Social & Cultural Environments Chapter 4

Which of the following global companies recently acquired Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s Homemade? Nestle Kraft Foods Unilever General Mills

_______________________ The ________________________, built up by a group of human beings, that are transmitted from one generation to another. The cultural environment of a country is best defined by the characteristics: ____________________________

__________ An enduring ________ or feeling that a specific mode of conduct is personally or socially preferable to another mode of conduct. i.e., India - vegetarian = Vegetarianism represents a _______

________________ A _____________ tendency to respond in a consistent way to a given object or entity. i.e., An Indian’s dislike for McDonald’s represents an ______________________.

_______________ Organized patterns of _______________ that an individual holds to be true about the world. i.e., Japan’s society reflects the belief among the Japanese that they are unique in the world. i.e., Some Americans believe that American cars are not as well made as Japanese cars.

Belief & ______________: Many _________, especially the __________ people, believe that the West is the source of important fashion trends. As a result, many ________________ share a favorable attitude toward American actors.

__________________: the aspect of culture that is concerned with _________, ________________, and artistic expression. In some cases, adaptation to local preferences may be required. _______________________ Aesthetics: when global marketers assess how the color of a label or the shape of a package might be perceived.

1. If you were married during the 17th century, you might wear this color to symbolize your desire to have many children. 2. This color has come to symbolize purity in the Western Culture. 3. If you attend a Chinese wedding you should expect the bride to be wearing this color.

4. In many Asian countries this color is associated with death. 5. In many parts of the world this color is associated with love and adventure. 6. In China, __________ is for little boys.

7. In South Africa, _______ is the color of mourning. 8. In China, _________ is for little girls. 9. In Egypt and Burma, _____ signifies mourning. 6. Wearing this color could indicate you are evil.

When GM was vying for the right to build a sedan in China, company executives gave Chinese officials gifts from _____________ in its signature blue box. However, the Americans replaced _________________ white ribbons with ______________ones, because this color is considered to be a lucky color in China and white have negative connotations.

Dietary Preferences: food preparation and consumption patterns Green Giant Foods attempted to market corn in ________________, where the prevailing attitude is that corn is a grain fed to hogs. Hindus in India serve themselves with the _________________________ rather than us utensils:

Language and Communication ______________________ communication: gestures, touching, and other forms of body language that supplement spoken communication. i.e., a Westerner who wants to work in Japan must learn different bows: the bow for ________ colleagues in a hall, the bow for _____________ customers, the bow for ________________________.

Nonverbal communication France: “Zero” or “_____________”; Brazil & Germany: vulgar or obscene; Japan: it signified _______________. ____________ ____________

Literacy: age 15 and over who can read and write = ______________%

Which brand name was selected because it is pronounced the same in most languages: Whirlpool Nokia Colgate Diesel

______________________ Thesis Developed by George Ritzer a sociologist. __________________ of culture occurs when global companies break down cultural barriers while expanding into new markets with their products. Ritzer has criticized _____________ for threatening the _________________ complex of many societies.

High- & Low-Context Cultures Factors _________ Context ______ Context _____________ Is his/her bond Get it in writing _____________ People breathe on each other People maintain a bubble of private space _____________ ________________: everything is life must be dealt with in terms of its own time. _____________: time is money; linear: one thing at a time

High- & Low-Context Cultures Factors High Context Low Context ____________ Lengthy Proceed quickly _____________ Infrequent: Less important Common Lawyers _______ important _____ important Communication Skills _____________ _____________

High-Context vs. Low Context

_____________ Cultural Dimensions I. _______________ Distance: the extent to which the less powerful members of a society _________________ - even expect - power to be distributed unequally. _________ Power Distance Culture _________ Power Distance Culture ___________ _________________

II. _________________ vs _________________: reflects the degree to which individuals in a society are integrated into groups. ________________: each member of society is primarily concerned with his/her own interest and those of the immediate family. ______________: all of society’s members are integrated into cohesive in-groups.

III. _____________ vs _________________: ____________________: a society in which men are expected to be assertive, competitive, and concerned with material success. Women fulfill the role of nurturer and are concerned with the welfare of children. ____________________: social roles of men and women overlap.

IV. _____________________ Avoidance: the extent to which members of a culture feel threatened by unclear, ambiguous, or unstructured situations. _________ Uncertainty Such cultures resort to ______________, intolerant behavior & are characterized by a belief in _______________________.

Long-Term vs Short-Term Orientation: It assesses the sense of _____________ within a culture, whether gratification should be immediate or deferred. Long-Term Orientation (____________ gratification): the extent to which members of a society are oriented toward _________, education, persistence, and thrift.

_______________ Criterion (SRC) Long-Term Orientation (deferred gratification): LTO is a key cultural dimension that helps account for rapid economic growth in __________. _______________ Criterion (SRC) reliance on _________________ culture or ______________ as a guide to behavior.

Diffusion Theory: 3 Concepts I. _______ Process: the mental stages through which an individual passes from the time of his/her first knowledge of an innovation to the time of product adoption or purchase. 1. _____________ 2. _______ 3. ___________ 5. _____________ 4. ____________

II. Diffusion of an __________________: A. ________________ Advantage: How a _________ product compares with _________________ products in the eyes of customers. Do the consumers perceive a new product to be better than existing products.

B. ____________________: extent to which a product is consistent with existing values and past experiences of adopters. Sony Betamax failed because it could only record for __________ ____________.

C. _______________: the degree to which an innovation or new product is difficult to understand and use. D. ______________: the ability of a product to be tried and used on a limited basis without great expense. E. ____________: the degree to which benefits may be communicated.

Diffusion Theory of Innovations Speed/Rate innovations gain acceptance Relative Adv. _____________ Compatibility ______________ Complexity _____________ Divisibility _____________ Communicability ______________

III.

III. Adopter Categories: A. Innovators: ____________, wealthy, & cosmopolitan. B. Early Adopters: The most _________________ people in the communities. _______________ ___________________.

C. Early Majority: Deliberate & ________________________ D. Late Majority: ____________; adopt because of necessity or social pressure. E. Laggards: _______________

Environmental Sensitivity ____________________ sensitivity: the extent products must be adapted to the culture-specific needs of different national markets. ____________ H Product Adaptation _________________ _______________ ____________ L Environmental Sensitivity H