Management Techniques Used in Mcdonalds Stores

Management Techniques used in McDonalds Date 17/12/2010 Contents Pg 1 Title page Pg 2 Contents Pg 3 Executive Summary Pg 4 1. 0 Terms of Reference 2. 0 Procedure 2. 1 Primary Research 2. 2 inessential Research 3. 0 Findings 3. 1 Principles of scientific oversight Pg 5 3. 2 Principles of Taylorisms 3. 3 McDonaldization 3. 4 Individual Investigation Pg 6 3. 5 Motivation 4. 0 Conclusion Pg 7 5. 0 Recommendations 6. 0 Reference List 7. 0 Bibliography Executive Summary This bailiwick was produced to look at the management and motivation methods palpebra argon used in McDonalds fast food restaurants, and was requested by the Senior Executive of McDonalds. The main findings were that there are influences of the theories of F. W. Taylor and George Ritzer and was concluded that upon watching of the activities in McDonalds, there are evident uses of scientific management used in McDonalds restaurants, and that this does receive a knock-on effect on the motivation of staff there. Th e recommendations of this answer for are that the managers need to engage the staff and try to revamp the processes that they have in place, and give them a more direct motivation as to the rewards that they receive. 1. 0 Terms of Reference This report is has been requested by the Senior Executive of McDonalds in September 2010, in response to a claim made by Wilson (2010). Wilson suggests that there are close links between the scientific management principles and the strict routines and procedures found in McDonalds fast food restaurants. This report leave look into scientific management principles and to see if they do actu everyy have an effect on the management principles that are used McDonalds fast food restaurants and entrust briefly look at the motivation methods of McDonalds employees, and will include mirror images of these methods.The basic problems found in the note of staff, was that the observation was limited, and only observed the activities of the front-line e mployees, serving the node, and was not able to extend this to the beginning of the process to where the food is made on the premises. This report has been compiled by an independent researcher, who will consider through observation and research whether Wilsons suggestion does support the daily routines a customer would find when visiting such fast-food restaurants. 2. Procedure The following procedures were undertaken in order to dissect the case study organisation. 2. 1 Primary Research The primary research undertaken was to observe the staff of various McDonalds restaurants, these were observed from September 2010 to December 2010 to try and guard a more varied view of the procedures staff at McDonalds use. This is found under section 3. 4 Individual Investigation. 2. 2 Secondary Research The supplemental research undertaken was through websites, books and online articles.This research was used for the use of theorists used in the Findings section of the report. 3. 0 F indings 3. 1 Scientific management is a surmisal that was ab initio developed by Fredrick Winslow Taylor and this theory was published in 1911. In his publication, The Principles of Scientific Management, Taylor addresses the importance of the larger question of increasing our national aptitude (Taylor, 1911). His theory sets out to Prove that the best management is a true science, resting upon clearly defined laws, observes and principles as a foundation (Taylor, 1911).Taylor believed that massagemen would do as little land as possible, and would produce one-third to one-half of their ability, and believed that this was universal, yet he wanted to counter this and increase the productivity of workers. Taylor suggests through his own research that many gambols, including ingenious professions can be broken down into smaller tasks, meaning the less need for skilled craftsmen to complete jobs, and make their own decisions. He conducted this research in the steel industry with Time Studies he observed workers sequence of motions to determine the best way for jobs to be performed.The draw punts of this method, although it does increase productivity, are that it de-humanises the job role, and doesnt allow for any thought of the worker to be involved. 3. 2 The four main principles of Taylor, also known as Taylorisms, are 1. Replace rule of thumb work methods with methods based on a scientific study of the tasks. 2. To scientifically select, naturalize and develop each worker rather than leaving the workers to train themselves. 3. To co-operate with workers to ensure that the scientific developed methods are being followed. . To divide work nearly equally between management and workers, so managers apply the scientific management principles to planning and the work, and the worker to actually perform the tasks. (www. netmba. com) These principles were adopted mainly in factories and industrial settings, including Henry Fords car production factories. 3. 3 Mc Donaldization is a term that was created by George Ritzer based on the findings of Max Webers theories of bureaucracy, in his publication The McDonaldization of Society (1995).George Ritzer explains that the fast food restaurant is an extreme display case of rationalization process, where the main focus is that of efficiency and predictability. Ritzers four main principles of McDonaldization are 1. Efficiency The fastest method of completing a task. 2. Calculability In harm of McDonalds customers, this means to serve the customers a large amount of food in a short period of time, in terms of McDonalds staff, it is the quantity of work they do and not the quality in that they do it. 3.Predictability Meaning whatever McDonalds restaurant a customer will go to, they would know what to expect, this applies to the product and the emolument that they receive. 4. Control This is the control over the employees, everything is standardized and wherever possible, human interaction is re placed by technology. 3. 4 Individual Investigation- On conducting an investigation into what a customer would live upon visiting McDonalds restaurants, it was found that the experience does support the views of Ritzer, and Taylors scientific management principles can be applied.On being served, a customer is asked the alike(p) routine question, and the customers answer will be, again, another script-written question, i. e. What drink would you like with that, would you like to have a large meal? The employee that is serving will then each collect the order that the customer has placed, or there will be another member of staff there to carry out that particular task, so that the person stationed at the till can go on to serve the next customer, whichever may be more efficient, with tasks being broken down.This experience solely can cover three of the four principles used by Ritzer, quite clearly efficiency, fastest method of completing the task, calculability, serving customers w ith large amounts of food in a short time and also the quantity of work that they do. The third principle of Ritzer is supported by visiting a few various McDonalds restaurants, the customer will know what to expect, as stated earlier with the script-written questions upon ordering food, to knowing the McDonalds menu and what you will get.The fourth principle of Ritzers, control, from going to McDonalds has been perceived from this observation that the managers will control the staff, ensuring that tasks are carried out correctly, as when observing the activity behind the counter, there is always a manager present, constantly going back and fourth between points, and checking over employees shoulders. 3. 5 Motivation To look at the benefits that may motivate a McDonalds employee, it has been researched on what promote the vacancies that are unattached in McDonalds. From accessing the McDonalds website www. mcdonalds. co. k, the company advertises that the vacancies are not just sh ort-term jobs, but the opportunity offers great training and development schemes from apprenticeships to foundation degrees, yet, they do not move away from the actual realization of the job. A very brief breakdown of a crew-members role is stated as, customer service expected to raise customers with a quick and accurate service. The website also promotes the rewards and benefits of being a McDonalds employee, these are 28 days paid holidays, free private healthcare (after three days service), stakeholder pension scheme, an employee is able to exchange ? 10 directly from their pay to childcare vouchers, saving on National Insurance and Tax, and also appealing to possibly iodin parents, and also discount cards for large retailers, including HMV and Marks & Spensers. However, although all these rewards and benefits may depend appealing, there is also a short video clip on the website, titled Think Again. This is a short video, where a McDonalds employee has approached people off the street to ask their views on people who work in McDonalds. whatsoever answers given are that McDonalds employees are uneducated, people filling in between real jobs and that a job at McDonalds is a last resort, however, the employee who was conducting the short interviews was a university student, currently studying law, when this was told to the people who she was talking with, mostly all of them looked surprised, and afraid that they had offended her, but it further backed her point, of think again, not all McDonalds staff are what they appear to be, and the majority of them are studying in university for degrees.This video is a realistic view of what McDonalds staff are considered to be, and McDonalds have tried to turn this in their favour, yet, it will be off-putting for some to apply for these jobs, and from visiting McDonalds restaurants, the staff do not seem only when enthusiastic and motivated, and seem to find it a struggle to offer service with a smile. 4. 0 Conclu sion In conclusion, Wilsons suggestion is a true statement of the management techniques and working procedures that are used in McDonalds.From researching the scientific management principles, and observing the activity in McDonalds, it can be seen that these principles do apply the tasks are broken down into small tasks, to enable efficiency. All staff are trained on the job role that they are doing, and are trained to the method that fits best with the structure of the restaurant and environment that they will be working in, and managers are constantly overseeing what the employees are doing.The findings have also shown that Ritzers views of McDonaldization are again, quite true, and again from observation of staff working at McDonalds, have fitted with the principles that Ritzer claim McDonalds function on. 5. 0 Recommendations The recommendations that are found from the findings of this report are that there needs to be a more direct motivation for the staff at McDonalds. As sai d under the findings, the staff seem to lack an enthusiasm for the job that they are doing, even though the training and development opportunities and the rewards available are quite impressive.However, this lack of awareness may be to the mundane and repetitive processes that the organisation have in place, and if so, McDonalds managers need to look at this again. The processes that are in place do offer efficiency, which is essential for a fast-food restaurant, but they need to get their staff more engaged and offer more variety in the way that these processes are carried out, and while doing this, possibly include the staff that are carrying out these processes to share their input into what they feel can be done etter, this will then have a throw out factor to the way that they feel they are valued in the organisation. 6. 0 Reference list * importance of the larger question of increasing our national efficiency (Taylor, 1911, Introduction, The Principles of Scientific Managemen t)* * Prove that the best management is a true science, resting upon clearly defined laws, rules and principles as a foundation (Taylor, 1911, The Principles of Scientific Management, Pge 3)* *both accessed from forgottenbooks. org 7. 0 Bibliography * www. mcdonalds. co. uk (9/12/2010) * www. netmba. com (8-11/12/2010)