McDonald’s raising minimum wage gives hints about the future of the fast-food franchise

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Source Article “https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/10/mcdonalds-minimum-wage-raise-and-the-fast-food-franchise-future-.html”

The franchise industry set the stage when Matt Haller, said — “Franchisees are best situated to make wage decisions in their local communities,”. Essentially, this puts the responsibility on management. Now the fact pays for fast-food workers has been under the microscope for almost a decade now. This has got to be a lot of pressure to deal with.

Mcdonald’s, because of its success, has been caught in the center of this storm. But what few do not seem to realize is how each Mcdonald's location is in fact individually owned. This distance in the relationship is usually seen as causing complexities. However, what is probably not realized is how much this highlights the relationship between the franchisee and the local community it serves. Yet at the same time, the locations the corporation owns have decided to take initiative on the matter and begin raising the wages of its workers. There is obviously a call for unity while still respecting individuality.

In the face of this matter, all managers facing this crisis, if you haven't already, should pick up a book called “The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement”.

The book also offers some practical and simple literary techniques to really convey beneficial concepts for any well-intentioned individual. Many have the intent of creating a better work environment and do not truly achieve them. This book offers a pathway to reaching that goal. If you happen to be someone who focuses on the production aspect of a business, this book is the book for you.

It demonstrates clearly the need for a more logical approach especially when it comes to areas like supply chain management, distribution, and manufacturing. This book truly needs to be embraced for the times and the economy we are heading into. The lessons of ‘The Goal’ are just as applicable now as they were when the book was first written. The fact will always remain that people were just not made to work 24/7 365. Therefore a truly well thought out way to improve production that works with the people is the best way to go.

Chapter 1 introduces the main character Alex Rogo, an industrial engineer with an MBA who manages a plant owned by UniCo Manufacturing Corporation. He arrives at the office one morning to discover the division Vice President Mr. Bill Peach. The conversation they have becomes heated when they discuss an order that is seven weeks overdue. Bill furiously warns Alex that the factory will be shut down within 3 months if he doesn't turn it around. On top of that, the seven-week overdue order must be shipped that very same day, no excuses.

Now the story goes on to entail how this job he has held has affected his personal relationships and he ends up getting advice from someone who has no connection to the company. Few would point out how help from Alex’s immediate community is pretty much the only thing that is going to solve the plant's problem. This particular point is what needs to be understood about Mcdonald's situation. Communities forget how much they are involved in the relationship between industry and consumers.

Higher wages alone don't solve anything. The underlying voice behind the article is how their quality of life is just not up to par with their peers in the community. There is a huge focus on social-economic conditions. The ability to be able to participate in a lifestyle worth being proud of. So much pressure is put on governments and business owners. But, let's focus on Alex for a second. His job isn't worth much when his relationships fall apart when relationships are all there is to a community.

There is a hidden problem going on in the economy. Fun fact, economy means “household management”. We live in a society where everyone is allowed to manage their households how they please. In this store, if we pretend the factory is a sort of house, Alex has to get resources from outside the house to run the factory properly. Most of the time intellectual resources is overlooked because it is considered an abstract asset. But it's the only thing that is going to allow Alex to solve the factory's problems.

Alex doesn't seem to realize how much he holds the cards if he would just reach out. Everything he is working at the factory for could be replaced using the very same thinking introduced to him by the professor. I am stressing this because at heart I'm fairly certain we all managers somewhere in our lives. Whether it's managing the home, a business, or even a country. We all strive to manage our lives.

There are things this book did not account for in the tale, probably simply to appeal to the professional. It almost looks like fairy tale until you factor in some reality. The professor has the intellectual breathing room that Alex does not have. He is also not going to have that home, because his wife also depends on his intellectual management skills. The same mental faculty that Alex needs in the factory is also the same faculty needed at home. Alex has no rest and his home ends up not being a place to rest and restore his thinking.

People like Bill would call this an emotional or psychological issue. But in reality, it boils down to “resources” or “inventory” and the most effective application of that inventory. The same thought process that Alex applied to the factory, should have also been applied in his own home. If Alex had been managing his home better, he might have also managed the factory better to not be 7 weeks behind.

This home-based skill is not taught in schools or on the job. Essentially his ability to manage a household or internal economy is what is in question. Now the professor, working for a school and all, simultaneously manages a home because schools often become a second home for many. Most people who didn't feel at home while at school are usually the ones who do not perform well in school or socially with others.

While most people just look at books to learn, surprise them or show them something they haven't seen before, all too often readers miss out on how a book may inspire them. It best to take fictional stories, and fill in the blanks with your real-life experiences. That's where all of the jewels in reading a book comes from. Ignore people who say something is out of date. They are intellectual dependants.

This book was created to inspire and if you can take the inspiration and innovate it to the modern-day. This will give you an edge because others will not be looking in the same direction as you.

Keep this in mind and Good Luck!