ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author shares his several formal and informal conversations with George Ritzer about his powerful contemporary characterisation of Weberian rationalisation through the analogy with McDonald's fast-food restaurants – what he labelled 'McDonaldization'. Ritzer eplins that the McDonaldization thesis is quite clear. The success of the concept is related to McDonald's success. It has been thought to be in decline several times, but roars back every time. The rise of online universities, MOOCs [Massive Open Online Courses], and their characteristics make McDonaldization even clearer. A global internet makes mass McDonaldization more rather than less likely. McDonald's has co-opted the prosumer in its global operations. However, the centralized control of universities in the UK makes for a much higher level of McDonaldization. American universities are saved to some degree by their decentralization.
