Benefits Mcdonalisation Concepts to NGO in Marketing and Consumption (Research Paper Sample)

Marketing and Consumption Decisions
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Marketing and consumption decisions
Background
Marketing is described as the process through which groups and individuals obtain what they want and need by exchanging and creating products and value with others (Same, 2012). Thus, marketing is the process of delivering customer satisfaction at a profit. The objective of marketing is to satisfy the needs and wants of a customer better than the competitor. There are a variety of activities that are involved in marketing. These activities include identifying the needs of the customers, designing of the product, promotion of the products or services benefits with the aim of motivating purchase, pricing and ensuring that products are available to the target group (Dibb, Simkin, Pride & Ferrell, 2006). According to Dibb, et al. (2006) to ensure effective marketing, there are various core marketing concepts to be put into consideration. These core concepts include; first, the consumer wants, needs and demand. It is quite essential to put into consideration the needs and wants of the consumer. When a product or service has been designed to meet specific needs and wants it becomes easy to market. There is also the need to consider the consumer demand and to understand what influence such demand. The importance of understanding the consumer demand is to ensure that there is enough market for the product or service. Second, products and services- products are anything that could be offered to meet the needs or wants of the market. Services, on the other hand, are the benefits or the activities offered for sale that essentially does not result in ownership of anything. Marketing concentrates on creating awareness and demand for the products and services on the market (Dibb, et al., 2006). Third, value satisfaction and quality- an organization products or services ought to create value for the consumer. The value of the product or service can be determined with respect to what products or services well satisfy the needs and wants of the consumer. To ensure a competitive edge in the market, an organization should ensure that its services and products are of superior quality (Dibb, et al., 2006). Fourth, exchange, transactions and relationships- an organization should put into consideration how consumers obtain services and products. In marketing, the organization should ensure that obtaining of the organization's products and services is convenient. It should, therefore, be essential to ensure that products are services can easily be accessed by the target market. It would also be important for the management of the organization to ensure the existence of an effective marketing network which usually includes the company and its stakeholders. Fifth, the market- there is the need to identify the target market. The essence of identifying the target market is to ensure that marketing efforts are directed to the right group. Failure to identify the target market could result in wastage of the organization resources (Dibb, et al., 2006).
Discussion
McDonalisation is considered as the process of rationalization taken to the extreme levels. According to the realization concepts, every task can be rationalized. Rationalization means to substitute the traditionally illogical rules with logically consistent rules (Ritzer, 1983). Ritzer (1983) argues that one of the most important rules of rationalization is the fact that any task can be rationalized. McDonalisation process involves breaking down tasks into smaller tasks until all tasks are broken into the smallest tasks possible. After breaking of the tasks, they are rationalized with the aim of finding the most efficient method of completing each task. Inefficient methods are then discarded. The process of McDonalisation results in the creation of the logical, efficient sequence that can be used in the same way every time with the objective of producing the desired outcome (Ritzer, 1983). According to Ritzer (2011), McDonaldisation comprises of four significant components which include, control, calculability, efficiency and predictability. Under control the processes and employees are standardized, and the organisation replaces them with non-human technology. Calculability refers to quantifiable objectives where quantity is seen as quality. Efficiency is the minimization of the time used in accomplishing a particular task. Predictability is the ability of the consumers to predict the possibility of receiving the same product and services whenever they interact with a MacDonald organisation.
The society and Not-for-profit organisation could derive some benefits from the McDonalisation concepts. These benefits would be related to the concepts of control, predictability, calculability and efficiency. However, McDonalisation is not without critiques. Alfino, Caputo & Wynyard (1998) argue that these concepts have been heavily criticized due to their adverse consequence among them being dehumanisation, homogenisation of the organisation cultures as well as the potential threats of rationalisation to the human health and the environment. One of the most significant costs is the problems that the environment and the consumers suffer due to organisation efficiencies (Alfino, et al., 1998). For example, adoption of just-in-time systems is likely to result in increased traffic jams in the cities and increased fuel consumption which could push the fuel prices upwards. Various studies have also indicated that while organisations are likely to benefit from the increased efficiency, environmental costs are internalized and passed to the consumers (Alfino, et al., 1988). Alfino, et al., (1988) argue that McDonalisation has also been criticised in the aspects that increased efficiency in the production of agricultural products could, in the long run, threaten the human health. For example, increased use of genetically modified food could contribute to health problems.
Wilkie & Moore (2012) argue that marketing to a greater extent influences the societal behaviour due to its power of persuasion. The objective of marketing is to persuade the society on particular aspects of life while to the consumers marketing provides a means of learning. Consumers to some extent believe the content of marketing, and thus, they could change their way of life due to marketing influences. The society also uses the information from marketing groups to determine the products that provide the best value and those which are most reliable. It is often this information that consumers use in forming customer royalty. It could also be argued that marketing affects the societal economy. Successful marketing is likely to result in increased sales which would translate to businesses expansion, increased taxes, and employment creation. Marketing to some extent has also resulted in increased social evils. For example, a marketer encouraging the use of condoms to safeguard for sexually transmitted diseases could be interpreted as encouraging cheating in relationships.
On the other hand, society also does influence marketing. When marketing, the marketers need to understand the needs and wants of the consumers. Marketing is thus shaped depending on the needs and wants of the consumers. Often marketers conduct research on the consumers with the aim of understanding their behaviour and what influences such behaviour. Such researches to a greater extent determine the marketing strategy to be used by an organisation in marketing its products. A company should also consider the socio-cultural factors when designing a marketing strategy. The socio-cultural factors do affect the buyers and consumers decisions to purchase a product. The socio-cultural factors include lifestyles, values and customs that characterize a society (Cook, Cheshire, Rice & Nakagawa, 2013). The need to consider the social-cultural factors when designing a marketing strategy is to ensure that the strategy is appealing to the right target. One of the factors contributing to the failure of the marketing strategy is the failure to identify the needs, wants and values of the target group. For example, a pork company marketing strategy targeting Muslims may significantly fail because Muslims are not pork consumers due to their religious beliefs. In summary, marketing and society have a correlation thus one has an effect on the other.
According to Emerson (1976) the social exchange theory explains that human relationships are created through comparison and cost benefits analysis of various alternatives. Further, the theory explains that social behaviour result from social as well as economic outcomes. The social exchange thus involves a connection with an individual based on trust rather than legal obligation. The exchange theory is based on the following important concepts; first, cost and rewards- according to the theory the relationship decisions are based on costs and rewards. Costs are defined as elements of life that impact negatively on a person. These costs could include effort, money and time. Rewards are defined as the elements that impact positively on an individual. Rewards could thus include companionship, support and acceptance. The argument of the exchange theory is that people determine the overall worth by considering rewards and the cost.
According to Emerson (1976), there are some propositions that would help in the understanding of the exchange theory. These include;
* The alternatives likely to be chosen are from those people expect the highest profit.
* Where cost is equal, individuals choose the alternatives where they expect highest rewards.
* If the immediate results are equal, individuals will choose the alternative that promises better outcomes in the long run.
* If rewards are equal individuals are more likely to choose the alternatives th...