Cultural Dynamics Class 4

British Airways

I was meeting with a group of Japanese businessmen in Tokyo, and our morning discussions had not gone well. For lunch my hosts rented a private room in a restaurant. As is the custom, they took off their shoes. I was wearing my dress cowboy boots and removed them. No sooner had we sat cross-legged on the dining mats than I began to receive the first smiles and laughter of the day. I was puzzled until one man said, "Mickey Mouse," pointing to my socks. My children had packed this footwear, which they had given me for my birthday. Not realizing I would be taking off my boots, I wore the socks. That moment in the restaurant was the turning point of the trip, and before I left Japan we had an agreement. Take off the shoes to win

National Differences in Culture F What is CULTURE? –shared system of values and norms that offer a design for living u Values: abstract ideas about what is good, right and desirable u Norms: social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behavior in particular situations

Culture Quiz

Determinants of Culture Norms/ Values Social Structure Group and individual Social classes and mobility Language Spoken and silent Religion Political Philosophy Economic Philosophy Education

Cultural Issues ¶ Technological and Material Culture · Communication and Language ¸ Aesthetics ¹ Education º Religion » Attitudes and Values ¼ Social Organization

Technological and Material Culture J Material Culture - tools and artifacts (physical things) in a society, excluding those physical things found in nature unless they undergo some technological change e.g. tree to Christmas tree or orchard J Technology - Techniques to make and use those things.

Effect on consumption J Car - Suburbs J Television - Advertising, Home Shopping etc. J Microwave oven - Food preparation and nature of the food consumed. J Sony Walkman, Cellular phone Technological and Material Culture

Communication and Language Language as a Communication Tool J Verbal or Nonverbal Communication J Nonverbal J Verbal - Language is a mirror of culture; 3000 languages

Gestures F American - ok F Southern France - sale is worthless F Brazil - **&

International Marketing Blunders F Coors put its slogan, "Turn it loose," into Spanish, where it was read as "Suffer from diarrhea."

International Marketing Blunders F Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American campaign: è Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.

International Marketing Blunders F The American slogan for Salem cigarettes, "Salem-Feeling Free", was translated into the Japanese market as è "When smoking Salem, you will feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty."

International Marketing Blunders F Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno magazine.

International Marketing Blunders F An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of "I saw the Pope" (el Papa), è the shirts read "I saw the potato" (la papa).

International Marketing Blunders F In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into "Schweppes Toilet Water.”

International Marketing Blunders F Pepsi's "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" translated into è "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave," in Chinese.

International Marketing Blunders F Frank Perdue's chicken slogan, "it takes a strong man to make a tender chicken" was translated into Spanish as è "it takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate.”

International Marketing Blunders F When Parker Pen marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to have read, "it won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you". è Instead, the company thought that the word "embarazar" (to impregnate) meant to embarrass, so the ad read: "It won't leak in your pocket and make you pregnant".

Humor

Religion J Holidays J Taboos and Consumption Patterns J Economic Development and Materialism

Religion F Muslims and Ramadan –Tunisia - market slumps –Saudi Arabia - pilgrimage to Mecca u Swedish co. for transportation system

F Christians and Christmas –Dutch - St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6th) –Russians - Frost Man’s day (January 1) Religion

Taboos F Never touch the head of a Thai or Pass an object over it F The head is considered sacred in Thailand.

Some Cultural Facts An American firm lost floor wax sales in Brazil because a change in the formula made the product less effective as a lighter fluid to ignite Sunday Barbecues. Germans prefer salad dressing in a tube. Kellogg’s Pop Tart failed in Europe, as many homes do not have toasters. Mountain Dew soft drink in difficult to pronounce in Portuguese, and sales have been slow in these markets. Two-liter pop bottle failed in Spain because of small refrigerators Although 89% of Americans agree that everyone should use deodorant, only 53% of Australians agree with this statement

Hyundai

Values and Attitudes J Marketing Activities J Wealth, Material Gain, and Acquisition J Work Ethic J Change J Risk Taking J Competitiveness J Status Symbols J Nationalism

Taking on tradition: Women make a stand USA Today 1/4/94

Values and Attitudes F Colac Laxative in Japan - Richardson- Vicks –Psychological dimensions of constipation –discuss only in group - no westerners present –dissatisfied with slow-acting herbal remedies –wary western laxatives too strong

Colac Laxative in Japan F Two little pills with natural qualities F “Three things to consider for stubborn constipation - salad, beauty exercise, and Colac before bedtime”

Education J Levels of Participation J Literacy Rates J Emphasis on Specific Subjects

World Education League Who’s top? Some countries seem to educate their children much better than others? Why? No comprehensive answer has emerged yet but plenty of lessons are being learned Economist 3/29/97

Aesthetics J Design J Color J Music J Choice of brand names, packaging etc.

F SHAPES –Avoid using triangular shapes in Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan. –The triangle is considered a negative shape Aesthetics - Cultural differences

Wearing a tie in Papua New Guinea

Japan – de-odorizer with a difference

Soccer (football) is the most popular game in Brazil. The Kamaiura native people of the Amazon have substituted soccer balls for parrot feathers. Brazil

MacCoffee.MacCoffee. On the front it says it has "True American Taste." On the back the back the instructions are in Russian, and there is a tiny label "Made in Singapore." From Kazakhstan

F NUMBERS –The number 7 is considered bad luck in Kenya and good luck in the Czech Republic and Magical connotation in Benin, Africa –The number 10 is bad luck in Korea. –The number 4 means death in Japan Aesthetics - Cultural differences

F COLORS –Red represents witchcraft and death in many African countries –Red is a positive color in Denmark

Rice Patch Babies. Hong-Kong's answer to the Cabbage Patch Kid.

Social Organization J Family Unit J Peer Groups J Role models

U.S. multinationals learn importance of culture USA Today 3/1/98

Theoretical Frameworks to Understand Culture

Reading Quiz 1. Name one of the cultural researchers in the readings. 2. Name the other cultural researcher in the readings. 3. What are the Silent Languages? 1._______________ 2._______________ 3._______________ 4. What the the dimensions of culture? 1._______________ 2._______________ 3._______________ 4._______________ 5. What was the survey designed to measure?

Categorization of Cultures J Low Context vs. High Context J Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture Masculine/ Feminine Risk Avoidance Power Distance Individualism/ Collectivism

I. High and Low Context Cultures F High Context Cultures (Japan, Saudi Arabia) –Meaning of individual behavior and speed changes depending on the situation –Nonverbal messages full of important and intended meanings, subtle –Important to “read between the lines”

I. High and Low Context Cultures F Low Context Cultures (USA) –Intentions are expressed verbally, directly –Situation is not allowed to change the meaning of words and behavior –Straight talk

Silent Languages F Five different silent languages –Time –Space –Material possessions –Friendship patterns (reciprocity) –Agreements (emphasis on legal contracts) F All have important economic implications

II. Hofstede’s Model F Power Distance: tolerance of inequalities of intellectual and physical capabilities F Individualism versus collectivism: relationship between individual and his or her fellows

II. Hofstede’s Model F Uncertainty avoidance: acceptance of ambiguous situations and tolerance of uncertainty. F Masculinity versus femininity: identification of gender and work roles (Japan - HI; Sweden - LO) F Confucian Dynamics: long term vs short term orientation

Individualism and Power Distance Figure 3-5 Source: G. Hofstede, “The Cultural Relativity of Organizational Practices and Theories,” Journal of International Business Studies 14 (Fall 1983), pp Small power distance Low individualism COS PAK TAL COL PER KOR THA CHL PHL EAF HOK MEX YUG WAF SIN EQA VEN IDO POR GUA PAN PHI MAL JAM URU GRE TUR BRA ARA IND JPN ARG SPA SAF FRA BEL ITA FIN GER SWI SWE IRE NOR AUT ISR DEN NZL CAN NET GBR USA AUL Small power distance High individualism Large power distance Low individualism Large power distance High individualism Power Distance Index (PDI) SAL ira

Uncertainty Avoidance and Masculinity Figure 3-6 Source: G. Hofstede, “The Cultural Relativity of Organizational Practices and Theories,” Journal of International Business Studies 14 (Fall 1983), pp DEN NOR SWE NET FIN SIN HOK MAL JAM IRE GBR IND PHI SAF AUL USA NZL CAN IDO EAF WAF IRA THA ARA PAK TAI SWI GER AUT MEX VEN BEL ARG COL ITA JPN GRE CHL COS YUG ISR BRA POR GUA URU SAL PER PAN TUR SPA FRA KOR Weak uncertainty avoidance Feminine Weak uncertainty avoidance Masculine Strong uncertainty avoidance Feminine Strong uncertainty avoidance Masculine Masculinity Index (MAS)

Hofstede’s Classification of Triad Countries