In the year 2000, according to the company's 10K and annual report, McDonald's had sales revenues of $14,243,000,000. It is ranked # 132 in the Fortune 500, #146 in the Hoover's 500, # 100 in the FT Global 500, and is also in the Standard & Poors 500. McDonald's and its affiliated companies employ approximately 314,500 people full time, of which approximately 33,000 are full-time salaried employees (10-K, 2000, 4). Roughly 800,000 more part time employees around the world make up what has become known as the McDonald's team. This brings the total McDonald's employees worldwide to approximately 1.5 million (Fact File, 2001).
McDonald's opens a new restaurant somewhere in the world every 13 hours. 85% of the restaurants are independently owned and operated, with company-run stores making up the other 15%. McDonald's is the second-most recognized brand in the world - only Coke (which McDonald's serves) is more recognized (Horovitz & Strauss, 1998).
The outline of the story of the founding concerns kitchen appliance salesman Ray Kroc who discovered two black men, the McDonald's Brothers, who had a drive in restaurant in California that sold a simple menu of hamburgers and milk shakes. Every time Kroc called on this account, it was fantastically busy (Fierman, 1993). Kroc bought the brothers out and began duplicating the formula of simple menu and low price and turned his company into a worldwide success. As the corporation grew and expanded into new countries, it did develop an awareness of cultural sensitivity.
The company was founded with, and still maintains, a strong focus on the importance of human resources.
On the company's website, as part of a section called the "People Mission," there are quotes from the key leaders of McDonald's. Ray Kroc, the founder, is quoted as saying "Commitment to our employees has been a focus at McDonald's Corporation since we began in 1955. We believe that only satisfied people ...