Gardner and Kleiner 2009). Therefore using interpersonal communication through an electronic communication channel such as instant text messaging is not a sufficient way in making sure information is received adequately as eye contact is a vital element that is absent in the communication channel. Body movement is a powerful tool and strong indicator as to how we communicate with others. Eunson (2012, p. 267) states ‘ orientation, or the attitude, inclination or body angle we adopt in relation to others, can send powerful nonverbal messages’. There are various types of movements that can be indicated through the body as communication. Affect displays is a main type of movement of the body. These are movements of the face, hands and general body (Devito 2012). Face movements can include certain facial expressions such as frowning or smiling, hand movements that help illustrate verbal messages for example, referring to something to the left or right and the general body can illustrate body tension or relaxation (DeVito 2002). Affect displays help communicate emotional meaning at times during communication. They can be done intentionally to help display the message such as smiling to express enjoyment or approval (DeVito 2002). Alternatively Affect displays may be done unintentionally when messages are being communicated the sender or receiver may smile or frown unconsciously (DeVito 2002). When exchanging information and messages through instant text messaging the movements of affect displays cannot be communicated and visible to the sender or receiver. Consequently making instant text messaging an un-reliable way of exchanging information effectively. Facial expressions through non-verbal communication are a sufficient way in listening, expressing emotion and giving feedback. Non-verbal communication is a vital element of interpersonal communication as it helps express emotion and personality through the process of exchanging information (Eunson 2012). Non-verbal signals such as facial expressions can be defined as non-verbal behavior. Ellgring (1989, p.5) describes it as ‘ A code matches signs of one set to signs of another set’. When a person uses facial expressions it can convey many emotions, this can be done with only minor movements of the face. Some emotions that can be expressed are happiness, surprise, fear and anger (DeVito 2002). Facial expressions are relied upon to comprehend messages sufficiently and to understand one another especially in non-verbal communication (Goldmann and Mallory 1992). Ekman (cited in Calero 2005, p. 64) states â€Å"when a facial expression is used as a signal – such as winking an eye as a gesture of approval, or sticking out the tongue to signify playful distaste – they are very easy to comprehend†. Instant text messaging has become a more widespread and convenient mode of communication in every day life (Huang et al 2007). However when messages are being communicated through an electronic channel such as instant text messaging comprehension of information can at times be misinterpreted or difficult to understand (Galushkin 2003). When communicating face-to-face receiving verbal and non-verbal signals aids the sender or receiver to interpret information sufficiently (Huang et al. 2007). Accordingly facial expressions play a vital role in sending and receiving verbal and non-verbal signals (Huang et el. 2007). This making face-to face communication a more efficient and effective way of exchanging information and messages, than electronic communication. Eye contact, body movement and facial expressions are fundamental features in the exchange of information in interpersonal communication. Using eye contact effectively in communication guarantees information is being interpreted sufficiently and the sender or receiver is engaged in what is being expressed. The use of body movement in communication aids in the interpretation of information and sends powerful messages that can communicate emotional meaning. Facial expressions such as frowning or smiling help communicate emotion and personality through the exchange of information. They are sufficient in making sure messages are clearly understood especially in non-verbal communication. Therefore the elements of eye contact, body movement and facial expressions are all significant mechanisms to ensure adequate communication. Electronic communication is unable to utilize these elements of information transfer, and can therefore be considered an inferior method of communication when compared to face-to-face communication. References Calero, H 2005, The Power of Nonverbal Communication How you act is more important than what you say, silver lake publishing, Aberdeen, WA. Davidhizar, R 1992, Interpersonal communication: A review of eye contact, The University of Chicago press, Vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 222-225, Viewed 22 August 2013, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30147101. Devito, J A 2012, Human communication: The basic course, 9E, Pearson, New York. Ellgring, H 1989, Non-verbal communication in depression, Cambridge University press, New York. Eunson, B 2012, Communication in the 21st century, 3rd edn, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland. Galushkin, I 2003, Text Messages: A potentially rich medium in distributed organizations, prismjournal, Vol.1, no.1, pp. 1-13, viewed 30 August 2013,http://www.prismjournal.org/fileadmin/Praxis/Files/Journal_Files/issue1/refereed_articles_paper4.pdf. Gardner H, Kleiner F S 2009, Understanding interpersonal communication: A concise global history, Cengage learning, Boston, MA. Goldmann, R W, Mallory J R 1992, Overcoming communication barriers: communication with deaf people, Library trends, Vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 21-30, Viewed 2 September 2013,

The Women s Rights Movement - 1813 Words

Over a hundred years ago, one event created chaos among gender roles and here are some of the initial factors of how rights for women started as a predicament which later began to evolve into a much larger problem that involved many people around the nations. Over the course of history, many issues had change the world to what it has become today. Many problems led to social, economic, and other changes. One small event is able to cause more obstacles, which eventually leads to larger complications. Even though society had tried to resolve these issues, they still encountered many hardships that were disruptive to their own perspectives as also for other people within the community. Thus, this was an important issue because it had changed†¦show more content†¦These issues had impacted mostly on women because they were all expected to work at home, also in factories only, since it was one of the best attributes for them. In the past few hundred years, many men thought that wo men were weak or fragile that women should not be allowed to work the same jobs as men. In the men s perspectives, women were not capable of performing any of difficult that the men do because if women were able to do those, it would seem unmanly for them. Also, it makes the men looks much weaker and not as smart as they are, which is why women could not have equal rights as men. As time went on, women had slowly been given the opportunity to work the same jobs as men, but did not receive the same amount of pay. It was unfair for women to work for such a low wage. No matter how hard they tried to do the same as men, they did not get as much and had a much lesser amount of everything in comparison to men. On the year of 2009 of January 29, our previous president, Barack Obama signed a legislature known as, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The case was first filed to court because the name of the woman, Lilly Ledbetter had found out that her employer was paying her less than the men even though they were working at the same job. â€Å"To make sure that people can effectively challenge unequal pay, the law President Obama signed shortly after taking office amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 so that unfair pay complaints can beShow MoreRelatedThe Women s Rights Movement702 Words   |  3 Pagesthat the women’s rights movement in the United States failed to accomplish its goals in the early –mid 19th century because the slavery issue was never resolved is unfounded. In the early-mid 19th century, women began to demand change in American society, as they challenged the traditional roles of women politically, socially, and economically. - political, social, and economic change {Challenged the traditional views of women - pushed the boundaries – public sphere/life of women changed dramaticallyRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement874 Words   |  4 Pages1848 to 1920, the women’s rights movement demonstrated the first true act of feminism, founded by a group of women rights activists to combat against women’s suffrage in the United States. By the 1960’s radical feminists also known as the woman’s liberation movement once again took up the fight for equality amongst men and woman, yet by the late 1990’s early 2000’s it had begun to change, losing its primary focus of fighting for a woman’s right, and becoming a burden on women today. The blowback fromRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement1659 Words   |  7 Pagesmen and women, the women’s rights movement in Pakistan has just begun. People are starting to protest against discriminations that women face in their daily lives that disable them from having a voice in society. Some of these discriminations involve men being able to divorce their wives without her consent, women’s voices having half the weight of a man’s in court, and female heirs inheriting less money or property than a male heir (â€Å"Sharia†, 9). Groups like the Pakistani Women’s Rights OrganizationRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement Essay987 Words   |  4 Pagesthat occurs is that women were never given the opportunity to voice their opinion on what kind of job that they should do. In addition, voting at this point of time for women was quite impractical. The wartime was a difficult time for women who wanted to capitalize on an opportunity. They wanted a job to prove to men that they are much stronger. However, there was hope when the U.S. woman’s rights movement began. A woman by the name of Elizabeth Cady Stanton started the movement at Seneca Falls, NewRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement1366 Words   |  6 PagesW omen’s Rights Movement The equality women have today did not just happen over night.In this passage there will be evidence of an impowering fight that women over came to say WE ARE IMPORTANT TO!! All the brave strong women that fought this battle, along with the obstacles women still face today.Also the surprising fact that women’s rights also consists of racism and sexual orientation.This movement was necessary, and is truly an accomplishment in history. The first outbreak of confidentRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement1091 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican history, women have constantly been suppressed. It was believed overall that women were not supposed to work, but to stay home, cook, clean, make clothes, and take care of the child(ren). Basically, a woman was considered her husband’s property. It was not until 1920s that women were finally able to get the rights they deserve, such as birth control, new divorce laws, and ultimately the right to vote, which was the main focus of the Women’s Rights Movement. This movement consisted of manyRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement1547 Words   |  7 PagesFlorida SouthWestern State College The Women’s Rights Movement What was the significance of the Seneca Falls Convention on the Women’s Rights Movement? Jennifer Flores AMH2010 Mr. Stehlin 16 November 2015 The Women’s Rights Movement began in 1848 with the first assembly of women and men gathering to discuss the civil, social, and other conditions of women. The Seneca Falls Convention was the start of the women’s movement. The two women who organized this event were Lucretia Mott andRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement1420 Words   |  6 Pageswomen’s rights movement in the United States in the early –mid 19th century did not fail to accomplish its goals, as slavery was not an issue women wanted to resolve (address?) In the early-mid 19th century, some women began to demand change in American society (as they challenged the traditional roles of women politically, socially, and economically?) -political, social, and economic change {challenged the traditional views of women - pushed the boundaries – public sphere/life of women changedRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement1620 Words   |  7 Pageshas improved over the last several years in the broader culture and by police, self-blame and shame has persisted among victims, leaving them just as unwilling to come forward.†(Gray. para. 10) The women’s rights movement is still going strong, and there have been major accomplishments for women within the last several decades. In 1968, the fair housing act made it no longer possible for a woman to be turned down by a landlord based solely on her being female. In 1986, the legal definition of ‘sexualRead MoreThe Women s Rights Movement881 Words   |  4 PagesThe Women’s Rights Movement, 1848–1920 1. â€Å"The first gathering devoted to women’s rights in the United States was held July 19–20, 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York.† 2. Principal organizers : Elizabeth Cady Stanton (a mother of four, the Quaker, abolitionist ) 3. Social and institutional barriers that limited women’s rights: family responsibilities, a lack of educational and economic opportunities, and the absence of a voice in political debates. 4. Stanton and Anthony created the National Woman