NOTE: Please watch the following video on Weber
before working on the paper so that you understand the concepts better.
Goal of the Assignment
To conduct some ethnographic research at a fast-food restaurant , describe what you see, and apply Weberian concepts of bureaucracy and rationalization to the process.
Pre-Assignment Observation
Choose a fast-food restaurant that has counter service. Sit at a booth where you can observe what is going on at the counter and behind the counter. You can visit such places with your SOCI 201 class–mates and discuss the observations/findings if you wish. Hang out at two (2) sites before writing the assignment; do not spend more than 30 minutes at a site .
Observations to be filled out as you sit at the restaurant or shortly thereafter:
What is the complete cycle of interaction between a customer and the employees behind the counter? Write it out in terms of its steps.
What does the employee say?
What does the employee do?
How many different jobs are there behind the counter? Write some possible job titles for them.
Is someone obviously in charge? How do you know? How is he/she controlling what the employees are doing? Discuss the structure of the establishment and dynamics between the managers and workers as well as workers and technology.
Accurately record what you observe, without specifically looking for examples that support Weber’s theories. As we discussed in class when we discussed ethnographies, problems arise if you enter the field with premeditated expectations about what you will find.
The Actual Paper:
Please recreate the steps taken when ordering a meal at McDonalds or other fast-food restaurants that you picked. In adequate detail, outline the steps a customer takes when ordering and eating a meal at McDonalds/other fast-food restaurant, from the moment s/he enters the restaurant to the moment s/he leaves. Please include any gestures or language that is typical in this encounter. What are the behind-the-counter dynamics in terms of managerial control, technological efficiency, and workers tasks?
Define Weber’s six (6) dimensions of bureaucracy. Discuss how closely the fast-food restaurants you observed conform to the dimensions and in what ways they do not. How do they lead to predictable and efficient outcomes? How is the concept of “rationalization” demonstrated, if it is?
Paper Requirements
The paper should be 1.5-2 single-spaced pages and is due at the beginning of class. Submit a document online, but turn in a hard copy too. Attach your observation notes at the end.
All assignments must: be typed single-spaced, use12-point Times New Roman font, have one-inch margins on all sides, proofread/spell-checked, and stapled. All direct and indirect quotations from sources consulted should be properly acknowledged. The assignment should not simply be a summary or literature review; constructive social analysis is required. Please follow ASA rules for format and style.
