1. Cross-Cultural Variations in Consumer Behavior
CHAPTER TWO
Cross-Cultural Variations in Consumer Behavior
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Cultural Factors Affect Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy
2-1
Language
Demographics
Consumer
behavior
Marketing
strategy
Values
Nonverbal
communications
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. Value Norms, Sanctions, and Consumption Patterns
2-2
Norms
Specify ranges
of appropriate
behavior
Consumption
patterns
Cultural
values
Sanctions
Penalties for
violating norms
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. Value Orientations Influence Behavior
2-3
Environment-
oriented
values
Other-
Self-
Consumption
Purchase
Communications
Society’s view
of relationships
between people
with environment
Objectives/
approaches
to life society
finds desirable
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. Cultural Values of Relevance to Consumer Behavior
2-4
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?
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Cultural Values of Relevance to Consumer Behavior
2-4 (II)
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?
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. Cultural Values of Relevance to Consumer Behavior
2-4 (III)
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?
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. Factors Influencing Nonverbal Communications
2-5
Time
Etiquette
Space
Nonverbal
communications
Things
Symbols
Agreements
Friendship
Copyright © 2001 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. Income Distribution Across Countries
2-6
Percent of Country’s Income Received by Population Segmentsa
Percent of Population U.S. Brazil France Poland Israel Kenya Indonesia Thailand Japan
Top 10% 25.0%* 51.3% 25.5% 21.6% 23.5% 45.4% 27.9% 35.3% 22.4%
Next 10%
Next 20%
Next 20%
Next 20%
Lowest 20%
Per capita income (000)b
*Read as the top 10% receive 25% of the country’s income.
a Source: R. Sookdeo, “The New Global Consumer,: Fortune, Autumn-Winter 1993, pp
b In 1992 U.S. dollars. Source: World Fact Book 1992 (Washington D.C., Central Intelligence Agency, 1992).

10. How Households Allocate Their Income
2-7
Country
Category U.S. Mexico Poland Iran Kenya Singapore Thailand India
Food 10%* % % 37% % % % 52%
Clothing
Housing, utilities
Medical care
Education
Transportation
Other*
Per capita income (000)b
*Includes appliances and other consumer durables.
Source: R. Sookdeo, “The New Global Consumer,: Fortune, Autumn-Winter 1993, pp
b In 1992 U.S. dollars. Source: World Fact Book 1992 (Washington D.C., Central Intelligence Agency, 1992).