Theory Artifact of Communication

Communication

The McDonald's Menu and Charles Berger's Uncertainty Reduction Theory

In the field of communication, extant theories and models aim to provide explanations about the nature and dynamics of relating and interacting with other people. These theoretical frameworks also delve into various kinds of communication, such as verbal or non-verbal and intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and organizational. One of the most important aspects among these kinds of communication concern theories about interpersonal relationships, which serve as the common ground wherein further studies on communication among people from one-on-one, group, and/or organizational.

Among these interpersonal theories, Charles Berger's uncertainty reduction theory figures as one of the most descriptive and analytical theory in studying communication at the most basic level. The uncertainty reduction theory describes the 'self-monitoring' behavior of communicators when initially establishing a relationship or interacting with another communicator or an agent of communication. The theory involves two important concepts: the objective and subjective self-awareness. Objective self-awareness puts the individual self in the "center," while subjective self-awareness considers the individual's environment as the central focus rather than the self (Littlejohn, 1999:260). In effect, the subjective self-awareness is the part of the self that provides rational thinking for the individual, while the objective one centers on the behavior of the individual toward a specific activity or phenomenon.

Given these ideas about self-monitoring and self-awareness, uncertainty reduction is considered as a human communication theory that attempts to make sense, meaning, and understanding to a social phenomenon. The combination of both the rational and emotional selves, according to the theory, diminishes uncertainty of the communicator about his/her environment and allows him/her to react or behave that is consistent with the communicator's values and beliefs.

Indeed, Berger's uncertainty reduction theory encompasses interpersonal relations to include a wider range of communication form: intercultural communication. In intercultural communication, the interplay of personal values and beliefs and the social environment play a significant role in describing and explaining the processes involved in communicating and interacting of a communicator to another communicator/other communicators.

Applying the important concepts associated with Berger's theory in the context of intercultural communication, this paper delves into providing an analysis of the McDonald's menus, a communication artifact that is observed to have a dynamic nature because McDonald's menus often change its character (that is, menu offerings) whenever the fast food chain would establish business in a country or place where the culture and food diet is different from that of the American food culture. For the purpose of the analysis, three food cultures are studied, which are characterized as possessing distinct 'McDonald's menu characteristics': Canada, India, and Philippines.

Uncertainty reduction theory bears significance to McDonald's marketing strategy to entice potential customers to patronize their products. The process, as the theory's composition, is two-fold. The first phase involves the introduction of a new menu by McDonald's that suits that particular food culture's food diet, preferences, tradition, and values. The process of uncertainty reduction begins with the communicator's (the individual) encounter with the new organization and the artifact itself (McDonald's menu). The individual's receptiveness to the organization would be based on the characteristics of the artifact or the menu. As uncertainty takes place about the individual's receptiveness, s/he would look at the social environment in which the artifact is situated. If s/he realizes that the menu parallels his/her food diet and preferences, uncertainty would decrease, and a potential relationship between the individual, now the customer, and McDonald's would be established.

The preceding discussion illustrates how the concepts of the theory is applied in the context of analyzing McDonald's menus from three food cultures, namely, Canadian, Indian, and Filipino. At the objective self-awareness level, the individual is illustrated as scanning the social environment of McDonald's through their menu offerings. At the subjective self-awareness level, the individual consults himself/herself, ascertaining whether the food offerings in the menu reflect his/her food taste, preference, and diet.

McDonald's menu offerings in various countries reflect the process of uncertainty reduction. In Canada, menu offerings are similar with those offered in the United States; however, two specific food items have been included to suit the Canadians' preference for toasted sandwiches and salads. To fit into the country's food culture and gain the acceptance and patronage of the consumers, McDonald's created the Lighter Choices and Toasted Deli Sandwiches menus, which offer these favorite food items with different combinations.

A similar marketing strategy was adopted in McDonald's branches in India and Philippines. In the Philippines, where the staple food is rice, special rice meals with meat products are offered. Salads are not included in the menu since apparently, rice meals -- that is, heavy meals, are the preferred food products by Filipinos. Thus, in the Philippines, its rice-based food culture made McDonald's create a menu wherein rice is a primary product and rice meals (combination of rice, meat viand, and beverage) are offered at cheap prices.