culture cultural diversity

7/27/2019 Culture Cultural Diversity

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Social & Cultural Environment- An Overview

What is Culture Attitude Belief Values Religion

Aesthetics Dietary Preferences Language &

Communication Factors Affecting Cross-

cultural Business

Hofstedes CulturalTypology

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Task of Global Marketers

Study and understand the countrycultures in which they will be doing

business Incorporate this understanding into the

marketing planning process



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What is Culture? Ways of living Built up by a group of

human beings

Transmitted from onegeneration to another Social Institutions Family Educational, Religious Governmental, business

The collective programming of themind that distinguishesthe members of onecategory of people fromthose of another .

--- Geert Hofstede



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Material and Nonmaterial- Two Dimensions

Physical components of culture

Objects Artifacts

Clothing Tools Pictures Homes

Subjective or abstractculture

Religion Perceptions Attitudes Beliefs

Values



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Attitudes, Beliefs & Values

Attitude

A learned tendency torespond in a consistentway to a givenobject/entity

Belief: An Organized pattern of

knowledge that anindividual holds to be

true

Values

An enduring belief orfeeling that a specificmode of conduct ispersonally/sociallypreferable to anothermode of conduct

Represent the deepestlevel of culture

Present in a majority of members of a particularculture



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ReligionReligion is one important

source of societysbeliefs, attitudes, and values. The worlds

major religions include:

Buddhism, Hinduism,Islam, Judaism, and

Christianity.


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Language and Communication

Linguistic Category Language Example

Syntax English has relatively fixed word order;Russian has relatively free word order

Semantics Japanese words convey nuances of feelingfor which other languages lack exact

correlations; yes and no can beinterpreted differently than in otherlanguages.

Phonology Japanese does not distinguish between thesounds l and r; English and Russian both

have l and r sounds.

Morphology Russian is a highly inflected language, withsix different case endings for nouns andadjectives; English has fewer inflections.


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Factors Affecting Cross-CulturalBusiness

Time Time equals money vs.

relationships

Time & Decision Making Thought Patterns

Circular vs. LinearCultures

Personal Space

Material Possessions Family & Friendship Roles Competitiveness &

Individuality Social Behavior

Eating Foods Gift Giving Greetings

High Vs. Low ContextCultures

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High- and Low-Context Cultures High Context

Information residesin context

Emphasis onbackground, basicvalues

Less emphasis onlegal paperwork

Focus on personalreputation

Low Context Messages are explicit and

specific

Words carry all information Reliance on legal

paperwork Focus on non-personal

documentation of credibility

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High & Low Context Culture Countries: SomeExamples

China Korea Japan Vietnam Arabia Greece India Hispanic

Central & SouthAmerican countries

Italy England USA Switzerland Germany Scandinavian Countries

Denmark Norway Sweden

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High- and Low-Context CulturesFactor/Dimension High Context Low Context

Lawyers Less Important Very Important A persons word Is his/her bond Not reliable get it in

writing

Responsibility for

Organizational error

Taken by highestlevel

Pushed to the lowest level

Space People breathe oneach other

Private space maintained

Time Polychronic Monochronic

CompetitiveBidding

Infrequent Common

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Business Practices- High & Low Context Cultures:Examples

India Business conducted at leisurely pace

When invited to dinner, one should accept and pass the food with the right hand onlyExpect to be asked many personal questions- which Indians see as a sign of politenessIndian avoid discussing political issues with business contacts

USA Americans dislike the practice of developing personal relationships with business associatesas time is money for them.

Business comes first and friendship or pleasure comes later, if at all

Greece Greeks are famous for never discussing business without a cup of coffeeBuilding personal rapport is importantBuilding trust is the major factor in business for them

UK The British are very civil and reservedDo not admire overt ambition or aggressiveness and are often offended by hard sell tacticsGood negotiators but do not have high regard for bargaining


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Hofstedes Cultural Typology Study on cultures Comparison of cultures

of different nations

Five dimensions First three: expected

social behavior Fourth: mans search for

truth Fifth: reflects the

importance of time

1) Power distance2) Individualism

3) Masculinity

4) Uncertainty Avoidance

5) Long Term Orientation

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Power Distance Index (PDI)

The extent to which the less powerful membersof organizations and institutions (like the family)accept and expect that power is distributedunequally.

It suggests that a society's level of inequality isendorsed by the followers as much as by the

leaders. all societies are unequal, but some are moreunequal than others'.

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Individualism (IDV)

on the one side versusits opposite,

Individualist Cultures Each member of society

is primarily concernedwith his/her owninterest and those of

Immediate family3 United Sates & Europe

Collectivist Cultures All of societys members

integrated into cohesivein groups

Japan & Other AsianCountries

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Masculinity (MAS)

Describes a societyin which men areexpected to be

assertive.Competitive andconcerned withmaterial success

Femininity Women fulfill the role of a

nurturer, concerned with issuessuch as the welfare of children

Japan Austria Describes a society in which

social roles of men & womenoverlap with neither genderexhibiting overly ambitious orcompetitive behavior

Spain Taiwan, Holland

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Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) deals with a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it

ultimately refers to man's search for Truth . indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel

either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations.

Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising,different from usual.

Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by

strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth;

'there can only be one Truth and we have it'.

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Long-Term Orientation (LTO) versus short-termorientation:

Societys search for virtue Assesses sense of immediacy within a culture, where

gratification should be immediate /deferred

Include:1. Persistence (Perseverance )2. Ordering relationships- presence of societal

hierarchies

3. Thrift : High saving rates4. Sense of shame : leads to sensitivity in social contacts

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Hofstede Dimensions- World Average

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Hofstede Diemensions- India

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Hofstede Diemensions-USA

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Religion in India

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culture cultural diversity

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