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Almost 11 years ago, on July 18, 1984, "the most stunning act of violence, and the worst one-day slaughter in U.S. history, occurred at the McDonald's in seedy, predominantly Hispanic San Ysidro, two miles from the Mexican border."(1) At approximately 4 p.m., James Oliver Huberty entered the franchise and "mercilessly executed 21 people and wounded 19 more...among his victims: a family of three, slumped at a blood stained table; two youngsters, lying beside their bicycles; an eight-month-old girl, sprawled on the restaurant floor."(2)
Those killed or wounded "were doing the most innocent thing they could possibly be doing--eating a hamburger at McDonald's;"(3) they were the victims "of an angry loner who hated his world and himself."(4) Nonetheless, even though the deaths were caused by a deranged individual, who was in no way connected with McDonald's, the company "might have become as much a victim as those who had been shot, but McDonald's did not die."(5)
This essay focuses on McDonald's "very high, positive public image," and on the company's proactive public relations approach to this crisis.(6) These were "major contributing factor[s] in eradicating the [San Ysidro] tragedy from the public's memory."(7)
McDonald's: Legitimate to the Core
Bedeian states that "legitimacy is a global or summary belief among stakeholders that an organization is good or has the right to continue operating."(8) Seeger argues "legitimacy is a social justification of both the institution and its activities."(9)
The simplest way to establish McDonald's legitimacy is to examine the pervasiveness of the syllable Mc in American society (e.g., McPaper, McNews, McPresident, McLaw, McFashion, McTelevision). Gozzi indicates:
The prefix "Mc" obviously gains its power to create metaphors from the ubiquity and success of McDonald's and its marketing concepts. The McDonald's formula is perfect for the television age--quick small bites, convenient and cheap, tasty at the time with the illusion of wholesomeness. Interchangeable people, parts, restaurants, food. Standardization worldwide--which means reliability...(10)
Thus, McDonald's business beliefs of Quality, Service, Convenience, and Value not only have made it the "king of the franchisees,"(11) it has allowed the company "to alter the definitions of social legitimacy so that it conforms to the organization's present practices, output, and values."(12)
It could also be argued that McDonald's has been able to "adapt its output, goals, and...