McDonald’s Location at the Bijlmerplein - Business Research Observation

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This is observation was done as a descriptive observation. For the descriptive observations we looked at different stages (Space, objects, actors, feeling/emotions/activities/actions/goals and time/time sequence). The study was done in a semi-structured way because a detailed plan was made beforehand. First we set up a predetermined set of categories of activities of phenomena planned to be studied. Followed by dividing it into categories about what we will observe and how it will be done (see appendix).  

Further for this study, the other key dimensions of observation were also applied to do the observation. The second dimension that is used in this report is uncontrolled research in a natural setting. We did not attempt to control, manipulate or influence what was happening while we were doing our observation in the McDonald’s. The study was done by studying the activities from the actors. (People who visited the McDonald’s and people who worked there). This bring us to the next dimension key that was applied to this report which is non-participation. We used this option to understand a phenomenon in a social system. During the observation, we were never directly involved in the actions of the actors, but observed them from outside the actor’s visual horizon. The last key dimension that we used was concealed observation. The members that we observed are not told that they were being investigated in order to have no influence on them to get the most accurate result.

Location description

Bijlmer

When walking into the McDonald’s location at the Bijlmerplein the first things you will see are McDonald’s self-service machines. Right after walking past these machines you will be greeted by the cash register with the item menu above it on a backlit screen. The Bijlmer location had two floors, the ground floor and 1st floor. The ground floor was the largest floor of the two and was split in two halves, where one half is mostly dedicated to seats whereas the other half still has seats but has a very small amount of them, this is due to the fact that this half is dedicated to ordering and receiving the order.

Both floors had a common theme: a lot of natural light and (enjoying) McDonald’s food. Both floors had many windows and very few walls, the small and few outer walls only served at structural reinforcement while inner walls were separating areas on a floor. The few walls that were there had prints of several McDonald’s food items and people enjoying these items on them.

A feature that was congruent throughout both floors was the table placement and lighting. There were white and square lights in between the seats and circular lights with a more yellow tone above the seats and tables. The seat placement between floors was similar: On the outside perimeters of the room there were larger tables than in the middle, where the store opted for smaller tables with more seats. A large difference in seating between the floors however was that the first floor had bar-style tables with elevated seats and the 1st floor had circular tables with large leather seats behind them. These “special” tables and seats were both placed next to windows. Another difference between the ground floor and 1st floor is that there are no lavatories on the ground floor whereas the 1st floor does have them.

Amstelveen

Just like at the Bijlmer location, the first things you see when walking into the Amstelveen building is self-service machines, however it is this time followed by the seats and at the end of the floor the cash register (with the backlit menu above it). The Amstelveen building also consists of 2 floors: the ground floor and 1st floor. Both of these floors were uniform and had no walls separating specific areas inside of the floors. Contrary to the Bijlmer location, the Amstelveen location did not have prints of food on their walls but instead opted for a mahogany wood texture across the building. This was across both floors in this building.

However, the theme of having a lot of natural light was very apparent in this location as well. There were no walls where there could be windows which shows the emphasis on the usage of natural light. Natural lighting was not the only form of lighting, though. Just like in the Bijlmer building, the same white square and yellow circular were placed in the ceiling and used in the same fashion.

The placement of the seats was also comparable to the Bijlmer location, as in the middle there were more regular sized tables, near the windows bar-style tables and on the outer spaces larger tables.

In Amstelveen the same differences (apart from size) as the Bijlmer location occur between floors, where the 1st floor has lavatories and the ground floor does not.

(Floor plans in the appendices)

Working life

Bijlmer

Looking at the interactions between customer and employee, and inter-employee interactions we could observe, not much can be said other than that it was a neutral and monotone working environment with an occasional friendly exchange of words between employees and customers that seemed to know each other on a more personal level. The facial expressions of the employees follow suit with this observation as these expressions were nearly always neutral. Seeing a smile when employees exchanged information regarding orders from customers or seeing general chit-chat was highly uncommon.

Other than the expressionlessness of the employees, the atmosphere seemed organized, there was no sign of hectic behavior even when it started getting busy and a large amount customers started congregating in the building.

Amstelveen

Going into the observation of the Amstelveen location, we expected a similar working atmosphere as the one seen at the Bijlmer location. However, at the time we observed, this was not the case. The atmosphere at the Amstelveen location was vastly different to the Bijlmer location in that it had a much more energetic and “lively”. Small friendly interactions between customer and employee are not uncommon and inter-employee interaction was plentiful and friendly, all while maintaining a good organizational structure that ensured chance of making mistakes was minimalized.