How does McDonald's management perpare the difficult time ahead?

       If investors would like to protect and invest their investment or savings in stock market during this slow economy, they must ensure not put all their eggs in one basket, and need to diversify their investments in different companies with great management (e.g., Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, Southwest, or Wal-Mart), industries or trades (e.g., food, or high-tech business, especially in risk analysis or management software), and locations or nations. In 2008, the average number of customers served per day in McDonald's restaurants advanced to more than 58 million in 118 countries (about 32,000 outlets worldwide and 14,000 of them are in the U.S.—2 million more than a year ago, and not all them are in recession). According to NASDAQ.com.,  as compared to other food services chain stores’ current EPS (Earnings per share): Yum ($1.91), Starbucks ($0.59), and Darden restaurants ($2.68); McDonald’s Corporation ($3.67) was the highest one (MC, 2009, p.1). In practice, top executives of McDonald’s recognize and ensure its business – a) coffee that compete with Starbucks or Tim Horton’s (e.g., in Ontario, Canada, it offers $1.39 for a good quality regular coffee with a fresh muffin and butter plus refill); b) trendy, healthy, and broader menus (e.g., fresh salads or yogurt); c) improved services and speed in drive-through windows or counters that advance sales and revenues; and d) cut travel, expense, waste, or cost of production, and get better deals from suppliers, and advertising agents.Adamy (2009) analyzed the Company and claimed that excellent operations management and financial managing with up-to-date business data and evaluations not only improved the value of its franchisees or store owners’ businesses, and kept McDonald's in the top of the industry (with number 16 of the most admired world organizations in Fortune 500), but also help the organization preparing for difficult time currently or the coming years. Yes, again, as people state: Survival of the fittest. From my experience, in the business world, you are either a leader, or follow the leader. 

References

McDonald’s (MC). (2009).  NASDAQ.Retrieved March 12, 2009, from

       http://www.nasdaq.com/earnings/peratio.asp?symbol=MCD&symbol

Adamy, J. (2009, March 10).  McDonald's seeks way to keep sizzling. The wall

        street journal. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://online.wsj.com/article