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ROLE OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES ON PRODUCT DESIGN: A CASE STUDY OF

MCDONALD’S CORPORATION

Name

Course

Tutor

University

City and State

Date
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Table of Contents

Executive summary.........................................................................................................................4
1.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................5
1.1. Background of the Study...................................................................................................5
1.2. Problem Statement............................................................................................................6
1.3. Aims and Objectives of the study.....................................................................................7
1.4. Research Questions...........................................................................................................7
1.5. Significance of the study...................................................................................................8
2.0 Literature review...................................................................................................................8
2.1 Internationalization Strategies...........................................................................................9
2.2 Cultural Patterns and Consumption................................................................................12
2.3 Product Design................................................................................................................16
2.4 Cultural-conscious Product Design.................................................................................18
3.0 Methodology.......................................................................................................................19
3.1 Research Approach.........................................................................................................19
3.2 Research design...............................................................................................................20
3.3 Data collection and Sample.............................................................................................20
3.4 Data collection procedure...............................................................................................21
3.5 Data Analysis..................................................................................................................22
3.6 Ethical Concerns.............................................................................................................22
3.7 Summary.........................................................................................................................23
4.0 Findings..............................................................................................................................24
4.1 Overview of McDonald’s Corporation...........................................................................24
4.2 Description of survey respondents..................................................................................24
4.3 Internationalization strategies at McDonald’s Corporation............................................25
4.4 Cultural differences in McDonald's Corporation............................................................26
4.5 Importance of culture in product design at McDonald's Corporation.............................27
4.6 Meeting cultural differences in product design in McDonald's Corporation..................29
4.7 Secondary data findings on culture in product design in McDonald's Corporation.......30
5.0 Discussions.........................................................................................................................33
5.1 Internationalization strategy at McDonald's Corporation...............................................33
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5.2 Culture and product design.............................................................................................34

5.3 Implications of the study.................................................................................................35
5.4 Limitations of the study..................................................................................................36
5.5 Summary.........................................................................................................................37
6.0 Conclusions.........................................................................................................................37
References......................................................................................................................................39
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................46
Appendix A: Questionnaire.......................................................................................................46
Appendix B: Sample transcript..................................................................................................47
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Executive summary

Globalization as resulted in the need for organizations to expand beyond their domestic markets.

As a result, they experience differences in culture, which affect their ability to provide products

that meet the needs of their consumers. Consequently, this study was carried out to investigate

the role of cultural differences in product design using a case study of McDonald’s Corporation.

A qualitative research approach was adopted and used in the study. Using a case study research

design, both primary and secondary data was collected. Primary data was collected from five

product design staff in the McDonald’s Corporation using a survey questionnaire. Thematic

analysis of the data was carried out to establish the role of culture in product design. The findings

illustrate that culture affects product design and must be considered during the process of product

design. The implications of the findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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1.0 Introduction

1.1. Background of the Study

The modern business environment is highly globalised and this has strongly influenced

the product design processes. In globalised organisations, product development is no longer

restricted to one region (De Mooij, 2013). Rather, product development is handled by distributed

design teams with different cultures and in different places. These teams design products that are

meant for consumers of different tastes and preferences. Individuals from different cultures have

different value systems, behaviour patterns and educational backgrounds (Diehl & Christiaans,

2006). Consequently, diverse viewpoints emerge in relation to creativity and product design. In

relation to consumers, ethnic cultural variation is evident based on the way different people use

products with similar functionality in a different way (Abbott, 2016). In this case, it can be

concluded that different people perceive products differently based on their cultural values.

Therefore, the culture of people has been found to affect their preferences and likes for products

(Engel-Enright et al., 2016; Somerville et al., 2016).

From the literature, there is a growing interest on the impact of the cultural dimensions on

the interaction between products and people (Diehl & Christiaans, 2006; Abbott, 2016).

Globalisation has created a scenario where individuals from different cultures are involved in the

design of products that will be used in other cultural environments (De Mooij, 2013). Moreover,

globalisation has created an environment where global organisations must decide between local

and global features in the design of their products (Abbott, 2016). Although the research on

cultural aspects has been conventionally been carried out in the field of sociology and

anthropology the trend is changing as the cultural aspects have gained interest in design research.
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Various cultural dimensions models such as the one defined by Hofstede have been applied in

design studies to investigate communication and teamwork across cultures (Felgen et al., 2004;

Lin et al., 2007; Abbott, 2016). The cultural dimensions have also been applied to investigate

interface design (Chia-Lin & Yelin, 2012; Taratukhina & Aldunin, 2013). However, there is

limited research regarding how the cultural dimensions are meaningfully applied to product

design. As such the current study aims to fill this gap in the literature by investigating how

cultural differences influence product design. A case study of McDonald’s Corporation will be

utilised in the study.

1.2. Problem Statement

The products that individuals consume shape their lifestyle in different ways. Moreover,

product design and development is firmly connected to the economic, cultural and social aspects

of the consumers. As such, it is important to consider globalisation and other related concepts

such as localisation, glocalisation and standardisation in product design and development. It is

important for organisations to consider users including their needs and preferences in the product

design process. According to Brondoni (2015), organisations should build their capability to

manage the product intangible assets (particularly, product design) and intangible assets

(corporate culture) in order to succeed in the global market. Moreover, the product development

process should emphasise the values and preferences of the target customers. However, there is

limited research regarding the link between cultural dimensions and product design. The

proposed study aims to establish the relationship between cultural dimensions and product design

using a case study of McDonald’s Corporation.

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1.3. Aims and Objectives of the study

The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the role of cultural differences in

product design at McDonald’s Corporation. The objectives of the study are outlined below:

1. To examine the internationalisation strategy of McDonald’s Corporation.

2. To explore the cross-cultural product practices at McDonald’s Corporation

3. To investigate the role of cultural differences in product design at McDonald’s

Corporation.

1.4. Research Questions

The main research question leading the present study is: how does cultural differences

influence product design at McDonald’s Corporation? The sub-questions are outlined below:

1. How has McDonald’s Corporation carried out its internalisation process?

2. What are the cross-cultural practices adopted by McDonald’s Corporation?

3. Do cultural differences play a role in the product design process of McDonald’s

Corporation?

4. What are the reasons for taking culture into account when it comes to product design?

5. What approaches does McDonald’s Corporation adopt to understand the culture of the

intended market segment?

By answering this questions, an understanding of the role of the cultural dimensions on product

design can be realised.

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1.5. Significance of the study

The proposed study aims to investigate how cultural differences influence product design

at McDonald’s Corporation. The study is very important for global organisations because

cultural differences have been shown to play a significant role in other organisational areas such

as teamwork and communication. As such, there is a possibility that designing culturally

appropriate products may be a key factor in the success of a firm in the global market. In

addition, the findings of the study will provide a valuable addition to the existing body of

literature on the role that culture plays in the design of products in the context of a multinational

corporation.

2.0 Literature review

The current study aims to investigate how cultural differences influence product design at

McDonald’s Corporation. This section presents the literature related to the topic. A review of

previous research and literature is carried out to understand culture, product design, and how

they interact. In addition, the recommendations of researchers on the influence of culture on

product design within a company are explored. The first section of the literature review

addresses various internationalisation strategies that are used by organisations in a global market.

The second section, on the other hand, will examine the aspects of product design. Finally, the

third section will explore the concepts of cultural diversity and design and how they influence

each other. A summary of the findings of the review will be, consequently, presented and related

to the research question of the study.

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2.1 Internationalization Strategies

From the literature, localisation and standardisation are the main expansion strategies

adopted by global firms. According to Viswanathan and Dickson (2007), global corporations

need to assume the world as a single market with no national or regional boundaries. In this case,

the corporations should adopt the universal standardisation approach rather than customization.

Viswanathan and Dickson (2007) argued that the push for standardisation has been informed by

forward thinking technology, greater marketing incentives, the convergence of consumer

preferences and needs, increasing global rivalry and communication. However, other studies

have contested this approach arguing that variations in customer needs exist in the global market

(Yankelovich & Meer, 2006; Abbott, 2016). Moreover, there are too many differences between

countries and hence the standardisation approach may not be possible (Hjalager, 2007; Lee,

2011). Zhou and Belk (2004) further argue that every market possesses its own uniqueness and

any efforts geared towards standardization may not yield positive results due to the cultural

differences existing in the global market. Localization is therefore proposed by various authors

because of the continued desire to preserve local culture (Crane, 2002). The key drivers of

localisation include differences in culture, race, climate, language, education and laws

(Yankelovich & Meer, 2006). Many individuals therefore prefer local consumption since they

easily identify with local values, lifestyles, and attitudes (Crane, 2002). Consequently, some

studies have maintained that neither marketing nor consumption can be made uniform in the

global context (Mazzarella, 2003). Local cultures have therefore demonstrated their powerful

influence in management of organizations and further shown how customers are hybridising,

combining both local and global cultural influences (Holton et al., 2004; Steenkamp & De Jong,

2010).
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Several factors have been brought forward as important drivers for firms to engage in

globalization and they include but not limited to the rise in worldwide networks for production,

investments, and marketing, growth in global media, rise in world travel, and advancements in

internet and telecommunication technologies (Cleveland et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2014). Global

firms therefore focus on homogenizing international markets and exploiting the advantages

accruing from the similarity in the habits and needs of international consumers (Steenkamp & De

Jong, 2010; Yoo, 2015). Huge and well-established companies have adopted and maintained

globalization and innovation as their major strategies for many years, an approach that has led to

savings in marketing resources, improved consistency in brand delivery, and enhanced

administrative efficiency (Aliouche & Schlentrich, 2011; Sutthijakra, 2011). However, these

organizations have encountered countervailing trends resulting from clients demanding unique

services that are in line with their local lifestyles, cultures, and customs (Cleveland et al., 2016;

Yu et al., 2013). As a result, some global companies have focused on designing their business

strategies to suit the distinct tastes and special needs of consumers in different regions (Yu et al.,

2013). Consequently, large amounts of resources and time for research and development have

been spent on the same to provide a better understanding and an informed response to specific

local markets (Cline, 2002; Yu et al., 2013).

In as much as globalisation has attracted worldwide interest, it still offers limited

explanations for organizations behaviour (Coca-Stefaniak et al., 2010). Localized strategies,

however, has been found to be behind the success of many large companies such as Seven-

Eleven Group, Pepsi, McDonald’s, and Coca Cola (Yahagi & Kar, 2009). The localized

strategies have therefore emphasized the sustained desire of consumers to preserve their local

culture since individuals in various markets have different needs, goals, and uses of products
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(Bhattacharya & Michael, 2008; Steenkamp & De Jong, 2010). In addition, large multinationals

could fail tremendously in the event that they lack an understanding of local factors

(Bhattacharya & Michael, 2008).

In response to the critics of standardization strategy (Abbott, 2016; Hjalager, 2007; Lee,

2011; Yankelovich & Meer, 2006), studies have been conducted with that aim of providing

recommendations to guide the application of the same strategy (Grewal et al., 2008; Katsikeas et

al., 2006; Xu et al., 2006). Firms can therefore adapt their products and services to foreign

countries when there is high cross-national variations in the sociocultural and economic

environments, high cross-natural psychic difference, experience with the export market, and high

cross-national variations in the stage of the product life cycle and marketing infrastructure

(Schilke et al., 2009; Sousa & Bradley, 2008). In addition, standardisation on products,

communications, and distribution across countries can be undertaken when there is high cross-

national coordination of marketing activities, high product homogeneity, high number of foreign

market operations, and when the firm is large (Hultman et al., 2009). Contrarily, in line with

some studies’ findings, standardization of marketing strategies across countries can be effected

irrespective of the cross-national differences (Evans et al., 2008). As a result, other studies have

indicated that, as opposed to the differences, standardisation of prices across countries should be

undertaken when there is high cross-national similarity in the cultural and economic market

environment (Chung, 2009; Sousa & Bradley, 2008). In addition, standardization of marketing

strategies across countries would be possible if the global firms had global management

processes and global organizational structures (Xu et al., 2006). Similar regulatory conditions,

customer preferences and tastes, traditions and customs accompanied by high technological

velocity and intensity are also essential pre-requisites for standardisation of marketing strategies
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(Katsikeas et al., 2006; Lim et al., 2006). In summary, in light of the benefits that accrue from

globalization, firms operate in between the two extremes – globalization and localization – also

known as hybridization. The latter operation results from the limitations of globalization and the

variations in local markets, which makes firms to adopt a middle ground between the two.

Standardization, despite its benefits, has received criticism from different quotas who maintain

that it is impracticable in light of the existing variations in global markets. In order, therefore, for

standardization to succeed, studies have suggested, in the above review, several

recommendations to guide its implementation by the global firms.

2.2 Cultural Patterns and Consumption

Culture, on one hand, is an abstract and complex construct that encompasses several

explicit and implicit aspects (Groeschl & Doherty, 2000), that makes consensus in attaining a

common description across disciplines difficult (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013). In view of the over

two hundred descriptions of culture found in literature (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013), however, the

most broadly used and known definition in marketing literature is the one described by Taylor in

1881, who defines culture as a complex aspect encompassing beliefs, knowledge, customs,

morals and laws, arts, and any other habits and capabilities acquired by an individual as a

member of the society (Lindridge & Dibb, 2003). In addition, according to Cayla and Arnould

(2008), culture is a system of norms and values that are shared by a group of people. Some of the

elements of culture that have been extracted from the list of its descriptions include but not

limited to the fact that culture is not genetic, it is learnt through social interactions, it is also

shared by members of a society, and it is transferred from one generation to another (Hofstede,

1991).
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Consumption, on the other hand, in most general sense, means satisfying needs

(Kutucuoglu et al., 2013). A need, in this case, seems necessary for existence such that when the

same is fulfilled, it provides pleasure or else pain will be felt instead (Raymond, 2014).

Consumption has both economic and social associations connected to space and time and further

depends on aspects such as wants, needs, desires, money, goods and services (Friedman, 2016;

Kutucuoglu et al., 2013). Consumption can therefore be defined as the spending of both

intangible and tangible values that are offered to fulfil some demand whether fake or real

(Kutucuoglu et al., 2013). In line with another view, consumption, which is formed by

consumers’ purchasing decisions, is a process that pools behaviours in order to exploit economic

goods (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013). In simple terms, consumption can also be defined as having a

service or a good, to own it, to dispose or to use it to satisfy specific needs (O'Reilly et al., 2013;

Strähle, 2015). In addition, consumption tools enable individuals to attain goods and services and

further exploits them by keeping them under control (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013).

Literature has brought forward various types of consumptions namely, conspicuous,

symbolic, compulsive, and addictive (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013; Solomon, 2006; Trigg, 2001).

Conspicuous consumption involves utilizing and splashing out of goods and services in a manner

geared towards impressing others, which may be more than basic security and physiological

needs (Trigg, 2001). Sundie et al. (2011) further describes conspicuous consumption as a type of

economic behaviour where presentational concerns related to personality overrides the urge to

attain goods and services at bargain prices. The most salient aspect in conspicuous consumption

is that consumerism depicts status, financial power, and class while making others jealous in the

society (Solomon, 2006; Trigg, 2001; Wang & Griskevicius, 2014). The function of symbol

creation and symbolization needs exist among main human activities such as moving, eating, and
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looking among others (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013; Odabasi, 1999). Symbolic consumption

encompasses the evaluation of services and products based on their symbolic values,

consumption and purchase (Nam et al., 2011). Individuals would also want to specify

characteristics of their desires and needs via consumption (Hoek et al., 2012). Consumption

therefore has a symbolic element which consumers would use to express some aspects about

themselves (Hoek et al., 2012; Kim & Jang, 2017; Kutucuoglu et al., 2013).

Addictive consumption is an extreme consumer behaviour that entails the desire, need,

compulsion, and constant craving to attain possession (Solomon et al., 2012). It is therefore a

consumer’s psychological or physiological reliance on certain services or products (Kutucuoglu

et al., 2013; Solomon, 2006). In as much as addiction is mostly associated with drugs, other

literature have associated it with tobacco (Acker & MacKillop, 2013), alcohol (Mulia et al.,

2014), and internet (Leung & Lee, 2012; Young et al., 2011) among others. Compulsive

consumption is a form of consumption where an individual feels compelled to use, repeat use, or

over-consume a product or service due to depression, anxiety, and boredom (Eren et al., 2012;

Rose & Dhandayudham, 2014; Solomon, 2006). In compulsive consumption, for instance, an

individual diagnosed with forcing consumption would purchase two thousand hairgrips and may

eventually not use any (Solomon, 2006).

Culture plays a significant role in the consumption of products and it is often considered

a critical factor when developing a marketing strategy to avoid conflict with the culture of the

target market (Akaka & Alden, 2010; Warde, 2014). In addition, culture provides a society with

an essential character that distinguishes it from other groups or societies (Durmaz, 2014). The

underlying aspects of every culture, therefore, are the myths, language, values, laws, rituals, and

products that are transmitted from generation to generation (Durmaz et al., 2011; Durmaz, 2014;
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Kutucuoglu et al., 2013). In order to understand the link between cultural factors and consumer

behaviour, which involves the process by which a consumer selects, acquires, consumes, and

disposes the same, an examination of the role culture plays in both acquisition and consumption

of goods and services would be vital through social class and subcultures.

Every market segment has some cultural exceptionality in a belief system, traditions and

norms and this is reflected in the consumption patterns (Akaka & Alden, 2010). These patterns

will either encourage of discourage the consumption of some products. Some cultural aspects

such as religion can affect the habits of people, the products they purchase and the media they

access (Boradikar, 2010). Consequently, subcultures can be utilized as relevant segments or units

of analysis by marketing managers. In addition, subcultures can enhance focus, among marketing

managers, on natural and sizable market segments (Durmaz, 2014). Marketers, therefore, having

understood the existing subcultures, will have to determine whether the values, beliefs, and

customs shared by members of a particular subgroup make them qualify for special marketing

attention (Durmaz, 2014; Tyagi & Kumar, 2004). A challenge, however, may stem from a

multicultural setting where multiple cultures exist with no dominant culture. In this case, cultural

experimentalism and cultural extensionism may force marketing managers to perform frequent

market analysis with the aim of tracking market changes (Demangeot & Sankaran, 2012;

Dobson, 2014). Cultural experimentalism, on one hand, involves individuals’ continuous search

for practices and products from other cultures (Demangeot & Sankaran, 2012; Gaviria &

Emontspool, 2015). Cultural extensionism slowly and cautiously leads consumers past their

comfort zones of products they are aware of to those of other cultures (Demangeot & Sankaran,

2012; Dobson, 2014). Subcultures can be distinguished into religious, nationality, geographical

and racial groups (Durmaz, 2014; Pride, 2008). Religious groupings such as Mormons,
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Catholics, and Jews among others represent subcultures with different taboos and preferences.

Nationality groups such as the Italians, Irish, and Polish among others also exhibit different

ethnic proclivities and tastes. Moreover, racial groupings such as the Orientals and blacks

demonstrate distinct cultural attitudes and styles. In as much as subcultures influence the

consumers’ buying patterns, it can also impact on the manner in which marketing messages are

received (Durmaz, 2014; Pride, 2008). For instance, as established in some study, English-

speaking Canadians are more interested in the content of adverts while French-speaking

Canadians are more interested in the source of the message (Durmaz, 2014).

In view of the fact that the buying behaviour of individuals in a particular social class is

similar, each society has some form of social class significant to marketers (Durmaz, 2014).

Consequently, each marketing activity would be tailored in line with the different social classes.

Social classes are therefore not only determined or shaped by income but also other factors such

as education, wealth, occupation, attitudes, communication styles, values, and structure (Durmaz,

2014; Durmaz et al., 2003). In summary, cultural effects on consumer behaviour, which

encompasses consumption, can be demonstrated in propensity to change, buying behaviour, post-

buying behaviour, reasons for purchase, meaning and form, communication, individual decision

making, responses to adverts, and adoption of innovations (Kutucuoglu et al., 2013).

2.3 Product Design

According to Thota and Munir (2011), product design and development is a cyclic and

iterative process whereby the focus is to improve the quality of the products. Chandrasegaran et

al. (2013) argue that the process of product design is a complex, and often not well defined,

process that outlines the specifications and requirements which are refined to meet the end goal.
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Homburg et al. (2015) add that the performance of a company and obtaining competitive

advantage depends on the efforts put in the product design process. Consequently, product

design affects the marketing of the final product and the expansion of an organization (Alsyouf

et al., 2015; Jindal, et al., 2016).

Ravasi and Stigliani (2012) explain that design of a product includes all the activities that

are carried out to determine the functionality and characteristics of the end product. Paying

attention to the design of the product is expected to result in a product that not only satisfies the

expectations of the consumer but also results in brands that dominate the market and have lasting

advantages to the organization (Bloch, 2011; Noble & Kumar, 2010). Consequently, Luchs and

Swan (2011) posit that successful product design is a tool for adaptation, growth, and renewal for

an organization and gives it competitive advantage. However, attaining successful product

design is dependent on several factors including the skills of the design team, organizational

culture, and ability to integrate different cultures in the functionality of the design (Luchs &

Swan, 2011; Ravasi & Stigliani, 2012).

From the literature, it is evident that the role of product design has shifted significantly

(Kristensen & Gronhaug, 2007). Conventionally, the design of products was mainly based on

aesthetics and visual performance. This trend has, however, changed and the focus has shifted

towards building strong brands, strategy and creation of innovation. In addition, an

environmental angle has been introduced into product design to ensure sustainability and

environmental protection (Radlovic et al., 2013). Furthermore, a consideration of consumer

preferences and tastes have to be made in product design (Katona, 2015; Kumar and Noble,

2015; Mugge and Dahl, 2013). Consequently, culture has become an integral part of the design

process.
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2.4 Cultural-conscious Product Design

According to Boradikar (2010), there is a need to focus on the practices of the target

market including the underlying cultural values in the design of products. Boradikar (2010) rated

culture as the third most important aspect in product development behind utilitarian and

symbolic and ahead of environmental, economic, brand, aesthetic, and other factors.

Furthermore, Naik (2015) argues that cultures is an important determinant of the physical

appearance of a product and must be integrated in the design of the product. In addition,

according to Razzaghi et al. (2009), project design cannot be complete without cultural

influence. The authors argue that if not affected by the culture of the intended consumers,

product design is affected by the culture of the designers of the organization.

In relation to cultural-conscious design, Hekkert (2009) argues that the commonalities

and constants in people’s feelings, behaviour and thinking should be understood before

organisations design for cultural and individual differences. This is based on the fact that the

customs, ethics, views and beliefs of an individual define his/her social context. As such, wrong

and right are defined within the specifics of a culture whereby what is considered moral in one

society may be considered immoral in another society. Li and Liu (2014), on the other hand,

posit that the experiences of individuals with a product are influenced by the traditions and

cultures that are integrated in the design of the product.

In the era of globalization, homogeneity of products has grown and become a serious

problem for consumers (Nezakati and Akhoundi, 2013). Consequently, Jiangyong (2013)

postulates that considering cultural differences of consumers has to be carried out during product

design to give an innovative edge to the product. This process can involve the integration of
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specific characteristics of a culture into the product design to enhance emotional engagement of

the consumers with the product (Hung et al., 2013). In agreement, Heikkinen and Määttä (2013)

mention that being conscious to the culture of the end users during product design can enhance to

competitive advantage of an organization.

As such, employing a cultural-conscious approach in product design is inevitable for

global corporations that target market segments with different cultures. Literature supports the

importance of culture in designing of products. In addition, being conscious to culture during

product design is expected to motivate consumers and increase the competitive advantage for the

organization. However, there is limited evidence regarding how the cultural differences have

been used in product design in the era of globalisation. In addition, the effect of cultural

differences in product design within multinational corporations has scarcely been researched.

Therefore, the present study will fill the existing research gap by exploring how cultural

differences inform product design at McDonald’s Corporation. The following section describes

the methodology to be adopted.

2.5 Conceptual Framework

The figure below illustrates the conceptual framework that was used to guide the study.

As shown, the cultural issues of a consumer affect the product design process. In addition, the

designer has to consider the cultural issues of a consumer as well as his/her own cultural factors

and the organisation’s standards before embarking on product design. The end product will,

therefore, result from a process that meets the cultural needs of the consumer.
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Cultural issues

Product design User/consumer

Designer

Product

Figure 2.1: conceptual framework on the impact of culture in product design.

3.0 Methodology

3.1 Research Approach

The current study adopted a qualitative research approach. The selection of the

qualitative approach was based on the fact that it gives the researcher an opportunity to collect

detailed data regarding the target population on the issue being studied. Qualitative research also

provides an opportunity for the researcher to collect a large amount of data from a small group.

As such, answering the research question, how cultural differences inform product design at

McDonald’s corporation, can best be realised through a qualitative approach. However, the

approach limits the ability of the research findings to be generalized to other research settings

(Lewis, 2015). This chapter presents a discussion of the research design, research methods, and

ethical issues considered in this study.

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3.2 Research design

A case study research design was adopted in the current study. According to Yin (2013),

a case study design is appropriate for researching complex issues in the context in which they

exist. In addition, using a case study leads to the collection of in-depth information about a

phenomenon within the research setting. In this case, the outcomes of a case study are specific

and subjective to a given context. Using a case study research design involves the inclusion of a

small number of respondents selected from a study case to collect detailed information about

their perceptions on a particular issue (Hancock & Algozzine, 2015). A key limitation of a case

study is the generalisation of the results because different organisations carry out their businesses

differently. In addition, the inclusion of a small sample that may not be representative of the

whole study population limits the generalizability of the study findings (Houghton et al., 2013;

Lewis, 2015). Therefore, utilizing the case study design in this study enabled the collection of

detailed information on the role of cultural differences in product design at McDonald’s

Corporation. However, the generalizability of these findings to other organizational settings may

be limited.

3.3 Data collection and Sample

The study was based on McDonald’s Corporation and involved the collection of data on

the role of cultural differences in product design. Both primary and secondary data was collected

and utilised in the study. Regarding primary data, a survey (using a questionnaire instrument)

was used to collect data from five key personalities involved in the design of products in

McDonald’s Corporation. A sample of five designers were invited and requested to participate in
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the study. On the other hand, secondary data was gathered from organisational reports, case

studies and articles related to the product design process in the corporation.

3.4 Data collection procedure

The collection of data for this study was done in two phases. The first stage involved the

collection of primary data through the use of a questionnaire while the second stage was the

collection of secondary data from online literature sources. After obtaining clearance from the

university to proceed with the research, the first part of the data collection process was initiated

and involved obtaining permission from McDonald’s Corporation for the study to include

specific participants from the organization. Thereafter, the data collection process was carried

out.

The respondents were selected from a list of staff working in the product design

department provided by the human resources department. The respondents were sent an email

that invited them to take part in the study. The email contained an attachment that included the

consent form and the questionnaire. The respondents were asked to read the introductory part of

the document and provide consent before taking part in the study. They were informed of the

purpose of the study, the need for them to take part, and the significance of the findings to them

and to the organization. The respondents were then asked to provide written consent and proceed

to take the survey that was attached. At completion, they were asked to send the documents back

via email. They scanned the filled questionnaires and send them back within a period of one

week.

The second phase of the data collection involved the collection of secondary data from

online sources. The data was sourced from reports, journal articles, and case studies that included
 23

information on product design at McDonald’s Corporation and comprised a discussion of the

influence of cultural differences. The literature sources were included if they were published or

written within the last ten years (2007 to 2017) and were written in English. The sources

included had to be specific to the McDonald's Corporation and should have assessed culture and

product design in the corporation. Multiple publications by the same authors were excluded from

the review of literature for the study. Once a source was determined to be relevant to the study

through an assessment of its content, the literature source was retrieved for data abstraction. The

data was then utilized in the study to discuss the role of cultural differences in product design in

the McDonald’s Corporation.

3.5 Data Analysis

The data that was collected from the case study was mainly be qualitative in nature and

thus thematic analysis was applied. Thematic analysis involved the identification of common

themes from the data collected. The data collected was then coded and clustered according to the

identified themes and then translated into patterns. The results of the data analysis process are

discussed in the findings chapter. Extracts from the survey data are used to support the findings

described.

3.6 Ethical Concerns

The present study involved the inclusion of human subjects in the data collection process

and hence ethical concerns arise. First, participation in the study was on a voluntary basis.

Therefore all participants were provided with an introduction letter that outlined the purpose of

the study, its significance, and the benefits of them taking part in the research. After reading the

letter and accepting to participate, the respondents were asked to provide written consent before
 24

taking part in the study. To protect their privacy and anonymity, the information contained in the

consent forms was kept separately from the questionnaire data and was not linked to the

questionnaire number. The participants of the study were not required to provide their personal

details to ensure anonymity. When presenting quotes from the data, the respondents were given

codes that were used for the identification of extracts. Moreover, the data provided in the study

was strictly kept and accessed only by the researcher to ensure that it was not accessed by any

third party. The use of the data, in addition, was restricted to the purpose of the study and was

not used for any other purpose. At the end of the research process, the data will be finally

destroyed after the publication of the study.

3.7 Summary

The methodology that was adapted to investigate the role of culture in product design in

McDonald’s Corporation has been described. The study utilized a qualitative case study

approach to explore the issue of culture in product design. This research approach and study

design allow the researcher to collect detailed information on the issues under study.

Consequently, it provided an opportunity for a large amount of data to be collected to help in

drawing informed conclusions on the role that culture has in product design in the context of the

McDonald’s Corporation. The results of the data collection and data analysis process of the study

are discussed in the following chapter.

4.0 Findings

The purpose of carrying out this study was to determine the role of cultural differences in

the product design at McDonald’s Corporation. To achieve this purpose, a case study was carried

out and involved the collection of both primary and secondary data. The data was analysed
 25

through thematic analysis and the findings are presented in this chapter. The findings are

reported based on the identified themes from the analysis. This involves a combination of both

primary and secondary data obtained for this study. The results presented first are from the

primary sources and the final section of the chapter presents the findings from the secondary data

sources. The first section presents an overview of McDonald’s Corporation followed by a

description of the respondents included in the survey to collect primary data.

4.1 Overview of McDonald’s Corporation

McDonald’s Corporation is a fast food restaurant chain that was founded in 1940 by the

McDonald brothers as a barbecue restaurant in America. The fast food chain was purchased from

the founders by Ray Kroc, who grew it into a franchise. Over the years, McDonald’s Corporation

has grown into a global fast food and hamburger chain with over 36,900 outlets worldwide

(McDonald's Corporation, 2017).

4.2 Description of survey respondents

Primary data was collected from five respondents who work in product design in the

McDonald’s Corporation. These respondents were drawn from different countries where the

McDonald’s Corporation has fast food outlets. The table below summarizes the characteristics of

the respondents. Since the study collected qualitative data, the respondents were given codes to

help in identification so as to protect their anonymity and uphold confidentiality. These codes

were R1 to R5 as illustrated in the table. The codes were used in providing quotes from the data.

Table 4.1. Description of respondents

Respondent Age Sex Years of Years of

code experience in experience at
 26

product design McDonald’s

Corporation
R1 41 Female 15 19
R2 34 Male 11 12
R3 29 Female 7 6
R4 27 Male 3 4
R5 31 Male 6 11

4.3 Internationalization strategies at McDonald’s Corporation

The first part of the study sought to understand the strategy that was used by McDonald's

Corporation in internationalization. From the survey, it was established that the strategy used by

McDonald's Corporation was localization. The respondents stated that previous experiences with

using a standardization strategy had not been successful in different markets due to differences in

consumer preferences and tastes. However, they stated that localization was mostly practiced in

product and services and not in the overall practices of the corporation. The argument was that

standardization of their outlets was preferred and always followed. From the corporate website,

the corporation states that working in a global setting for the company involves understanding

the similarities as well as the differences of their customers and tailoring products to meet these

situations (McDonald's Corporation, 2017). The views of the respondents on the

internationalization strategy used by the McDonald's Corporation are summarized in the three

quotes below from the surveys.

“Working for a global consumer market can be challenging. You want to stick to your
trademark as well as satisfy the preferences of consumers. At McDonald's Corporation,
we localize the products to the specific needs of the consumers in a particular country.”
(R4)

“Localization is the best strategy for our company. We have to meet the needs of the
consumers in their country while maintaining the quality of our products. Again, we have
our standards in outlet design and business model that we stick to regardless of the
country. We can make changes in some places to meet the legal requirements.” (R1)
 27

“I cannot specifically say that we follow a strict rule for internationalization. We have our
standards that differentiate us from other fast food chains. We stick to these standards. At
the same time, we have to utilize local standards to attract local consumers. So it’s a mix
of approaches to result in a unique and quality product.” (R3)

4.4 Cultural differences in McDonald's Corporation

The research sought to establish the existence of cultural differences in McDonald's

Corporation. This was in terms of the employees as well as the consumers of their services and

products. It was clear from the responses provided in the survey that there were differences in the

cultures of people involved in McDonald's Corporation. The respondents stated that their

cultures were different from each other as well as with consumers. Their sentiments are

illustrated in the extracts below from the responses of R2 and R5.

“We are different. We have different ethnic backgrounds and different social
backgrounds. My colleagues and I have different beliefs and sometimes we don’t agree
on how to do things. Customers also have different cultures to ours, on individual levels
as well as on a corporate level.” (R2)

“Yes, we are different. The culture of the Americans is not the same as that of the
Chinese or the Indians. People are different and have different belief systems. Our
challenge is meeting these differences in an agreeable manner.” (R5)

The respondents were asked to mention some of the differences that they believed existed

in terms of culture between them and the consumers of products provided by McDonald's

Corporation. The differences mentioned included acceptable and unacceptable foods for

consumption, times for meals and certain foods, gender roles, and religious practices. The

respondents argued that these cultural differences were important to consider in planning for the

success of the corporation. Their views are summarized from the quotes below drawn from the

sentiments of R3 and R1.

“We have so many differences. There are differences in the foods that are seen as
appropriate by some cultures and religions. For examples, in India, they don’t expect you
 28

to serve beef so vegetarian meals are more acceptable. Also some foods are said to be
appropriate for certain times of the day. For McDonald's, we sometimes have an extended
breakfast menu.” (R3)

“Religion is one of the key differences in culture among consumers. Some countries are
based on religious belief systems that have to be considered in product design. You
cannot expect to sell pork products in a Muslim country. I think religion is a key cultural
factor in business and for this company.” (R1)

4.5 Importance of culture in product design at McDonald's Corporation

It was important to discuss the significance of culture in the designing of products in the

McDonald's Corporation. Consequently, the respondents were asked to discuss how they felt

about culture and its impact on product design. First, they all stated that culture was an important

factor that is considered in product design at the corporation. This is cited in the quotes below

from R1 and R2 when asked if culture was important in product design at McDonald's

Corporation.

“Yes, culture is a very important factor in product design.” (R1)

“Culture is very important in McDonald's Corporation. Not just for product design but
also for marketing and other issues that affect the business.” (R2)

After establishing whether culture was important to consider in product design, the

respondents were asked if it was important to understand the culture of the intended users of the

end product at McDonald’s during the product design stage. The perceptions of the respondents

were that it was very important to consider the specific culture of the intended consumers of a

product during product design. According to the respondents, the product was intended to meet

the needs of the consumers and, therefore, had to be compatible with their culture. These

sentiments are illustrated from extracts from the responses of R3 and R5 below.
 29

“Of course we have to consider the specific cultures of the intended consumers in a
market. We cannot succeed and meet our goals if the customer finds our products to be
colliding with their cultural beliefs.” (R3)

“Whenever we design a product, it is very important to understand the culture of the

intended users. We can never make changes or introduce a new product without
understanding the needs and culture of our consumers.” (R5)

The respondents provided reasons for considering culture in product design in

McDonald's Corporation. First, it was mentioned that food was a very sensitive matter to

consumers. The view of the respondents was that people grow up with their choice of food being

determined by the environment that they are in. therefore, introduction of foods that they were

not made to like was often a challenge. This is illustrated by the comments of R4 below.

“When dealing with food, you have to be careful. Some people are made to believe that
certain foods are not okay. People are sensitive to the food you give them. Culture
certainly plays a role in making people sensitive to foods.” (R4)

The second reason given for the importance of considering culture in product design at

McDonald's Corporation was religious differences and restrictions. The respondents felt that

designing products in a global setting introduced the challenge of meeting the different religious

requirements for all customers while maintaining the quality standards of the brand. For instance,

R2 explained that when entering a market that was made of restrictions on beef consumption, it

was necessary to make adjustments to the menu to include a vegetarian menu for the consumers.

In agreement, R3 cited an example of the McDonald's restaurants in Israel that had to ensure that

the menu met the kosher requirements. The respondent added that efforts were even made to

meet the Sabbath requirements to ensure that clients can identify with the brand and its respect

for their beliefs. The following quotes further build these sentiments.

“It is necessary to meet the religious requirements of the consumers. There is no benefit
in selling products that will be rejected by the consumer because they go against their
culture and religious beliefs.” (R5)
 30

“In Israel, we considered the religious needs of the clients. The foods have to meet the
kosher requirements. Some restaurants even close on the Sabbath. When consumers see
the respect that you give to their culture, they identify with your brand and it can even
increase your sales among such consumers.” (R3)

“It is hard to separate religion from food preferences. If the religious beliefs of a
consumer base prohibit certain foods, the best you can do is meet these requirements. In
India, for example, beef is restricted on religious grounds. At McDonald's we meet these
needs in our product design.” (R2)

The third reason for considering culture in the product design process at McDonald's

Corporation was the need to meet the preferences of local communities within the available

foods. The view of the respondents was that certain cultures had food preferences that were in

line with the seasonal availability of foods. To meet these preferences, McDonald's Corporation

made adjustments to their menus to include certain products during specific times of the year.

This is illustrated in the quote below, which gives an example of a product designed to meet the

food preferences of consumers utilizing available foods.

“We design products that utilize the food available as well as the seasonal preferences of
consumers. If you visited japan in the autumn, you can enjoy a tsukimi burger which is
only available during these times and corresponds to the harvest moon season. This is not
found anywhere else in the world because it was tailored to the Japanese celebrations of
the harvest moon.” (R1)

4.6 Meeting cultural differences in product design in McDonald's Corporation

Given the differences in the cultures of the markets that McDonald's Corporation targets,

it was important to understand the strategies that the corporation used to meet the needs of their

consumers. Therefore, the respondents discussed the approaches that were used by McDonald's

Corporation to meet the cultural diversity of its consumers. The first approach that was used to

meet the cultural need, and is still being used, is franchising. According to the respondents,

franchisees in the McDonald's Corporation come from the communities in which the fast food

outlets are situated. Consequently, they know the specific cultural differences of the community
 31

with the standard operations of McDonald's. These franchisees provide feedback to the

corporation on the product design issues that affect the community and the necessary design

changes that will satisfy the consumers. This is illustrated in the quote below.

“The business model of McDonald's is good in meeting the cultural needs of consumers.
Franchisees always reside within the community of the outlet and know the needs of the
community. We use this information in product design to tailor our products to the
specific community.” (R5)

The second approach that was used was conducting market research. The view of the

respondents was that regardless of all strategies that can be used to meet the cultural differences

of consumers in product design, research was the best approach. They mentioned that market

research was a tool that they employed in understanding the culture of the consumers. The

information gathered was assessed and used in product design to ensure that McDonald's was

able to provide products that were right for a specific market while maintaining its brand quality.

These sentiments are illustrated from the extract drawn from the response of R4.

“Research can never be final. Understanding the culture of the people we want to do
business with is important. From the research we get information that helps in designing
products that are culturally acceptable to the consumer. We conduct these researches as
often as required because we are expanding and the needs of the consumer keep
changing.” (R4)

4.7 Secondary data findings on culture in product design in McDonald's Corporation

Based on the findings of primary data collection, a review of literature was conducted to

explore previous literature on the role of culture in product design in McDonald's Corporation.

The sources that were included were published online between 2007 and 2017. A search was

conducted online to identify sources that discussed the issues of culture and product design in

McDonald's Corporation. An initial search yielded a hit of 647 sources. However, broad

screening of the titles led to the exclusion of 602 sources because they were not specific to
 32

McDonald's Corporation. An assessment of the remaining 45 sources was carried out to establish

their eligibility for inclusion in the review based on their relevance to the research question. This

led to the exclusion of 39 sources from the current review because they were not assessing

culture and product design. An additional source that was reviewed was the corporate website of

the McDonald's Corporation. Therefore, a total of 7 literature sources were reviewed for the

current study. These sources included journal articles, a corporate website, and case studies of

the McDonald's Corporation. The table below outlines the title of the article, the authors and year

of publication of the sources included in the review.

Table 4.1. Summary of literature sources reviewed

No. Author(s) Yea Title

r
1. McDonald's 2017 Our company
Corporation
2. Tanahashi 2008 Succeeding globally depends on localization: A case study
on McDonald’s Corporation.
3. Zhang and Zhou 2012 Cultural adaptation pattern analysis of McDonald's and
KFC in the Chinese market
4. Dumitrescu and 2010 The glocal strategy of global brands
Vinerean
5. Yeu et al. 2012 A comparative study on international marketing mix in
China and India: The case of McDonald's
6. Ioanid, Mihai, and 2014 Integrating Country-Specific Culture In The Branding
Militaru Strategy For Building Global Success
7. Pangarkar and 2012 Beefing up the beefless Mac
Subrahmanyan

According to Tanahashi (2008) and Yeu et al. (2012), the strategies that is used by

McDonald's Corporation in entering and succeeding in global markets is standardization and

localization. The corporation does not strictly rely on one strategy to reach consumers globally

because of the diversity of its consumer base. Although the company relies on its brand to satisfy

consumer needs, moving into international markets leads to encounters with new and different
 33

cultures from the domestic market. Therefore, companies have to adapt to the new cultures for

them to expand globally (Dumitrescu & Vinerean, 2010; McDonald's Corporation, 2017;

Pangarkar & Subrahmanyan, 2012; Tanahashi, 2008; Yeu et al., 2012; Zhang & Zhou, 2012).

McDonald's Corporation has been found to take steps to ensure cultural differences are

taken into consideration in product design. Franchisees are allowed to act local and adapt the

products to the trends, market, and culture of the specific consumers (Ioanid et al., 2014;

Tanahashi, 2008; Yeu et al., 2012). According to Ioanid et al. (2014), McDonald's Corporation

adapts to different cultures of the world in which they exist by allowing feedback from the

consumers and designing products that meet the tastes and preferences of the consumers.

Ioanid, et al. (2014) illustrate the case of Romania, where McDonald's offers a menu that

is themed traditionally according to the culture of the people. In addition, the authors present the

case of Turkey, where McDonald's a menu item, Kofteburger, is based on a local dish. Another

illustration of the adaptation of products to the local culture is presented by Pangarkar and

Subrahmanyan (2012). The authors argue that the adaptations of products to meet the local

culture and tastes previously done by McDonald's in other countries was not as major as that

done in India. According to Pangarkar and Subrahmanyan (2012), McDonald's had to make

menu adaptations that would meet the strong vegetarian practices of the Indians, who were

majorly Hindu and Muslim. Consequently, beef and pork were removed from the menu and

vegetarian items were introduced. In addition, the preparation and serving of vegetarian and non-

vegetarian meals were separated to respect the choices of the consumers (Pangarkar &

Subrahmanyan, 2012; Tanahashi, 2008; Yeu et al., 2012).

 34

In China, McDonald's uses its standard menu for its consumers. Zhang and Zhou (2012)

mentions that, compared to KFC, McDonald's has done minimal changes to its menu in china

that can be counted as adopting to the cultural differences of the Chinese from the Americans.

However, some menu items and restaurant services have been adapted to include preferences of

the Chinese. In other countries like Egypt, japan, Russia, Australia, among others, authors argue

that McDonald's has designed products based on the country’s culture and the taste and

preferences of the consumers. These adaptations are done based on research and feedback from

franchisees (Dumitrescu & Vinerean, 2010; Tanahashi, 2008; Yeu et al., 2012). A discussion of

the role of culture in product design in McDonald's Corporation as established in this research is

presented in the next chapter, including a description of the implications of the findings to theory

and research.

5.0 Discussions

The current study investigated the role of culture differences in product design in

McDonald's Corporation. McDonald's Corporation is an American fast food restaurant chain that

has widely expanded to global markets in the six continents. It provides products that are unique

to its brand and seeks to offer consumers quality products. Despite these vision, McDonald's

Corporation meets different challenges in meeting the diverse cultures of its consumers globally.

Therefore, it is essential to examine how the corporation deals with cultural differences in

product design globally.

5.1 Internationalization strategy at McDonald's Corporation

A strength of the McDonald's Corporation is its brand. The company was established in

the current research to have a standardized brand across the globe. However, localization was
 35

used to meet the needs of the different consumers of products and services from the company.

According to Malhotra and Hinings (2010), the internationalization strategy that is adopted for a

company will differ from other companies depending on the type of company and the specific

end users of their products. In agreement to the use of both standardization and localization,

Schmid and Kotulla (2011) argue that venturing into global markets requires a company to

balance between standardization and localization of its brand to ensure success. Identifying the

appropriate strategy to use is dependent on the specific context of the business setting. Therefore,

an organization needs to determine the best strategy for internationalization based on the specific

needs of the potential market and make adaptations to meet these needs (Abbott, 2016; Liu et al.,

2014; Schmid & Kotulla, 2011).

5.2 Culture and product design

Various researchers have explored the importance of culture in product design and

marketing (Ali, Kapoor, & Moorthy, 2010; Moalosi, Popovic, & Hickling-Hudson, 2010; Sun,

2012). In the current study, culture was found to be important in product design in McDonald's

Corporation. Understanding the culture of the consumers in the global market was an essential

part in adapting the products of the company to the cultural preferences of the consumers. In

support to these findings, Moalosi, Popovic, & Hickling-Hudson (2010) posit that it is essential

for product design to integrate the cultural perspectives of the users, which makes the product

acceptable to the consumer. In addition, Hsu et al. (2011) state that the lifestyle and cultures of a

country have a significant impact on product design. Consequently, it is essential for designers

and organizations to recognize the cultural diversity of their intended end users for them to

provide products that they can appreciate.

 36

The approach used by the McDonald's Corporation in understanding the cultures of their

consumers included market research and utilizing their business model of franchising. In this

regard, the franchisees provided information on the preferences of consumers in their market as

well as presenting recommendations for product adaptations to meet these cultural expectations.

The corporation allowed franchisees to make changes to products that would be acceptable to the

consumers. In addition, research was carried out to determine the cultural orientation of the

community before designing products that were in line with the culture of the consumers. In

agreement, Luchs and Swan (2011) argue that research is an important tool that can be used by

organizations to understand the consumer tastes and preferences before product design and

marketing. In addition, Hsu et al. (2011) mention that researching the cultural issues of the

consumers can be instrumental in informing product innovation and design.

5.3 Implications of the study

The aim of conducting this study was to establish the role that cultural differences play in

the product design of McDonald's Corporation. The findings of the study have established that

cultural differences between the company’s domestic market and the global market necessitate

changes in the products and services offered to meet the taste, preferences, and cultural

requirements of the consumer. From these findings several implications for theory, practice, and

research can be made.

It is clear from the findings that understanding the cultural diversity of the intended end

users of a product in a global market is important. Therefore, global corporations have to ensure

that their strategies for internationalization can meet these differences. Localization of products

can be an instrumental approach for succeeding in international markets. Consequently,

 37

individual companies, including the McDonald's Corporation, need to carryout research to

understand the best strategy to meet the diverse cultures of their market. In addition, from the

review of literature, it was evident that a clarification on the appropriate internationalization

strategy for multinationals is not available. Literature supports the use of localization but, at the

same time, highlights the importance of standardization. Therefore, there is still a need for

research to establish the best internationalization strategy for global companies. Finally, there is

need to understand the relationship between culture and product design from the perspective of

the consumers to better inform the product design process of organizations.

5.4 Limitations of the study

Understanding the role of cultural differences in product design in McDonald's

Corporation was done through adopting a qualitative research approach. This approach provided

an opportunity for an in-depth assessment of how culture affects, or is utilized in, product design

in the company. As a result, a detailed account of the role of culture in product design in the

corporation was established.

Despite these strengths of the methodology utilized in the study, several limitations affect

the interpretation of the results of the study. First, a qualitative approach cannot be used to

explore association between variables. Therefore, although culture was established to have a role

in product design in the McDonald's Corporation, it is not possible to establish the association

between the two factors. It is essential for future research to adopt a research methodology that

can aid in establishing the correlation between culture and product design in multinational

corporations. Secondly, to enable a detailed investigation of the research question, the study

included a small sample size. Utilizing a small sample size limits the representativeness of the
 38

sample to the whole population. As a result, the findings cannot be generalized to the whole

population. Therefore, making generalizations based on these findings need to be done with

caution and should consider the identified limitations. Finally, a case study design may limit the

applicability of the findings to other organizations. This limitation is based on the inclusion of

only one multinational corporation in the study, which may not be representative of other

organizations. Consequently, the findings of the study are best suited to the specific organization

that was studied.

5.5 Summary

Culture plays an important role in the design of a product and its acceptability to the

consumer. This chapter has discussed the findings of the study in line with available literature.

Previous research has supported the need for organizations to understand the cultural context of

their consumers and integrating this information in their product design. The implications of the

findings of the study to research and practice have been discussed. In addition, a description of

the limitations of the study have been described in this chapter. The conclusions drawn from the

findings and the recommendations for future research are presented in the following section.

6.0 Conclusions

Organizations are making efforts to expand into global markets as a result of saturations

of their domestic markets. As a result, there is a need for the company to understand their

potential consumers and make their products to meet the needs of these consumers. However, a

key impediment to these efforts is the difference between the cultures of the potential consumers

and the domestic consumers. The purpose of this study was to establish the role of culture

differences in product design in McDonald's Corporation, an American multinational fast food

 39

chain. From the findings of the primary and secondary data collected, it was clear that culture

was an important factor to consider in product design in the corporation. Understanding the

cultural expectations of the potential consumers was done through collecting information from

the franchisees as well as market research. From this information, McDonald's Corporation made

adaptations in their products to meet the cultural expectations of their customers. However, this

was done in a way that still maintained the branding of the corporation.

Based on the findings of this study, it is essential for future research to be carried out to

fill some of the gaps identified. First, the methodology used in the study offered an opportunity

for a detailed exploration of culture and product design in a multinational corporation. However,

the case study design limits the ability of the findings to be generalized to all multinational

corporations. Therefore, future research in this area should use a quantitative approach involving

the inclusion of a larger number of corporations and sample size to enhance generalization of the

findings. In addition, a quantitative approach can help in establishing the association between

cultural diversity and product design as well as establish any mediating factors to this

relationship. Finally, a study on the perspective of the consumers on the influence of culture on

product design in McDonald's Corporation can be significant in supporting the conclusions

drawn from the current study. It will be significant to assess whether consumers of McDonald's

products hold the same views about product design and culture as the staff of the corporation and

if they appreciate the steps taken by McDonald's Corporation to meet their cultural expectations.
 40

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APPENDICES
Appendix A: Questionnaire

Demographic information
1. Age

2. Sex

3. Years of experience in product design

4. Years of experience at McDonald’s Corporation

Cultural differences and product design

5. What strategy do you use for internationalisation for McDonald's Corporation?

6. Do you think culture is important in the design of products at McDonald’s? Please

explain.

7. How different is your culture to the culture of consumers at McDonald’s?

8. Is it important to understand the culture of your intended users of the end product at
McDonald’s during the product design stage?

9. What are the reasons that make culture important in product design at McDonald’s?

10. How do you deal with cultural differences during product design for your consumers?
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Appendix B: Sample transcript

Demographic information
1. Age
29 years
2. Sex
Female
3. Years of experience in product design
7 years
4. Years of experience at McDonald’s Corporation
6 years
Cultural differences and product design
5. What strategy do you use for internationalisation for McDonald's Corporation?
I cannot specifically say that we follow a strict rule for internationalization. We have our
standards that differentiate us from other fast food chains. We stick to these standards. At the
same time, we have to utilize local standards to attract local consumers. So it’s a mix of
approaches to result in a unique and quality product.
6. Do you think culture is important in the design of products at McDonald’s? Please
explain.
Yes. Culture is important when we want to design products for our customers at McDonald’s. Of
course we have to consider the specific cultures of the intended consumers in a market.
7. How different is your culture to the culture of consumers at McDonald’s?
We have so many differences. There are differences in the foods that are seen as appropriate by
some cultures and religions. For examples, in India, they don’t expect you to serve beef so
vegetarian meals are more acceptable. Also some foods are said to be appropriate for certain
times of the day. For McDonald's, we sometimes have an extended breakfast menu.
8. Is it important to understand the culture of your intended users of the end product at
McDonald’s during the product design stage?
It is important to understand the culture of the customers we want to serve. We cannot make
products for customers we don’t know. They can never buy what they don’t believe in.
9. What are the reasons that make culture important in product design at McDonald’s?
We cannot succeed and meet our goals if the customer finds our products to be colliding with
their cultural beliefs.
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10. How do you deal with cultural differences during product design for your consumers?
There are many ways we deal with the cultural differences. These are always country or region
specific. In Israel, we considered the religious needs of the clients. The foods have to meet the
kosher requirements. Some restaurants even close on the Sabbath. When consumers see the
respect that you give to their culture, they identify with your brand and it can even increase your
sales among such consumers