Chapter 3 The Role of Culture

Defining Culture The definition encompasses a wide variety of elements, from materialistic to the spiritual. It includes everything that a group thinks, does, and makes-its customs, language, material artifacts, and shared systems of attitudes and feelings.

Success and Culture Embrace local culture. Employ locals to gain cultural knowledge. Build relationships. Adapt products to local markets. Help employees understand you. Coordinate by region.

Elements of Culture Acculturation: Adjusting or adapting to a specific culture other than one’s own … and “one of the keys to success in international operations. Change Agent: International business entities who introduce new products or ideas and practices. Cultural Universals: Which are manifestations of the total way of life of any group of people. These include such elements as bodily adornments, courtship, etiquette, family gestures, joking, mealtimes, music, personal names, status differentiation, and trade.

The international marketer may be accused of cultural imperialism Cultural imperialism: “culture of a large and powerful country, organization, etc. having a great influence on another less powerful country." Global marketers and media have made national and regional artists to break into worldwide markets

Language Verbal How words are spoken. Gestures made. Body position assumed. Degree of eye contact. Local language capability’s important role in international marketing Aids in information gathering and evaluation. Provides access to local society. Important to company communications. Allows for interpretation of contexts.

Nonverbal Language Hidden language of cultures Time flexibility and sensibility. Material possessions. Friendship patterns Personal physical space and personal touching. Non-verbal gestures, symbolic interaction and signaling. Patterns of business transactions

Religion Christianity - 2.0 billion followers Islam - 1.2 billion followers Hinduism - 860 million followers Buddhism - 360 million followers Confucianism - 150 million followers

Elements of Culture Values: What a group believes to be good, right, and desirable. Attitudes: Evaluations of alternatives based on programmed values. Manners: The prevailing practices within a society.

Social Institutions Kinship relationships Social stratification Social organization determines the roles of managers and subordinates and the way they relate to one another Kinship relationships immediate and extended family Social stratification Reference groups Primary reference groups family, coworkers Secondary reference groups professional associations, trade organizations

Three Kinds of Infrastructures: Economic infrastructure: Consists of transportation, energy, and communications systems Social Infrastructure: Refers to housing, health, and education system Financial and Marketing Infrastructure: Consists of facilitating agencies such as bank and research firms

Cultural Analysis Self-Reference criterion: The unconscious reference to one’s own cultural values Ethnocentrism is judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one's own culture For successful international marketing managers should be given the following trainings to avoid market failure

The Training Challenge Cultural Assimilator: is a program in which trainees must respond to scenarios of specific situations in a particular country. Sensitivity Training: focuses on enhancing a manager’s flexibility in situations that are quite different from those at home. Field Experience: Which exposes a manager to a different cultural environment for a limited amount of time.