However, during his time at Michigan, Ritzer can clearly remember being greatly connected to global events.

Ritzer ’ s idea of McDonaldization is an extension of Max Weber ’ s ( 1864 – 1920 ) classical theory of the rationalization of modern society and culture.

In addition to The McDonaldization of Society, the most important sources for Ritzer ’ s sociology of consumption are his edited Explorations in the Sociology of Consumption: Fast Food Restaurants, Credit Cards and Casinos ( 2001 ), Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption ( 2nd edition 2005, 3rd edition forthcoming ), and Expressing America: A Critique of the Global Credit-Card Society ( 1995 ).

In this provocative book, George Ritzer explores how Weber's classic thoughts on rationalization take on new vitality and meaning when applied to the process of McDonaldization.

George Ritzer ’ s McDonaldization of Society, now celebrating its ’ 20th anniversary, continues to stand as one of the pillars of modern day sociological thought.

McDonaldization is a term used by sociologist George Ritzer in his book The McDonaldization of Society ( 1993 ).

Ritzer highlighted five primary components of McDonaldization:

Ritzer also outlines Irrationality of Rationality as a fifth aspect of McDonaldization.

In the book " The McDonaldization of Society " by George Ritzer, he discusses and provides his perspective of the modern world in the view of fast-food restaurant.

* The McDonaldization of Society by George Ritzer ( ISBN 0-7619-8812-2 )

: McDonaldization: The Reader by George Ritzer ( ISBN 0-7619-8767-3 )

: The McDonaldization Thesis: Explorations and Extensions by George Ritzer ( ISBN 0-7619-5540-2 )

* George Ritzer, The McDonaldization of Society ( 2004 ).

The sociologist George Ritzer has used the term McDonaldization to refer, not just to the actions of the fast food restaurant, but to the general process of rationalization.

Ritzer distinguishes four primary components of McDonaldization:

The McDonaldization of Society is a 1993 book by sociologist George Ritzer.

For convenient access to many of Ritzer ’ s substantive contributions to modern and postmodern social theorizing, see Explorations in Social Theory: From Metatheorizing to Rationalization ( 2001 ) as well as more recent work often co-authored with his many students, such as ( with J. Michael Ryan ) “ Postmodern Social Theory and Sociology: On Symbolic Exchange with a ‘ Dead ’ Theory ,” in Reconstructing Postmodernism: Critical Debates ( 2007 ).

10, No. 3, August 1975 ( pp. 156 – 167 ), this book provides a foundation for Ritzer ’ s other works on metatheory.

In this book, Ritzer contends that sociology needs a paradigm that is integrated in order to add to the extant paradigms noted in Sociology: A Multiple Paradigm Science.

Ritzer continues to explore this book ’ s central thesis: that our society has undergone fundamental change because of the way and the level at which we consume.

George Ritzer examines these issues ( and surveys the structure agency debate ) in greater detail in his book Modern Sociological Theory ( 2000 ).

In the book, Ritzer took central elements of the work of Max Weber, expanded and updated them, and produced a critical analysis of the impact of social structural change on human interaction and identity.

An early admirer of Jean Baudrillard ’ s Consumer Society ( 1970 ), Ritzer is a leading proponent of the study of consumption.

* Ritzer, George.

George Ritzer is a sociologist who studies American patterns of consumption, globalization, metatheory, and modern and postmodern social theory.

Currently, Ritzer is Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Ritzer was born in 1940 to a Jewish family in New York City.

His father worked as a taxi cab driver and his mother was employed as a secretary in order to support Ritzer and his younger brother.

After his father became ill, Ritzer recalled instances when his mother had to break open the family's piggy bank in order to provide for the family.

Ritzer graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1958.

Ritzer began his education at the City College of New York.

While at CCNY, Ritzer initially thought that he was going to focus on business and major in accounting.

After graduating from CCNY in 1962, Ritzer decided that he was interested in pursuing business again.

Ritzer was accepted into the MBA program at the University of Michigan, where he received a partial scholarship.

Ritzer reported that at Michigan, he was able to grow and improve as a student.

Ritzer graduated from The University of Michigan in 1964.

After graduation, Ritzer began working in personnel management for the Ford Motor Company.

Ritzer ’ s managers mistakenly hired more people than was necessary for his job, leaving Ritzer idle and unoccupied.

Nevertheless, Ritzer was always expected to appear busy.

This caused many of the workers and foremen to become hostile towards Ritzer.

Moreover, Ritzer also found problems within the management structure at Ford.

Furthermore, Ritzer found himself constrained and unable to do anything creative while working at Ford.

This experience led Ritzer to seek new opportunities for his life.

Soon, Ritzer found himself applying to PhD programs.

Shortly thereafter, Ritzer enrolled in Cornell University ’ s organizational behavior PhD program in the School of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Ritzer was advised by Harrison Trice, who urged him to minor in sociology.