This book is a collection of essays written by various scholars: (cultural anthropologists to be exact) each one focusing on McDonalds and how it has adapted to the various countries it now inhabits.

This review has been inspired by the recent reviews of Fast Food Nation (a disparaging look at McDonalds), as well as the continued protests by anti-globalization zealots.

The essays in this book were written by Asian scholars and academics, who depart from the abstrucia of academia and turn their attention to something familiar to everybody, McDonalds.

McDonalds brings mixed feelings to all. To some, it brings fond memories of childhood, a good meal at a good price, to others, it is a symbol of all that is wrong with America, mass produced, homogenized, industrial. In France, it is often used as a sign of American imperialism, and French anti-globalization protesters regularly bomb the McDonalds that the rest of their countrymen throng to.

These five cultural anthropologists (not exactly where you would expect big business lackeys), examine the impact of globalization and the making of a multi-national, by looking at it from the ground, by visiting five East Asian countries and seeing how McDonalds is perceived and has adapted in five very different cultures from our own.

Examples

From reading the case studies in each of these countries (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taipei, South Korea) McDonalds success around the world is due to hiring local management. In most of the countries studied, over 50% of the employees in management are locally hired. This practice has allowed Mcdonalds to adapt to the local style, to the point where many would almost consider McDonalds a local brand.

The perception of McDonalds in these countries is also very different. Since the prices are comparable to American prices, in countries were annual income may be as low as $2000, McDonalds is often seen as luxury food, offering food that is considered both "exotic" and "modern."

They sell local dishes, such as seaweed burgers in Japan. From my own experience, in a vegetarian country like India, McDonalds thrives by the power of their French Fries, and the special sauces McDonalds-India has formulated for the local audience. In France, they will occasionally sell rabbit and wine.

The flavor of the book can best be demonstrated by some of the facts gleaned:

o In Taiwan they sell lunch boxes in reusable metal containers, in the style Chinese school kids have been using for hundreds of years.
In Hong Kong, McDonalds introduced the western concept of queuing orderly. Before, people would push and shove.

o In China, the McDonalds introduced standards of cleanliness in kitchen and bathrooms unheard of in that country. Since the kitchen is exposed to the customers, cleanliness became important. This is now spreading to other restaurants in the country as well.

o One couple makes a trip to McDonalds for their wedding anniversary.

o Employees in these chains are typically filled with pride. McDonalds in China hires greeters that often form relationships with the children that frequent the establishment.


Conclusion

Well researched and compelling to read, this book is not what you would expect from the academic community. Instead, it is a fascinating easy to read book exposing the real perception of McDonalds around the world, not the ones the media likes to portray, or the one pundits like to condemn. This is the real face of Globalization. It can bring improvements to people's way of life, and even learn from instead of replace the previous culture.


Recommended: Yes