The bell rings. It is 4.10pm!
Your BFF asks you to go to Bukit Batok's McDonalds.
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<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/5089/5319643943_8627ea56be_b.jpg" alt="McDonald's at Bukit Batok">
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<li>[[Take the bus Bukit Batok Bus Interchange -> VisitMcD]]</li>
<li>[[I will go home and do my revision! -> goHome]]</li>
</ol>Ah hah! The Nasi Lemak burger is back again!
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<img src = "https://d1nqx6es26drid.cloudfront.net/app/uploads/2019/04/25170047/MCD-079-19-Nasi-lemak-Burger-CP-Mobile-2.jpg">
The high pricing of the burger aside, you are wondering if it is worth it to try the burger (after hearing rave reviews about it).
<ol>
<li>[[ Yes I will try it. I don't say no to burgers! -> buyBurger ]] </li>
<li>[[ I think I would prefer my usual Nasi Lemak. I am going to just get the banana pie -> buyBananaPie ]] </li>
</ol>Alas, temptation arises and you head to McDonalds anyway... (Tsk)
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<li>[[Join your friend at MacDonalds -> VisitMcD]] </li>
</ol>Unfortunately, you are unable to escape the clutches of McDonald's trumping over your local delicacies.
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<img src = "https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/posts/2014/05/happymain/484136e07.jpg">
What is your verdict about the burger?
[[I still miss my Nasi Lemak. -> tension1]]
[[It is good! -> culturalHomogenisation]]
Be it the banana pie (2017) or coconut pie (2019), the limited-time pies are definitely inspired by tropical fruit flavours.
Curious, isn't it... when McDonalds is a USA-based company selling French Fries and Burgers. [[ Click here to find out more about McDoanlds as an MNC -> mcDBackground]]The Nasi Lemak burger is part of a special menu <b> inspired by local flavours </b>. First released for a limited time in 2017, it has proven to be a popular item, with it coming back into the local menu in 2019.
Any guesses why McDonald's adopted this strategy of creating new food items based on local flavours?
Read more about the background of McDonald's as an MNC to find out.
[[ click here -> mcDBackground]]
You have experienced <b>tension</b> between local food cultures and global food trends. How do you respond to it?
Seems like as a student, for now, you can only accept it as an inevitable part of globalisation.
But do keep an open mind on how there can be strategies to help preserve local cultures as well!
(You are also an actor in a globalised world)
[[Click here to continue -> culturalHomogenisation]]
Of course, whether we can take these reviews at face value depends on who is the reviewer.
You should really check the <b> reliability </b> of these reviews by <b>cross-referencing</b> to your own evaluation of the burger (for instance).
Also <b> (*hint hint*) </b>, check your source's provenance. Are these reviews from sponsored posts? If so, why should you <u><b>not</b></u> trust them completely?
<b><u><h3>SLS Question 1</b></u></h3>
In not more than 100 words, explain why you should not trust sponsored posts completely.
After you have submitted your response on SLS, [[click here -> preserveLocal ]]
<h1> Background on McDonald's (as a Multi National Corporation)</h1>
McDonald's Corporation is an American fast food company, founded in 1940. As of early 2018, it's headquarters are located in Chicago, the USA.
McDoanld's is one of the world's largest restaurant chains, with restaurants in over 100 countries.
In fact, the operations of McDonald's is so closely interconnected and interdependent on different countries around the world that economist Thomas Friedman famously wrote in his book "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" (1999) that:
<i> "No two countries that both had McDonald's had fought a war against each other since each got its McDonald's"</i>
Friedman's point being that because of globalisation, countries have made such strong econoimc ties with one another that the losses (from fighting a war) are not worth it.
Of course, this is a big claim to make. Is his claim true?
Time for you to <b>cross-refer</b> to other sources! ([[click here -> checkGoldenArchesClaim]] to find out more)
[[Back to thinking about food: click here to continue -> thought1]]
As you are thinking about the Nasi Lemak burger, your friend decided to discuss with you your judgement about the burger. You decide to read up on some reviews to validate your opinions about the burger.
Here are some reviews by locals:
<i>
"We went into the test filled with scepticism. Little did we expect to be mind-blown by how the burger could taste just like a dish of, well, Nasi Lemak."
"While this isn’t the first time the fast food chain has served locally inspired flavours (remember the rendang beef, and salted egg yolk burgers?), <b>McDonald’s has decided to recreate one of Singapore’s most iconic dishes – nasi lemak</b>.
....
Hands down, our favourite parts of the burger were the chicken and fried egg – <b>they taste just like the ones you'd get from the hawker stalls</b>. "
</i>
Should you trust these reviews?
<ol>
<li> [[YES! -> factCheck]] </li>
<li> [[NO! -> wellDone]] </li>
</ol><h1> Same same, but different?! </h1>
While there are different opinions about the burger, this burger is a very good example of:
1) <b> cultural homogenisation </b> -- Fast Food Culture in Singapore
2) <b> cultural hybridisation </b> -- Creation of a new food item (with foreign & local elements)
FOREIGN ELEMENT: BURGER
LOCAL ELEMENT: NASI LEMAK
Whether you liked the Nasi Lemak burger or not, you are thinking about a very important issue regarding responses to globalisation.
Perhaps globalisation mean "sameness", but there are still differences that can be recognised. Although different parts of the world seem to be come more similar, it does not mean that there is no more diversity.
If you look at the <b> local menus </b> of McDonalds around the world, you can find some very interesting local items.
[[click here to continue -> SLSqn2]]
<b><u><h2>SLS Question 3</b></u></h2>
Think about the following questions:
<ul>
<li>Is it just a one-way flow of ideas from the West to the rest of the world? </li>
<li>Do people/companies/countries have control over responding to globalisation as well by coming up with new strategies to cope with this? </li>
</ul>
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<img src = "https://lifeofcassieb.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/global.png?w=324&h=260">
Now, answer the following question:
In your opinion, are there more positive or negative impacts of globalisation on local food cultures? Give two reasons to support your answer.
HINT: Think about how local food cultures are influenced by hybridisation and homogenisation
Once you have submitted your response, [[click here -> theEnd]]<h2>Well done!</h2>
Hope that you have learnt more about some of the impacts globalisation on food. Specifically, cultural homogenisation and hybridisation of food using McDonald's (an MNC) as an example.
<h3>Food for thought:</h3>
Do you think cultural homogenisation and hybridisation are <b>IMPACTS</b> of globalisation or <b>RESPONSES</b> to globalisation?
Oops. Seems like you have fallen into the trap of not checking your sources of information!
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Remember to always check ALL your sources of information, no matter how much they seemed true...
[[ Now, go and evaluate your sources -> evaluateReviews]] Well done! You remembered to take a step back and think about the <b> reliability </b> of your source's information (before deciding whether to trust the source or not).
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[[ Click here to evaluate your sources -> evaluateReviews]] A quick google search may tell you that Friedman's claim was unfortunately proven wrong just a short while after his book was published.
You can find out more at this <a href="https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mcdonalds-countries-war/" target="_blank"> webpage </a>
[[click here to go back -> mcDBackground]] <b><u><h2>SLS Question 2</b></u></h2>
Turn to page 320 of your textbook. In Figure 10.15 you will see 3 different examples of food items incorporating various cultural influences (images of the food items are also shown below, but you are highly recommended to read the related paragraphs in your TB as it may help you answer the question below)
Pick one item from the pictures shown below. Explain how the food item demonstrates the concept of "cultural hybridisation".
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1) Naan Bread with mushroom and feta cheese
<img src="https://c8.alamy.com/comp/T2T6WF/naan-bread-topped-with-black-olives-sauteed-mushrooms-feta-cheese-and-hummus-T2T6WF.jpg">
2) California Roll
<img src="https://blog.liebherr.com/appliances/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/03/panthermedia_15526657_1748x1167-1-753x493.jpg">
3) Satay chicken pizza
<img src="https://media.womensweekly.com.sg/public/2019/11/Satay-Chicken-Pizza-9.jpg">
Once you have submitted your response, [[click here -> SLSqn3]]