globalized childhood? kentucky fried chicken in beijing
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Globalized Childhood? Kentucky Fried Chicken in Beijing. Eriberto P. Lozada, Jr. As presented by Naomi Wente. Focus:. Transnationalism: the flow of ideas, products, people, capital, and technologies across national boundaries - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Eriberto P. Lozada, Jr. As presented by Naomi Wente
Globalized Childhood?Kentucky Fried Chicken in
Beijing
Focus:Transnationalism: the flow
of ideas, products, people, capital, and technologies across national boundariesGrowing power of
corporations –sometimes considered a major cause of cultural disruption in developing countries
Examine US-based Kentucky Fried Chicken Success of such fast-food
restaurantsWhat children eat is a
fundamental part of their socialization
Localization
Argument“There are now many visible markers of homogenization because of a more integrated global system of production and consumption, there has also been a dramatic expansion in particularism, as competing claims for cultural identity and authenticity have become more strident.”
Transnational CorporationsProvide institutional support for the
movement of people, goods, and ideas across national boundaries
Have existed for as long as there have been nations
Gained influence over the yearsCreated a global system of interdependenceMust understand these connections to
understand the social fabric of everyday life.
KFC + TransnationalismKFC in Beijing as an entry point of
transnationalismRequirement: to see KFC as a
socially constructed locality of consumption
Opening of first branch in 1987Operations since then have
become more “domesticated” Formerly exotic, imported food
transformed into a familiar and intimate type of cuisine
Forced “localization”- innovations and modifications made by KFC in reaction to local competition and to a growing understanding of the place of children in China
“Chicky” (or Qiqi)Rejected old Colonel
SandersNew icon: “Chicky”
Introduced in 1995Fun, kid-orientedMarketing technique
Kids love eating at KFC restaurants: regular customers
Fun and exciting place to eat
Kid-friendlyBirthday party
introduction (1995): consumers
Chicken Politics “Results with integrity”- no
standard way to cook chicken, flexibility to mold to local market and work with government
KFC launched its operations from the political power center of Beijing vs. other economic centers
Decentralized operations In order for KFC to succeed
in any given society it must be firmly grounded in that society.
Local managers draw on support service of the corporation
“Cock fight”Competition- Ronghaji demonstrated that Chinese
entrepreneurs could employ Western technology and create an industry with “Chinese characteristics”
KFC did not obliterate China’s culinary traditions- instead it stimulated a local discourse on national heritage1987- 40% of food imported1991- 3% of food imported (11 secret herbs and
spices) Origin of fast food in China
Thousands of years ago as stuffed buns and rice rollsStreet food venders Idea wholly imported from US
Growth of fast foodWant for modernization = desire
to eat Western foodSpread of KFC and also
McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Brownies, etc
Marketing increasesStandardized, mechanized
cooking, concern for hygiene, uniformed staff member mopping floor
Food poisoning scare outside of fast food = safe haven
Catering for government/other institutions
Ability to choose different types of food
Also growth of fast life style pace
LocalizationMost telling: KFC company
loosing status as a “hot topic”Novelty fadingPatrons eat there for more of a
convenienceBeing Western wasn’t enough-
need to offer more variety- uniqueness of products (offering spicy chicken sandwich not offered in US)
Young consumersImportant role in
stratification of the Chinese childhood
Partnerships with schools, teachers, and parents
Single child policy- parents willing to spend more money
Toys and décor attracts kids
Spread of TV watching + advertisements
Conclusion: Globalized Childhood?
Kids draw parents in to KFC to eat fast food, taste modernity, and to have fun. By doing so, they are drawing their elders into an intersection of local society and transnationalism.
Not a passive relationship in which a transnational organization like KFC dictates lessons to be mastered by the natives.
Both local residents and KFC are linked in a network of social relations.
KFC has had to adapt to expectations and demands of customers in non-standard ways
Domesticated and localized through the input of local people (managers and kid consumers)
Conclusion: Globalized Childhood? ContinuedKids live in a deterritorialized space that can be
viewed as a sort of globalized childhood cultureResulting culture is not a single, homogenized
global children’s culture--- there is not a vacuumCulture is embedded in particular networks of
social relations and historical contexts. Particularism becomes possible due to
specializationKFC restaurants may appear as one of the
hallmarks of globalization, but on closer inspection, the success of KFC has depended on the ability to become local, as an integral part of Beijing children’s social life.
Success = ability to become intelligible to people in their local social context.
The End…. ?Satisfying?What about the pros
and cons?No passionate
conclusion Is a globalized
childhood a good thing?
Many missing puzzle pieces