Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia

Golden Arches East: McDonalds in East Asia is an absorbing read that delves into more than just eating; it grapples with the big issues like the impact of local vis-à-vis the global by looking into the interplay of McDonald's in five Asian economies. Watson, et al concludes that in several spaces - particularly in Asia - McDonald's amalgamated into the local communities. McDonalds has integrated so well that the distinction between local and foreign has blurred. So disentangled is the distinction that McDonalds is no longer considered a foreign restaurant and arguably in many cases - such as the ones explored in this book - no longer functions as one. This is an essential book because it accurately portrays and cognizant of local nuance how a transnational culture is developing. Golden Arches East: McDonalds in East Asia is a necessary read for anyone interested in globalization. At a time when academics frequently write impenetrably this book is a breath of fresh air. Golden Arches is very engaging and is deals with one straightforward question: how do countries act in response to McDonald's, and conversely what does the relation say about those countries? The inquiry is not petty. The book is an exploration of McDonald's in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo. Undoubtedly, McDonald's has had a huge effect in Asia, influencing manners and values and the way people interact. The most informative part of these studies is its exploration of how McDonald's changed each country. While Americans might see themselves as the bright light of global democracy and human rights, its impact in countries in East Asia is proving to be more empirical. Bathrooms in Hong Kong restaurants, according to this study had undergone a tremendous transformation. Riding into town with the McDonalds penchant for cleanliness, the other restaurants seem to have followed suit. It might seem like an exaggeration but Watson et al credits McDonald's for assisting in elevating the cleanliness and safety standard in public rest rooms in Hong Kong. Another thing that is happening in Hong Kong is the "disciplining" of the users. According to Watson et al the carceral community taks care of its own. Self reflective of exaggerating McDonalds impact in the milieu, Watson et al claim that even if McDonalds did not indeed take the active role in creating a form of queuing discipline - it s perceived to have done so. Moving onto the perhaps the marquis section of the book, Japan's values have been changing for decades, becoming steadily more casual, and according to Watson et al McDonald's may be assisting as vehicle in that process. This proves at least one thing - that there is nothing primordial or essential about cultures but that culture and societies change, reinvent themselves, and reify their existence by the re-enforcement and performance or cultural play. To the chagrin of conservatives, this is reality. According to Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney, Japan has a long-standing tab

Most books dealing with the spread of American pop culture (and pop business) influences these days like Disney, Coca-Cola and McDonald's have very little good to say about the growth of any of them in previously unexposed markets. That's why, perhaps, it comes as surprising that "Golden Arches East" comes out with a mostly positive look at the effect McDonald's had had throughout East Asia.In this book, five authors look at the impact McDonald's has had in five different East Asian entities: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Much of the early chapters is given over to looking at the material aspects of McDonald's in East Asia: the marketing aspects, the reconceptualization towards a standard Asian consumer, the effect on the Asian food industry, etc.. All of this makes for very fascinating reading and shows just how marketing has to be changed from country to country (or even region to region). Likewise, it deals with very nuts-and-bolts issues of how McDonald's has impacted the lives of the average Asian consumer - and the impact is bigger than you'd think.However, later chapters (especially those dealing with Taiwan and Korea and the Afterword) move to more conceptual issues of McDonald's - issues of modernity. Americanization and cultural identity. In an anthropological context (which is what this book tries to maintain), these are all very important, but somehow the later efforts seem to either fall flat or fall back on the line used so often in studying Asia these days, "But things are changing now".While the overall message of this book is positive, there are the standard overtones of just how much the world has changed in the past half-century. I really recommend this book for the nuts-and-bolts stuff in the first two or three chapters, but the later didacticism tends to fall a little flat. Nonetheless, this book offers useful information to both the business student and the cultural anthropologist. If either East Asia or McDonald's interest you, I recommend giving this book a shot.

One point that is sorely overlooked in this otherwise extensive book is the socio-economic impact the introduction of the McDonald's character Grimace has had on East Asia.

I find this book very entertaining, despite it is a collection of ethnographic essays. Some of the variations among Macdonalds among East Asian localities, in terms of food served (Shogun/Teriyaki Burger in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan), as well as services (birthday parties) are really interesting. The studies show that globalization is a two-way street: Macdonalds export the US fast food culture, but, meanwhile, it has to adopt to local taste and cultural differences to grow. Out of the many fast food chains, Macdonald is undeniably the most successful in penetrating the global market. Macdonalds have always draw discussions and controversies in Hong Kong, my home town. Several months ago, there was a craze to buy a collection of 28 Snoopy miniatures (in different national clothings) in 28 days. Many HK residents flocked to Macdonalds in town to buy the Meals (a requirement to get the Snoopys) and pay an additional amount of about US$0.75 to get the Snoopys each of the 28 days to get teh whole collection. But many people can't bear to eat french fires for 28 consecutive days and therefore throw away the meals just for the dolls. The whole set, at a time, worths more than US$250 in Hong Kong. Many people criticize Macdonalds for creating waste (food got discarded), chaos (long lines outside the restaurants) and even social problems. In short, it's a good book for understanding global business and East Asian social changes.

A little treat of a book. My friend Janice is always quoting a book she loves called 'The Unforeseen Consequences of Change". This will be her Christmas present. It's an example of how changing one variable - i.e. introducing McDonald's - highlights so many things about the rest of the system, and about McDonld's itself. Full of moments like "Gosh, I never thought about that" or 'Of course yes, why not ..." Take it on an airplane flight and enjoy.