12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Your Typical Book About McDonald's Expansionism..., October 12, 2002
This review is from: Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia (Paperback)
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.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent study of the Macdonalds' impact on East Asia, December 30, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia (Paperback)
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.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining, insightful, full of anecdote, sparky, quirky., June 8, 1998
By A Customer
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.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No