digital-mcdonaldization
It addresses how McDonaldization principles extend into digital environments, where control mechanisms manifest differently but still limit choice and autonomy.
2 chapters across 1 book
The McDonaldization of Society: Into the Digital Age (2019)George Ritzer
Chapter 6 explores the concepts of predictability and control within McDonaldized occupations, highlighting how scripting and standardized procedures dominate various industries from fast food to education and healthcare. It examines the transformation of employees into mechanical-like workers, the loss of autonomy even in skilled professions like piloting, and the increasing automation and control over both processes and products, including digital environments. The chapter also discusses how these mechanisms extend beyond physical workplaces into online settings, emphasizing the pervasive nature of McDonaldization.
Chapter 7 of The McDonaldization of Society: Into the Digital Age explores the irrational consequences of rational systems, particularly focusing on how McDonaldization manifests inefficiencies, dehumanization, and homogenization in both brick-and-mortar and digital contexts. The chapter highlights the shift of McDonaldization's center from physical fast-food restaurants to digital platforms like Amazon.com, emphasizing the role of big data, prosumers, and the blending of physical and digital consumption spaces. It also discusses the need to update the McDonaldization thesis to address these digital realities while acknowledging the persistence of irrationalities within rationalized systems.