Chapters address topics ranging from the fashioning of the colonial subject in South Africa and the rise of the hyper-market in Argentina, to the commodification of Guatemalan handicrafts and the internationalization of the British palate. Through their examination of diverse representations of otherness and identity, and such issues as cultural imperialism and appropriation, the contributors show how the accelerated global flow of goods and images challenges the ideal of the cultural border and creates new spaces for cultural invention. The result is lower costs and profitable growth. Drawing on dozens of case studies of every type of enterprise from convenience store chains to global telecommunications giants the authors define proven strategies that you can use to grow - even under adverse business conditions. The authors show that stellar achievement is within the reach of every organization.
Any company can master the strategies.
The choice of McDonald s restaurants as an example of defining some problematical aspects of our contemporary world is a felicitous one. The phenomenon of McDonaldization which the author elicits from his analysis of McDonald s fast food restaurants encompasses both production and consumption and applies to a wide range of economic, political, social and cultural artifacts and processes. This book applies these concepts to phenomena ranging from work to leisure, from food to media and from education to politics. With the implicit endorsement of Alpha consumers, you can build a highly desirable brand image and a loyal base of customers. Despite their limited numbers, Alphas wield tremendous power in the marketplace.