Chapter 5

2. Chapter 5 The cultural environment

3. An integrated system of learned behaviour Distinguishing characteristics of the members of any given society Primarily passed on by parents Provides a code of conduct Helps give an individual an identity Acculturation is adjusting or adapting to a specific culture other than one’s own Culture defined

4. In a high context culture the social context of what is said strongly affects the meaning of the message For example, Japan and Saudi Arabia In a low context culture the meaning of the message is explicitly expressed by words and is less affected by social context For example, Australia and North America Context cultures

5. International marketers can act as a change agent narrowing the gap between cultures The EU has adopted geographic-indication laws for example, Champagne There are many icons of globalisation Often accused of cultural imperialism Cultural imperialism

6. Music Mealtimes Personal names Etiquette Status Jokes The elements of culture: Cultural universals

7. Language Religion Values and attitudes Manners and customs Material elements Aesthetics Education Social institutions The elements of culture

8. Very often, mastery of the language is needed before a person can become acculturated to a new culture Language

9. How words are spoken Gestures made Body position assumed Degree of eye contact Verbal language

10. Aids in information gathering and evaluation Provides access to local society Important to company communications Allows for interpretation of contexts Local language

11. Time flexibility and sensibility Social acquaintance and rapport Personal physical space and personal touching Non-verbal gestures and signaling Non-verbal language

12. On the go: Lost in translation Non-verbal language Click to play video

13. A part of the ‘bigger picture’ Provides the basis for transcultural similarities Can be seen as values and attitudes towards entrepreneurship, consumption and social organisation Religion

14. Christianity (2.1 billion) Islam (1.3 billion) Hinduism (900 million) Confucianism (394 million) Buddhism (376 million) Judaism (14 million) Religion

15. Values are shared beliefs or group norms Attitudes are evaluations of alternatives based on these values Some cultures (e.g. Japan) are biased against foreign employers In other cultures, cooperation is more important than competition (e.g. Chinese guanxi) Values and attitudes

16. Attitudes towards change is of great importance to marketers viewed with suspicion in more tradition-bound countries www.islamfortoday.com/iran02.htm Japanese youth display positive attitudes towards Western products At the same time, Japanese Hello Kitty is popular worldwide Values and attitudes

17. Hello Kitty’s global phenomenon Values and attitudes Click to play video

18. Different ways of thinking Saving face Understanding the host country Personal relations Time allocation Manners and customs

19. The number eight in Chinese culture Sounds like ‘to make money’ Considered lucky Manners and customs

20. Brazil: Cross-cultural business tips Manners and customs Click to play video

21. Gift giving requires sensitivity Manners and customs

22. International marketers ask: what are we selling? what are the benefits we should be providing? who or what are we competing against? Focus groups provide some answers Manners and customs

23. Results from technology Related to the way society organises its economic activity Economic infrastructure transportation (e.g. roads) energy (e.g. electrical power plants) communications (e.g. landline, mobile and internet) Material elements

24. Social infrastructure housing health education Financial and marketing infrastructures banks research firms Material elements

25. Cultural convergence greater acceptance of equipment for personal use for example, mobile phones Extends marketers’ reach Material elements

26. What is good taste? What is and what is not acceptable? for example, sex in advertising Colours Aesthetics

27. Literacy rates School enrolments Employee training Local job recruitment The use of visual aids or printed manuals Education

28. The ways in which we relate to each other Social stratification is the division of a population into classes Reference groups shape our behaviour Social institutions

29. Factual information is obtained through communication, research and education Experiential information is obtained by being involved in a culture other than one’s own The US Department of Commerce Center for International and Area Studies HSBC Group World Trade magazine Sources of cultural knowledge

30. Sources of cultural knowledge

31. Checklists and models help explain the differences between cultures Guidelines for 4P mix development Adoption tendency likelihood of acceptance The natural self-reference criterion the unconscious reference to one’s own cultural values Cultural analysis

32. Cultural analysis

33. Cultural analysis

34. Defining the problem in terms of the domestic culture Defining the problem in terms of the foreign culture Isolate the self-reference criterion Redefine the problem without the self-reference criterion Cultural analysis: Reducing the influence of one’s own culture

35. Outsiders to the firm Interaction within the corporate family Culture-specific information Cultural general information Self-specific information Mentors The training challenge

36. Areas studies environmental briefing and cultural orientation Cultural assimilator culture specific scenarios The training challenge

37. Preparedness Sensitivity Patience Flexibility Rigour varies The training challenge

38. The training challenge

39. Incorporating global awareness The training challenge Click to play video

40. Embrace local culture Build relationships Employ locals The best way to understand a market is to grow with it Making culture work for marketing success

41. Help employees Adapt to local markets Coordinate by region Transfer best practice Making culture work for marketing success