Submitted by: Submitted by nuncapior
Views: 1058
Words: 855
Pages: 4
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 11/02/2010 08:59 AM
Introduction
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily through 119 countries.
The principles that are used today are the same that his founder, Ray Kroc, has imposed: consistency, cleanliness, good customer service and low price products. These principles became a key-factor to the major success of the company and the consequent expansion to international markets, transforming the company in a symbol of Globalization and spread the American way of life, as well as subject of study to many researchers in the business management area.
On the other hand, this global expansion had its consequences: the company became a frequent topic of public interest once it had direct influence on Obesity, Corporate Ethics and Consumer Responsibility. (PDF generated at: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:10:25 UTC data monitor).
BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY
The business, stated in 1940, when the brothers Dick and Mac McDonald decided to open a restaurant where the only things that were served were hamburgers, French fries, soft drinks, and milk shakes. Their idea became a huge success and, in a matter of only a few years, they had nine restaurants that they were in charge of.
This is when Ray Kroc (a simple milk shake mixer salesman who had supplied their business) suggested that the McDonald’s should expand their presence and offered his services as their agent. Ray Kroc was the individual responsible for the foundation of the McDonald’s Corporation on April 1955. Additionally, his vision, influence and ability to franchise the fast food chain allowed him to buy out the McDonald’s brothers in 1961 and to list it on the stock markets in 1965. By this date there were more than 700 sites in existence across the United States and, by 2003, there were more than 31,000 over 119 countries employing more than 1.5 million people.
Company Overview
The corporate structure of McDonald’s has turned into a model often...