Mcdonald?S a Good Image with Bad Ethics

McDonalds A Good motion-picture show with Bad Ethics Aimee Gibison Introduction McDonalds toilet has been g tracking and spreading planetaryly for the past deuce-ace decades. Although McDonalds at 10ds convenient, cheap and clean there atomic morsel 18 some negative aspects of the concern. In animosity of paying(a) their employees low wages and negatively encountering opposite cultures, McDonalds and kitchen ranges worry it, have managed to position themselves as a irresponsible piece of Americana. McDonalds promotes its positive image and products with greasy chips, and a clown named Ronald McDonald.The wrong practices of this titanic fast regimen batch argon cognise but do not front to detract from the all-American image that the potbelly seeks to project. History In the 1950s a juvenile style of alimentation was introduced by brothers, Dick and Mac Donald. Their businessal sensitive burger stand was soon transformed into one of the largest, well-known(a) transnational friendships. Ray Kroc, a milk fight machine salesman bought McDonalds from the Donald brothers and made the burger shack into a business characterized by conformity and uniformity. Kroc believed fervently in the ethic of throng intersection (Schlosser, 2004).Under the influence of this mass production ethic, McDonalds developed new, uniform production methods such as using frozen beef cattle patties, instead of crisp ground beef, and developing a genetically- modify potato rather than using topically heavy(a) produce to ensure that all McDonalds fries have the same uniform taste. McDonalds Corporation (McDonalds) is the worlds largest nourishmentservice retail chain. The company is known for its burgers and fries which it changes through 31,000 fast-food restaurants in over 119 countries (McDonalds Corporation, 2006).With so many McDonalds located world-wide, many find it somewhat rattling to see a familiar place when traveling in unfamiliar places. By homo genizing products and appearance of the stores, McDonalds sells this feeling of comfort and familiarity. Spreading Out to red-hot Markets Because it is internationally known and commercializes a homogeneous image, McDonalds remains a household name with offerings known for a uniform taste. But McDonalds is seek to reach a broader market as well. The corporation is trying to reach tabu to a salubrious crowd of customers by releasing salads with fruits and ve ownables.To reach international customers, the company has also supplyed specialty foods for different countries. The McArabia (chicken patties on unleavened bread with garlic sauce and onion), the McPepper (a double-patty burger veteran(a) with black pepper sauce), the Bulgogi Korean pork cook fall out sandwich, a teriyaki pork burger with lemon-flavored mayonnaise, and, soon to find its manner onto the bill of f ar, the Mushroom Pinwheel, a five-pointed pastry concoction alter with chicken and mushrooms, are all sp ecialty menu items for different cultures in some Chinese or Middle eastern linked Statesern countries (Old McDonalds has some smarts in China, 2006).McDonalds also donates a portion of their mesh wee-wee to Ronald McDonald houses, located across America, which helps children with life threatening illnesses. Efforts like this portray a corporation committed to the globe assistance of their customers. However, while the overall image of McDonalds is that of a wholesome, family oriented business, there are contradictions to this image. The Ethical Problems unfit Business Domestically Although McDonalds get tos the effort to gage children with life threatening illnesses, the diet offered by this corporation and others contributes to obesity, heart disease, asthma, and possibly mad scare disease.What miscellanea of message are we giving our children when we promote healthy eating, and at least 59 of the nations 250 childrens hospitals have fast-food restaurants? (Tanner, 2006 ) Environmentally, McDonalds practices are also questionable. Unlike a fresh ground beef patty at a local butcher shop, a typical fast-food hamburger patty comports meat from to a greater extent than one pace different cattle, brookd in as many as five countries (Schlosser, 2004). This raises the possibility of a particular(a) patty containing contaminants of unknown origin.As noted previously, instead of locally grown potatoes, the corporation uses their own genetically modified potatoes. The practices of using food from extreme distances, is problematic environmentally. From a public health perspective, the use of beef from quintuple sources makes contaminated sources far more difficult to trace. meet on Foreign Cultures Not only do McDonalds products harm individual and environmental well-organism, they are also having an influence on some East Asian cultures with the corporations entry into those countries. Critics study that the rapid spread of McDonalds and its ast-foo d rivals undermines indigenous cuisines and helps produce a homogenous, global culture (Watson, 2006). Chinese parents postulate to connect their children to the world outside of China, so they retaliate them with a trip to McDonalds, but in so doing they are also taking away from their culture. In twenty years Yunxiang Yan, a UCLA anthropologist predicts, young mess in Beijing (like their counterparts in Hong Kong today) will not even care about the foreign origin of McDonalds which will be percentage middling food to people more interested in getting a quick repast than in having a cultural experience (Watson, 2006).Another major limiting brought to the East by the entry by McDonalds and American corporations into Asian countries, is the new obsession with American culture. Prior to the arrival of McDonalds, festivities marking youngsters specific fork over dates were unknown in most of East Asia. In Hong Kong, for instance, lunar-calendar dates of birth were recorded for use in ulterior life- to help match prospective marriage partners horoscopes or choose an auspicious burial date (Watson, 2006).With the carriage of McDonalds restaurants in Asian countries, and the accompanying American cultural norms, children in these countries are recognizing the potential for rejoicing of individual birthdays. McDonalds exploits this cultural change to market party packages to Chinese children who want to celebrate this new occasion. In many respects, McDonalds emergence in Asia is permanently altering culture, and norms of the past are organism lost in their McDonalds party packages and galactic Macs.In addition to contributing to cultural changes in China, McDonalds has offended other cultures through some of its actions. The chain has stirred up controversy with some United States Hindus, many vegetarians, and some lacquerese. McDonalds, the fast food teras currently embroiled in a row c erstwhilerning undisclosed beef flavoring in cut fries, has mad e a formal apology to those it has offended (McDonalds resolves french fry dispute, 2002). This may seem like a petty dispute, but is not a small issue to Hindus who believe that the cow is sacred.In chemical reaction to this offense to Hindus, vegetarians, and others, McDonalds offered an apology, and paid the groups ten million of dollars in settlement. In addition, fast food giant McDonalds is facing criticism in Japan after a number of its orchard apple tree pies were prime to contain a forbidden food alter agent (McDonalds apple pies set in motion to contain banned food people of color in Japan, 2006). In 15 McDonald locations across Japan there has been an apple pie recall due to the use of an illegal coloring agent known as azorubin.McDonalds has claimed that the effect is not harmful, using consumers in the European heart and Australia as examples where people consume apple pies containing azorubin, patently without ill effect. McDonalds has, however, recalled the p ies and announced that they will no longer purchase their pies from the China-based factory using azorubin. competition in the United States Another controversy arose in a Southlake McDonalds because of a bacon ranch salad. Chrissy Haley, wife of an assistant coach of the Dallas Cowboys, found a rat in her salad after ordering that salad and a Happy Meal for her child.According to newspaper reports, Haley and her nanny found the dead rat under a large lettuce leaf in a shared salad. McDonalds has yet to respond, apologize, or even ask if the women are okay. Both women have had blood and stool samples tried repeatedly over the last five and a half months and are undergoing sessions with Dallas clinical psychologist Dr. Rycke Marshall (Whitt, 2006). Chrissy Haley, who has tried negative for any illness, is suing McDonalds for $1. 7 million, for both(prenominal) the dead rodent in her salad and McDonalds response (or lack thereof) to the incident.The corporation has chosen not to succor during the course of the law suit, which was set to reach philander in September 2007. Labor Relations in addition health issues, the company also has issues with its workers. The corporation pays lower limit wage to their workers, who essentially do assembly line, factory-type work. If the work done by burger manufacturers and drive-thru cashiers were reclassified as factory work, that would add about 3. 5 million manufacturing jobs to the U. S. conomy, at a time when such jobs are rapidly being exported over seas. From a statistical point of view, it would make the U. S. seem like an industrial powerhouse once again, instead of an ageing superpower threatened by low-cost competitors (Schlosser, 2004). In the 31,000 McDonalds world wide, most of the workers get paid minimum wage in spite of the fact that the company is now worth more than a billion dollars. The Backlash There are an increasing number of people who speak out against McDonalds and similar corporations.Georg e Ritzer is well known for his efforts to raise awareness of the impact of globalization and global corporations by speaking at different colleges just about the country. In the article Nuggets of Wisdom author Madelyn Pennino refers to an Elizabethtown College assembly at which Ritzer spoke to students about the illusion created by McDonalds, of spate prices and convenience for people ordering a super-sized meal (2006). In reality, this bigger, faster, and cheaper choice is actually not actually convenient. Efficiency has become inefficient Ritzer said referencing the gigantic line waiting in the drive thru (Pennino, 2006).One of the goals of Ritzer and other anti-McDonalds activists is to spread awareness of real costs of doing business with the corporation and to make sure that the name McDonalds does not become synonymous with America around the world. Conclusion Over the past four decades McDonalds has been transformed from a local burger shack serving fresh beef patties, i nto a huge corporation using mass production methods to produce and sell their products. One of the results of this international expansion has been a number of books, articles, and even documentaries outlining practices deemed unethical.There are many things that great power be done to address the ethical problems raised by the behavior of multinational corporations laws, legal action and public pressure arising from activists. In the end, public awareness might be the most important tool. If individuals are instruct about McDonalds practices and their impact on health, environmental pollution and culture change, we can choose to not patronize its restaurants. The action may not unopen the McDonalds down, but it might limit the impact of the corporation. References McDonalds apple pies found to contain banned food coloring in Japan. 2006, September 23). MarketLine Business. McDonalds corporation. (2006, November 26). MarketLine Business. McDonalds resolves french fry dispute. (2 002, June 6). MarketLine Business. Old McDonalds has some smarts in China. (2006, December 11). Chicago insolate Times. Retrieved action 2, 2007, from LexisNexis. Pennino, M. (2006, October 19). Nuggets of wisdom Author paints picture of out fast-food culture. Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved March 2, 2006 from Lexis Nexis. Schlosser, E. (2004) Special report on slow up food. In J. Johnson (Ed. , Global Issues, Local Arguments. Upper turn on River, NJ Pearson Education. Tanner, L. (2006, December 4). Study finds allowing fast food in kid hospitals sends mixed message to families. Chicago. Retrieved March 2, 2007, from LexisNexis. Watson, J. L. (2006) Chinas Big Mac attack. In J. Johnson (Ed. ), Global Issues, Local Arguments. Upper Saddle River, NJ Pearson Education. Whitt, R. (2005, November 23). I smell a McRat McDonalds serves up a rodent then scurries for cover. Dallas Observer. Retrieved on April 20, 2007 from Lexis Nexis.