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Business organizations have long been the subject of study by sociologists. However, the success of some companies is so remarkable that they served as an inspiration for new sociological studies. The purpose of this essay is to consider a specific business company, namely IKEA, through the prism of various sociological concepts.
The leading theory applied and considered is George Ritzer’s concept of the McDonaldization of society. This theory is, in some way, a continuation of Max Weber’s theory of “formal” rationality, which states that the future community will consist of rationalized structures (Michael 247). Accordingly, as Ritzer himself writes, there are four elements of formal rationality, which are efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control (The McDonaldization of Society: Into The Digital Age 2). Here is a study of each of the elements using the example of the world-famous organization IKEA.
The first principle, efficiency, is characterized by its focus on minimizing the time of the work process. This principle is perfectly reflected in the work of IKEA, the entire structure of which is aimed at reducing the time to find the needed merchandise. The positive side of this principle is consumer convenience, expressed in the availability of a reliable product. However, the flip side of this principle is the irrationality of the rational, resulting in the excessive complexity of finding the necessary product. The second principle, calculability, is a quantitative rather than a qualitative aspect of work. In systems that fall under McDonaldization, a large amount becomes equal to high quality, and the principle of “more equals better” works. This mechanics is reflected in the IKEA catalogs, which are full of various furniture. However, an overabundance of goods leads to confusion for the buyer.
The third principle, predictability, is related to the previous one and reflects the fame of the services provided or the goods offered. This principle also serves IKEA, since their furniture is the same in different stores. The flip side of this principle is the advantage of similar solutions over creative ones. However, the impact of this weakness is not as significant as one might expect, since most people prefer a world in which there are few surprises (Ritzer, The McDonaldization of Society: Into The Digital Age 4).
Finally, the last dimension of McDonaldization is control, expressed through the use of unified technologies and standardized tasks (Ozturk and Cavusgil 296). IKEA is famous for its detailed instructions; however, due to the automation of the process, these instructions can sometimes be very unclear.
The application of the principles of McDonaldization, undoubtedly, is beneficial to both the company and consumers. The use of dimensions of efficiency and calculability helps to expand the range of products, and predictability and control create a familiar and comfortable sphere of consumption for people. However, all the principles of McDonaldization have one common drawback, expressed in the concept of “irrationality of rationality” (Ritzer, Theorizing McDonaldization 1).
The essence of this concept is that with consistent follow-up of the instructions, the results are opposite to those expected. Thus, we can conclude that for IKEA, all aspects of the McDonaldization theory find their place, both its advantages and disadvantages.
As can be noted after this analysis, the concept of McDonaldization is prevalent in modern society. However, the idea of McDonaldization has several difficult points that appear when the above dimensions are overused. Firstly, this concept can begin to partially overlap with the theory of alienation of Marx, since automation of processes leads to the separation of people from the process of labor. Secondly, an increase in the number of instructions signals an increasing bureaucratization of society, which has something in common with Weber’s “Iron cage.”
Thus, we can conclude that McDonaldization undoubtedly has several positive impacts on society, expressed in a comfortable and quiet life for people. However, it should be noted that this theory also has several drawbacks in the form of rational irrationalism, as well as possible negative consequences according to the theories of Marx and Weber. However, when used wisely, MacDonaldization can benefit both companies and society.
Works Cited
Ozturk, Ayse, and Cavusgil, S. Tamer. “Global convergence of consumer spending: Conceptualization and propositions.” International Business Review vol. 28, no. 2, 2019, pp. 294-304.
Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization of Society: Into The Digital Age. 9th ed., SAGE Publication, 2018.
Ritzer, George. “Theorizing McDonaldization.” The Wiley‐Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory, edited by Bryan Turner, Wiley-Blackwell, 2017, pp. 1-5.
Michael, J. Ryan, editor. Core Concepts in Sociology. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.
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