Mcdonald´S a Good Image with Bad Ethics
McDonald’s: A Good Image with Bad Ethics
Aimee Gibison
Introduction McDonald’s Corporation has been growing and spreading internationally for the past three decades. Although McDonald’s seems convenient, cheap and clean there are many negative aspects of the business. In spite of paying their employees low wages and negatively impacting other cultures, McDonald’s and chains like it, have managed to position themselves as a positive piece of Americana. McDonald’s promotes its positive image and products with greasy fries, and a clown named Ronald McDonald. The unethical practices of this large fast food corporation are known but do not seem to detract from the all-American image that the corporation seeks to project. History In the 1950s a new style of eating was introduced by brothers, Dick and Mac Donald. Their original small burger stand was soon transformed into one of the largest, well-known transnational corporations. Ray Kroc, a milk shake machine salesman bought McDonald’s from the Donald brothers and made the burger shack into a business characterized by conformity and uniformity. “Kroc … believed fervently in the ethic of mass production” (Schlosser, 2004). Under the influence of this mass production ethic, McDonald’s developed new, uniform production methods such as using frozen beef patties, instead of fresh ground beef, and developing a genetically-modified potato rather than using locally grown produce to ensure that all McDonald’s fries have the same uniform taste.
“McDonald 's Corporation (McDonald 's) is the world 's largest foodservice retailing chain. The company is known for its burgers and fries which it sells through 31,000 fast-food restaurants in over 119 countries” (McDonald’s Corporation, 2006). With so many McDonald’s located world-wide, many find it somewhat refreshing to see a familiar place when traveling in unfamiliar places. By homogenizing products and appearance of the stores, McDonald’s sells this feeling of comfort and
Aimee Gibison
Introduction McDonald’s Corporation has been growing and spreading internationally for the past three decades. Although McDonald’s seems convenient, cheap and clean there are many negative aspects of the business. In spite of paying their employees low wages and negatively impacting other cultures, McDonald’s and chains like it, have managed to position themselves as a positive piece of Americana. McDonald’s promotes its positive image and products with greasy fries, and a clown named Ronald McDonald. The unethical practices of this large fast food corporation are known but do not seem to detract from the all-American image that the corporation seeks to project. History In the 1950s a new style of eating was introduced by brothers, Dick and Mac Donald. Their original small burger stand was soon transformed into one of the largest, well-known transnational corporations. Ray Kroc, a milk shake machine salesman bought McDonald’s from the Donald brothers and made the burger shack into a business characterized by conformity and uniformity. “Kroc … believed fervently in the ethic of mass production” (Schlosser, 2004). Under the influence of this mass production ethic, McDonald’s developed new, uniform production methods such as using frozen beef patties, instead of fresh ground beef, and developing a genetically-modified potato rather than using locally grown produce to ensure that all McDonald’s fries have the same uniform taste.
“McDonald 's Corporation (McDonald 's) is the world 's largest foodservice retailing chain. The company is known for its burgers and fries which it sells through 31,000 fast-food restaurants in over 119 countries” (McDonald’s Corporation, 2006). With so many McDonald’s located world-wide, many find it somewhat refreshing to see a familiar place when traveling in unfamiliar places. By homogenizing products and appearance of the stores, McDonald’s sells this feeling of comfort and
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