McDonald's is the leader throughout the world in the fast-food market. Set up on the 15th of May 1940 , the symbol of America, fast-food and globalisation is present throughout 121 countries, in strategic places in cities. McDonald's is part of our life and even if the company didn't invent the fast-food's concept, the fact remains that in our mind, the bright yellow M has almost become synonymous with this market. The international firm is the fast-food model. Indeed, it responds and exceed all the strategic operational objectives that the market asks, the ability to serve the customer quickly at all times of the day, offer low prices, have a high quality standard of product, even if the fast-food market is not recognized for an exceptional quality of food. One of the key assets to control in this business is obviously speed. A company like McDonald's must be able to prepare and serve customers in the minimum of time.
[...] It changes for example the production person's role, who had to learn new skills. The “made for approach comes within the framework of special logic which consists of modifying two operational characteristics: the variation and the visibility. The “made for approach appears to be an innovation orientated toward consumers; it's as if the production person cooks the burger just in front of the customer, just for them. This high visibility permits a closer relation with the customer; it's like a secondary service offered. [...]
[...] Nonetheless, these flexible techniques to establish new burgers are based on existing key skills, which permit the company to avoid losing speed and efficiency. This also has for consequence the introduction of new ingredients, which can change the end consumer's prices. Specification has also a link with the quality. All products in a McDonald's restaurant are unique. Each burger has its own composition, its own sauce. Meat is always checked by specialized organizations which are good for reassuring the consumers and for countering the bad fast-food image. [...]
[...] Afterwards, children are happy to ask their parents to go to McDonald's because they like the food. And who goes to McDonald's just because they liked the burgers? The quality of their burgers is one of the sources of the competitive advantage of the multinational company. It's on this point that the customer is going to consider if it's good or not to eat a Big Mac or another burger: they can wait one minute, buy a burger for one pound, and if they don't like it, they will never come back. [...]
[...] That is why it would be interesting for the company to dedicate a part of the production area for special products. This means that the firm has to slightly rethink its production layout. It would be more efficient to establish symmetry in the production area so as to have four grills in the middle of the room back to back to four others and all the dressing tables in front of grills. This new layout may permit to facilitate the burger production, from the heel toasting to the bun wrapping and placement in the bins, but on no account to modify the production food process which must be mastered by all the staff, because in McDonald's, all employees are multi- trained. [...]
[...] is becoming more and more important. the future there will be two kinds of companies the quick and the dead”[2]. In the new economy, there are no speed limits. Adaptability rules. Speed is everything. Maybe in a couple of years, you will wait only one minute from the moment you enter a McDonald's to the moment you savour your first Big Mac. Why your first burger? Because after finishing your burger, you know you can place another order very quickly, you will not have felt the digestion start in your stomach and you will still be hungry. [...]
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