"McDonald's in Hong Kong"

Paper Summary:

The paper examines "McDonald's in Hong Kong" where James L. Watson explores whether Hong Kong's acceptance of McDonald's is evidence that Hong Kong's culture is under siege by the global culture. The paper looks at Watson's belief that the citizens of Hong Kong are not passive victims of McDonaldization but are actively exporting their own contributions to global culture. The paper is of the opinion that this work is worth reading for its insights into Hong Kong culture, but asserts that its conclusions do not seem to be warranted by the evidence presented.

From the Paper:

"Watson concedes that McDonald's has enjoyed "roaring success" in Hong Kong, despite the fact that it offers traditional McDonald fare in a city where the residents have long enjoyed very different staple foods (Watson 125). However, he contends that the people have managed to do this without becoming any "less 'Chinese' than their grandfather" (Watson 125). (And presumably they are also just as Chinese as their grandmothers.) Indeed, he asserts that the question itself needs to be reframed in a way that takes cognisance of consumers' views. Using eye witness accounts of evolutions that McDonald's has undergone since it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, Watson shows how the locals have subtly changed the way that McDonald's is run, in such a way as to be more consistent with the way they perceive the world."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Politics-Food-Eating/dp/0631230939
• Ellwood, Wayne. The No-Nonsense Guide to Globalization. Oxford: New International Publications Ltd., 2003.
• McBride, Stephen. Paradigm Shift: Globalization and the Canadian State. 2nd edition. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, 2005.
• Watson, James L. "McDonald's in Hong Kong." Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia. James L. Watson. Stanford University Press, 1997.

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