1. Chapter 16. Culture and Cross-. Cultural Variations in
Chapter 16 Culture and Cross- Cultural Variations in Consumer Behaviour
Concept of culture
How culture is shared and acquired
Cultural values
classified into 3 categories
Culture includes non-verbal communications
Risks and opportunities of cross-cultural or ethnic marketing
In this lecture we will discuss the concept of culture, how culture is acquired, the 3 categories of cultural values, and the importance of non-verbal communications in cross-cultural and ethnic marketing.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

2. Cultural Influences—Overview
Definitions
Cultural values
Cross-cultural variations
Non-verbal communications
Cross-cultural marketing strategy
Specifically, the lecture will discuss the definition of cultural influences, explain cultural values, cross-cultural variations, non-verbal communications in various markets and provide a checklist for developing a cross-cultural marketing strategy.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

3. Definition of Culture
Complex concept that includes knowledge, beliefs, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities acquired by humans as members of society.
Culture includes almost everything that influences an individual’s thought processes and behaviours.
Culture is defined as a complex concept that includes knowledge, beliefs, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities acquired by humans as members of society. Culture includes almost everything that influences an individual’s thought processes and behaviours. (See page 524.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

4. Variables Influencing Cross-Cultural Marketing Strategies
Consumer behaviour is influenced by non-verbal and verbal (language) communication, demographics (ethnic influences) and values.
Cross-cultural issues are particularly important for countries such as Australia and New Zealand, whose populations consist of a number of cultures, and whose economic well-being depends on exports. (See page 523.)

5. Culture Is a comprehensive concept Influences our preferences
Is acquired from our experiences and learning
Supplies the boundaries for behaviour in modern societies
Consumers are seldom aware of cultural influences
Culture operates primarily by setting boundaries for individual behaviour, and by influencing the functioning of such institutions as the family and mass media.
The boundaries or norms are derived from cultural values. Values are widely-held beliefs that affirm what is desirable.
Culture changes when values change, the environment changes, or dramatic events occur. (See page 524.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

6. Cultural Values, Norms, Sanctions and Consumption Patterns
Cultural values are widely held beliefs that dictate what is desirable and set the boundaries about what is expected (norms) and what should be avoided (sanctions). The violation of cultural norms results in sanctions or penalties. Thus, acceptable consumption patterns are set. These vary within groups and must be learnt by individuals: often they conform by acting ‘naturally’. (See page 527.)

7. Classification of Cultural Values
Three broad classifications are used:
Other-oriented
Environment-oriented
Self-oriented
Cultural values are classified into three categories: other, environment, and self-oriented. (See pages 526–527.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

8. Other-Oriented Values
Individual vs collective (initiative, conformity)
Romantic orientation (love)
Adult vs child (child’s place)
Masculine vs feminine (male role)
Competition vs cooperation (excel or not?)
Youth vs age (wisdom of elders)
Other-oriented values reflect a society’s view of the appropriate relationships between individuals and groups within that society. Relevant values of this nature include the individual/collective, romantic, adult/child, masculine/feminine, competition/cooperation and youth/age orientations. (See pages 527–528.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

9. Other-Oriented Values (cont.)
See page 527.

10. Environment-Oriented Values
Cleanliness (extent of)
Performance vs status (performance or class)
Tradition vs change (new behaviours?)
Risk-taking vs security (risk encouraged?)
Problem-solving vs fatalism (problem-solving or acceptance encouraged?)
Nature (admired or overcome?)
Environment-oriented values prescribe a society’s relationships with its economic, technical and physical environments. Examples of these values are cleanliness, performance/status, tradition/change, risk taking/security, problem solving/fatalism and nature.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

11. Environment-Oriented Values (cont.)
See page 527.

12. Self-Oriented Values Active vs passive (physical activity)
Material vs non-material approach (acquisition?)
Hard work vs leisure (admire hard work?)
Postponed vs immediate gratification (save/enjoy now)
Sensual gratification vs abstinence (food, drink)
Humour vs seriousness (is life serious?)
Self-oriented values reflect the objectives and approaches to life that individual members of society find desirable. These include active/passive, material/non-material approaches, hard work/leisure, postponed gratification/immediate gratification, sensual gratification/abstinence, and the humorous/serious approach. (See pages 526–527.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

13. Self-Oriented Values (cont.)
See page 527.

14. The Australasian Culture
Australasian values
Self-oriented values
Environment-oriented values
See pages 528–529 for discussion.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

15. Cross-Cultural Variations: Factors Influencing Non-Verbal Communications
Time
Space
Friendship
Agreements
Things
Symbols
Etiquette
Differences in verbal communication systems are immediately obvious across cultures, and must be taken into account by marketers wishing to do business in those cultures.
Probably more important, however, and certainly more difficult to recognise, are non-verbal communication differences. Examples of the major non-verbal communication variables that affect marketers are time, space, friendship, agreement, things, symbols and etiquette. (See pages 531–536.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

16. Time Perspective Monochronic One thing at a time
Concentrate on one job
Deadlines matter
Commitment to task
Adhesion to plans
Promptness is valued
Short-term relationships
Polychronic
Many things at once
Highly distractible
Deadlines are secondary
Commitment to people
Changing plans is easy
Promptness depends
Long-term preferred
Australasians, like most Westerners, view time as inescapable, linear and fixed in nature. They see it as having separate sections (hours, days, weeks, etc.) and as almost a physical object: it can be saved, lost or wasted. This is known as a monochronic view of time. Other cultures have a different view of time: Chinese, Koreans, Indians and Latin Americans view simultaneous involvement in activities as natural. They tend to set their own pace rather than attempting to adhere to some predetermined timetable.
These differences highlight the differences between the two perspectives. (See Exhibit 16.10, page 539.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

17. Non-Verbal Communications (cont.)
Space
Friendship
Agreements
Things
Symbols
Etiquette
Space concepts vary between cultures: for example, in Australia the higher levels of management have larger offices, although they do not require the space. The bargain basement tends to be on the lower levels, whereas in Japanese stores it is on the upper floors.
Friendship: Australians make friends quickly, whereas other cultures progress towards friendship more slowly. Selling to friends is not attractive to Europeans.
Agreements: Australians rely on a legal system and a person’s ‘word’ for agreements. In some cultures a ‘yes’ means ‘maybe’ and not necessarily ‘yes’.
Things or items can have different meanings in different cultures. To give a knife in France is offensive as it implies that the friendship will be ‘cut’.
Symbols: various colours and symbols have different meanings in different cultures. Company logos and trademarks can be an instant failure if not researched.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

18. Etiquette Eye contact with business clients
Touching a customer on the arm or shoulder
Contact between males
Eye contact: looking a person ‘straight in the eyes’, an admirable trait in Australia, is considered hostile or insane in Japan.
Touching, even on the arm or shoulder: touching a customer on the arm or shoulder, common in Australia, is extremely rude in much of Asia.
Male contact: hugging, hand-holding and even kissing between males can be highly offensive in Australia, but quite acceptable in some Arabic and Latin countries.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

19. Translation Problems in Marketing
See page 538.

20. Developing a Cross-Cultural Marketing Strategy (7 Questions)
Is it a homogenous culture?
What needs will the product fill?
Can enough afford the product?
What values are relevant to this product?
What are the distribution, political and legal structures?
How can the firm communicate about the product?
What are the ethical implications?
Seven questions are relevant for developing a cross-cultural marketing strategy:
Firstly, is the geographic area homogeneous with respect to culture?
Second, what needs can this product fill in this culture?
Third, can people afford the product?
Fourth, what values or patterns of values are relevant to the purchase and use of the product?
Fifth, what are the distribution, political and legal structures relating to the product?
Sixth, how can the firm communicate about the product?
Seventh, what are the ethical implications of marketing the product in that culture?
(See page 544ff.)
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

21. Legal Restrictions on Advertising
France: Ads for book publishers, foreign tourism, supermarket chains, margarine and contraceptives are banned. Children cannot be used in ads.
Germany: Ads may not inspire fear, encourage superstition, or promote discrimination. Athletes may not be shown drinking. Direct appeals to children are not allowed. Comparative advertising is severely restricted.
Britain: Ads for undertakers, the Bible, matrimonial agencies, fortune-tellers, private detectives, contraceptives and pregnancy tests are banned.
If used read from slide.
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins

22. Next Lecture… Chapter 17: Business-to-Business Buying Behaviour
Copyright  2004 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 4e by Neal, Quester, Hawkins