According to James (2009), McDonald’s Corporation is the global leading chain of hamburger fast food restaurant. Brothers, Maurice McDonald and Richard began the business began in 1940 when they opened their first restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Consequently, Ray Kroc opened a franchised restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1954 (Johnson 2016). By 1963, the over 500 restaurants had sold above one billion burgers. Besides, in 1967, Johnson (2016) observes that the McDonald brand went international where the company opened a restaurant in Puerto Rico and Canada (Richmond, British Columbia).
The expansion of McDonald brand to the international market puts the company on the forefront globalization and the spread of ‘American way’ of life. Neate (2015) reports that McDonald is serving over 69 million customers every day. In addition, the McDonald chain operates 36,258 restaurants in over 119 countries, of which 29,544 are franchise. Despite the tremendous growth, around 350 of the outlets closed down in the United States (US) and China. In United Kingdom (UK), McDonald operates 1,270 stores, employing over 115,000 by 2017 (McDonald 2018). It opened its first restaurant in 1974 in the UK.
Organizational structure exists to enable coordination of activities and division of work among members of the company with an intention of working towards the achievement of objectives and goals. The manager allocated us duties in various departments such as advertising, marketing, sales, and manufacturing depending on the organization. Moreover, in McDonald restaurant where I was, there is the restaurant manager who controls all operations, assistant manager, area manager, host, crew trainer, shift manager, and crew member.
Thomson (2017) acknowledge that McDonald’s organizational structure enables markets management based on performance levels. The structure of McDonald keeps evolving to address emerging and current market issues and it is adapted to the changing business environments. The structures includes;
This hierarchy cover all its international operations. Its main mandate is emphasizing on corporate control. For instance, the chief executive officer (CEO) directs all business activities. Besides, the CEO passes their mandate to middle managers, restaurant managers, and personnel.
Thomson (2017) assert that this is the most distinguishing feature of restaurant’s organizational structure. Before changing the organizational structure in 2015, the company had its geographical structures as Africa, Middle East, Asia/Pacific, Europe, the US, and other countries like Latin America, and Canada. However, after restructuring, McDonald used performance to divide its organizational structure. As such, the new structure is as follows, foundation markets and corporate, high growth markets, international lead markets and the US.
This organizational structure maintains function-based groups. For example, legal group, human resource management group, and a franchising and supply chain group, falls under the department of corporate operations. In essence, this kind of organizational structure enables the global restaurant chain to monitor the basic functions of its daily business.
At McDonald, I served in two capacities, as a crew member and as a second assistant manager.
As a crew member, I ensured that customers are satisfied by performing tasks like counter services, cleaning, production, and preparation in accordance with McDonald’s standards. Besides, I followed directions from shift manager, assistant manager and the restaurant manager on specific number of days of integration to ensure that I covered all operational areas like service area, lobby, and kitchen. Together with other crew members, we ensured that customers’ orders are prepared and delivered in addition to collecting payments.
My main responsibilities as a second assistant manager was to help the assistant manager in performing management duties. For example, maintaining an inventory of supplies and equipment, ensure that menu items are available, supervise the acceptance of takeaway, and welcome customers. Besides, I also helped the assistant manager run the store when the branch manager was absent. Furthermore, I had the responsibility of making decision on demanding circumstances, which helped improve services in the restaurant. For example, ordered purchase of ingredients that were finished to enable preparation of the foods consistently so that customers could not miss their preferred orders. Additionally, I helped the assistant manager to supervise the planning teams, recruitment, and training and their respective controls. Besides, I was responsible for safeguarding the restaurants’ safety as well as took part in analyzing operational results and sales forecasts.
Reflection is a tool for enhancing metacognition by creating a positive correlation between motivation and academic performance. As such, this reflection has helped me understand the activities I carried out at McDonald, which have consequently enhanced my understanding and thus adding value to my overall skills.
Carrying out tasks like hygiene and safety, and drive-thru module helped improve my public relations skills which will be very instrumental in my career development. For example, welcoming customers and directing them built y confidence in handling diversity. I achieved this by following orientation instructions offered to me by the crew manager. In particular, I welcome customers with broad smile while directing them to their seats. Moreover, I interacted by customers politely and enthusiastically to show that at McDonald, we really cared for their support. Intrinsically, appreciating customers show how much the organization value their support and they feel motivated to come over again and again. Despite welcoming customers with reception, some appeared moody and could snub my attempts to give them direction. However, that did not deter my spirit and commitment to the restaurant. I continued with my duties while expecting both negative and positive reaction from customers. That strategy helped me overcome instances where customers behaved otherwise. Furthermore, my role in driving through involved welcoming customers at the door as well as directing other crew members to direct other customers. From that, I learnt the importance of delegation, I could not perform all the tasks alone. In essence, I nurture my relational skills as well as confidence by believing in other peoples’ potential. I considered them equal to the task. Additionally, delegating duties to other people also gives them an opportunity to learn and overcome their fears. As such, we all felt satisfied by serving and meeting our customers’ needs. Interestingly, the restaurant recorded increase in sales during my stay at McDonald. That signifies the importance of bringing in new talent to the organizational management. It therefore true that working with others help nurture the best out of an individual. I now feel satisfied for having brought an impact to the company.
While in the kitchen, I learned how to grill products by checking procedures, food settings, and equipment. I am now able to cook perfect meat patties, which are hot and juicy without signs of red or pink meat juices. I managed to grill products well by following the instructions of the main chef at the restaurant. This was possible since I followed every steps and applying ingredients as required. Even though I faced challenges of hot furnace that did not deter my commitment to grill quality meat. I overcome the furnace challenge by regulating the intensity of the heat. Besides, I also overcome the challenge of customers wanting their orders quickly by explaining the importance of them waiting for quality cooked food which will not have any negative effect on their health. Furthermore, in the kitchen, I served as a crew member, preparing customer’s orders and I learnt a number of lessons. For example, grilling quality meat made customers happy and I could see smiles on their faces. As such, producing a quality product is the sure way of maintaining and retaining customers be it in engineering or any other sector.
I gained leadership and team working skills while serving as a crew member and second assistant manager.
Leadership
I gained leadership skill while working at McDonald. As a second assistant manager, I had to take up the responsibility of guiding crew members on carrying out their daily routines. I managed to lead other crew members successfully by allocating roles and responsibilities to every member, this ensured that all tasks received adequate attention for delivery. For example, I gave Jane, Peter, and Ken the responsibility of receiving customers and taking their orders. Marya was at the cashier. Philis, Adams, and Alicia were at the kitchen serving orders. As a leader, I did not just sit and gave instructions, I chipped in whenever there was a work load. For instance, during peak, there were many customers and I helped in picking orders and serving. Accordingly, customers got their order on time and thus we met their needs without delays. Besides, I interacted with crew members on work related issues as well when taking accounts on our duties to identify areas that had lapses where we corrected and adjusted techniques. Though leadership is good, it has challenges of taking responsibility on behalf of crew members on mistakes made to customers. Consequently, I overcome that challenge by reminding colleagues to be observant of their duties to avoid mistakes like dropping and reporting to work at the required time to avoid penalties that portray management negatively. As a second assistant, I carried the responsibilities of the assistant manager when he was absent and any other responsibilities assigned. Overall, I learned that leadership is a call, it requires patience and understanding to work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Team working
Teamwork is a vital element in today’s workforce. I acquired team working skills by being able to work peacefully with crew members as well as the management. In particular, I achieved this by observing working boundaries, not overstepping my mandate. This ensure good collaboration amongst us. Even though some crew members developed attitude because of my outstanding skills, I reached out to them when the customer traffic was low and we sorted out our misunderstanding for better service delivery. Even though I was a crew member who worked in collaboration with others in the tea, I did not hesitate to take up roles whenever the team leader was help up with other cores. The assistant manager was our team leader and thus stepping up for him was a challenge I embraced wholeheartedly from the whole experience, teamwork is the best way employees should approach duties, and there is unity and collective effort that ensures systems run smoothly. Moreover, team collaboration makes it easy to understand individual strengths and weaknesses and thus overstepping on one’s weakness is avoidable. This helps create harmonious relationship that promote focus on organizational goal achievement.
Most of my experiences at McDonald was positive. Working conditions were good, the relationship between management and the crew is quite commendable. For that reason, a good working environment provides grounds for exploiting full potential of an employee. I gave my best since I was free to express my opinion to the management and contributed to the organizational success. I was given ample time to learn as well as apply my management skills that enhanced my innovativeness and creativity to deliver quality services. In essence, hospitality industry allows workers to express their creativity in cooking and serving.
Despite the numerous good experiences, some customers were difficult to deal with. They would abuse employees for slight mistakes. In such circumstances, I learned that humility was the only option since two people cannot be at the same level of temperament and reach a consensus. I endeavor to stay calm in such situation even in future only reason my point when my colleague is calm and collected. Accordingly, I will avoid confrontation and contemptuousness.
Masters in Engineering Management prepared me well enough for the placement. The management aspect of the course was very instrumental during my stay at McDonald. In particular, the course improved my confidence in handling and collaborating with other crew members. I treated both customers and colleagues with utmost respect since I am aware they are important stakeholders for the success of the McDonald restaurant. Furthermore, the course prepared me to manage a business, for example, I used Microsoft packages to keep daily records as well as used my vast information technology to operate the systems at the restaurant. Generally, the course prepared me to become a great team player, improvement in communication with everyone, learned to deliver exceptional customer service, and applied analytical skills gained to make valid decision under pressure.
It also prepared me to adapt quickly to the workplace since I had learned the importance of onboarding. Adaptability is a skill that employers admire. An employee who embraces organizational culture quickly has the ability to learn and reduce strain to other senior employees for training. Despite all the many skills, the course equipped me with, it did not equip me with culinary experience. I did not learned how to cook. I had to learn from the crew members how to fry and grill quality meat. But owing to adaptability skills, I learned from the course, I quickly learned how the crew grilled and fried, surprisingly, I was perfect within a month.
The work integrated learning at McDonald strategically inspired my creativity and innovativeness. Today, keeping in pace with change determines whether one succeeds or not. The creativity skills gained while serving customers and adaptability will help me stay ahead of my peers career wise. Creativity and adaptability reduces amount of time to onboard on my future organizations. However, I feel I already have a place to work at and continue serving the customers at McDonald.
The placement at McDonald took me back to drawing board on my career path. Ever since, I wanted to be an engineering, designing programs and working with big machines. However, after the placement, I feel I should take another path. Service industry. That satisfaction I saw on people’s faces after filling their tummy is epic. I would wish to serve people at a joint like McDonald. The main reason is because I will be meeting my customers’ expectations immediately as well as feedback on areas I am supposed to improve. Moreover, I will get more time to engage with fellow workers to nurture different talents for the wellbeing of the society. Accordingly, I would like to pursue career in management to get an opportunity of rising the management ladder at McDonald to become regional manager because without adequate qualification, I may not realize this dream.
Conclusion
McDonald Corporation gave me an opportunity of learning and gaining experience during placement. I served as a crew member as well as second assistant manager that enabled me acquire some technical skills like grilling and frying. Additionally, the knowledge and skills acquired are leadership, time management, teamwork, and communication. Ideally, the course prepared me for the placement task by improving my confidence in handling and managing the restaurant. On the other hand, placement at McDonald enhanced my soft skills, personal development, enhanced job applications and interviews, and an opportunity to identify my strengths and weaknesses for career development.
References
James, R., 2009. McDonald’s Abroad. Time. [Online] Available at: https://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1932839,00.html (Accessed April 12, 2018).
Johnson, H., 2016. The true story of how McDonald’s became America’s fast food king. Business Insider. [Online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-history-timeline-2016-10?IR=T (Accessed April 12, 2018).
McDonald, 2018. History. [Online] Available at: https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/newsroom/history.html (Accessed April 12, 2018).
Neate, R., 2015. McDonald’s: a brief history in 15 facts. The Guardian. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/02/mcdonalds-a-brief-history-in-15-facts (Accessed April 12, 2018).
Thomson, A., 2017. McDonald’s Organizational Structure Analysis. Panmore Institute. [Online] Available at: https://panmore.com/mcdonalds-organizational-structure-analysis. (Accessed April 12, 2018).
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