CHAPTER TWO
Cross-Cultural Variations
in Consumer Behavior
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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CHAPTER
Cultural Factors
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The Concept of Culture
• Culture: The complex whole that
includes knowledge, belief, art, law,
morals, customs, and any other
capabilities and habits acquired by
humans as members of society
• Key issues:
• Comprehensive
• Acquired
• Boundaries
• Seldom Aware
CHAPTER
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4
CHAPTER
Values, Norms, and Sanctions
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Variations in Cultural Values
Otheroriented
values
Environmentoriented
values
Selforiented
values
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2
Society’s view
of relationships
between people
Society’s view
of relationships
with environment
Objectives/
approaches
to life society
finds desirable
Consumption
Purchase
Communications
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Other-oriented Values
• Individual/Collective: Membership
• Extended/Limited Family: Grandparents
• Adult/Child: US versus other Countries
• Masculine/Feminine: Rank, Prestige
• Competitive/Cooperative: Comparative Ads
• Youth/Age: Elders
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Environment-oriented Values
• Cleanliness: How Much?
• Performance/Status: Branded Goods
• Tradition/Change: Innovation
• Risk taking/Security: Entrepreneur
• Problem-solving/Fatalistic: Acceptance
• Nature: Social Responsibility
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Self-oriented Values
• Active/Passive: DO SOMETHING!
• Material/Nonmaterial: Instrumental/Terminal
• Hard work/Leisure: Vacation?
• Postponed gratification/Immediate
gratification: Credit
• Sensual gratification/Abstinence: Differences
• Humor/Serious: Superficial
CHAPTER
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9
Consumer Insight 2-1
• The coffee bar concept, coupled with highquality, strongly flavored coffee, obviously
transferred successfully from the Italian to the
American culture. However, America has
traditionally embraced coffee. Will Starbucks
work in countries where tea is the dominant
drink?
• What values will affect Starbucks’ success in
China?
• What ethical issues should Starbucks consider as
it enters developing countries?
CHAPTER
2
Language Issues…
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CHAPTER
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11
CHAPTER
Factors Influencing Nonverbal Communication
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Nonverbal Factors
• Time
• Time perspective
• Meanings in the Use of Time
• Space
• Office Space
• Personal Space
• Symbols
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CHAPTER
The Meaning of Numbers, Colors, & Symbols
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Nonverbal Factors (continued)
• Friendship
• The concept of guanxi
• Agreements
• Things
• Etiquette
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Global Demographics
• Purchasing Power Parity
• Different Cultures are…Different!
• Knowing and Addressing is the Trick
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16
Approaching a Foreign Market
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Geographic area
Are needs the same?
Size of market?
Are values consistent?
Distribution, Politics, and Legal structures?
How do we communicate?
Are there any ethical implications?