Chapter 2 Cross-Cultural Variations in Consumer Behavior

Culture Culture is the complex whole that includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society. “everything that people have, think, and do as members of their society” “the totality of the knowledge and practices, both intellectual and material, of society” “the institutions, values, beliefs, and behaviors of a society; everything we learn, as opposed to that with which we were born”

Culture Culture: Is comprehensive Is acquired or learned Provides boundaries for members Is typically “invisible” Enculturation is the process of learning one’s own culture. Acculturation is the process of learning a new culture.

Culture National culture refers to the culture prevalent in a nation. It comprises the norms, rituals and values common to everyone in that nation regardless of the subgroup affiliation. Popular culture is the culture of the masses, with norms, rituals and values that have a mass appeal. Subculture is the culture of a group within the larger society. The group may be based on any common characteristics identifying that group as distinct from other groups or from the society at large. A firm’s corporate culture is reflected in a company’s values, rituals and customs, and even in corporate myths and celebrations of its heroes.

Culture Self-Reference Criterion -- an unconscious reference to one’s own cultural values, experiences, and knowledge as a basis for decisions. Cultural Adaptation: Imperatives Adiaphora Exclusives

Views of Foreign Expats in the U.S. “There are no small eggs in America. There are only jumbo, extra large, large, and medium.” “If you are not aggressive, you’re not noticed.” “For a foreigner to succeed in the United States…he needs to be more aggressive than in his own culture because Americans expect that.” Americans say “Come on over sometimes,” but foreigners learn (perhaps awkwardly) that this is not really an invitation. “Here that [socializing outside the business relationship] is not necessary. You can even do business with someone you do not like.”

Cultural Factors Affect Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy Language Demographics Consumer behavior Marketing strategy Values Nonverbal communications The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Culture Cultural Norms are accepted rules for behavior. Cultural Values are widely held beliefs about what is good or right. Cultural Sanctions are penalties for violations of cultural norms or disrespect for cultural values. Cultural Rituals are sets of symbolic behaviors that occur in a fixed sequence and tend to be repeated periodically. Cultural Myths are stories that express some key values of society.

Values, Norms, Sanctions, and Consumption Patterns Specify ranges of appropriate behavior Consumption patterns Cultural values Sanctions Penalties for violating norms The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Value Orientations Influence Behavior Environment- oriented values Other- Self- Consumption Purchase Communications Society’s view of relationships between people with environment Objectives/ approaches to life society finds desirable The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Cultural Values of Relevance to Consumer Behavior Other-Oriented Values Individual/Collective. Are individual activity and initiative valued more highly than collective activity and conformity? Extended/Limited Family. To what extent does one have a life-long obligation to numerous family members? Diversity/Uniformity. Does the culture embrace variation in religious beliefs, ethnic backgrounds, political views, and so forth? Masculine/Feminine. To what extent does social power automatically go to males? Competitive/Cooperative. Does one obtain success by excelling over others or by cooperating with them? Youth/Age. Are wisdom and prestige assigned to the younger or older members of a culture? The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Cultural Values of Relevance to Consumer Behavior Environment-Oriented Values Cleanliness. To what extent is cleanliness pursued beyond the minimum needed for health? Performance/Status. Is the culture’s reward system based on performance or on inherited factors such as family or class? Tradition/Change. Are existing patterns of behavior considered to be inherently superior to new patterns of behavior? Risk taking/Security. Are those who risk their established positions to overcome obstacles or achieve high goals admired more than those who do not? Problem-solving/Fatalistic. Are people encouraged to overcome all problems, or do they take a “what will be, will be” attitude? Nature. Is nature regarded as something to be admired or overcome? The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Cultural Values of Relevance to Consumer Behavior Self-Oriented Values Active/Passive. Is a physically active approach to life valued more than a less active orientation? Material/Nonmaterial. How much importance is attached to the acquisition of material wealth? Hard work/Leisure. Is a person who works harder than economically necessary admired more than one who does not? Postponed gratification/Immediate gratification. Are people encouraged to “save for a rainy day” or to “live for today”? Sensual gratification/Abstinence. To what extent is it acceptable to enjoy sensual pleasures such as food, drink, and sex? Religious/Secular. To what extent are behaviors and attitudes based on rules specified by religious doctrine? The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Nonverbal Communications Nonverbal communication systems are the arbitrary meanings a culture assigns actions, events, and things other than words. In his book Silent Languages of Doing Business Overseas, anthropologist Edward Hall describes and illustrates how a culture’s norms and values are manifested through friendship, agreements, and other similar actions. Hall calls these behaviors “silent languages.”

Cultural Communication Orientations Low-Context countries (North American and northern European countries): messages are explicit and clear actual words convey the main point of information words and meanings can be separated from the context in which they occur High-Context countries (Japan, France, Spain, Italy, Asia and Middle Eastern Arab countries): communication is more indirect expressive manner in which the message is delivered is critical message cannot be understood without its context

Factors Influencing Nonverbal Communications Time Etiquette Space Nonverbal communications Things Symbols Agreements Friendship The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998

Orientations Toward Time Monochronic cultures (Americans, Germans, Swiss) handle information in a direct, linear fashion schedules, punctuality and a sense of time that forms a purposeful straight line “time is money” Polychronic cultures (Japanese, Hispanic) work on several fronts simultaneously time is less important than task time and money are separate; timing is more important than time