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Cultural Aspects of International Business – Chapter 4

Language and Culture

  • Because language shapes the way people perceive the world, it also helps define culture. Countries with more than one language often have more than one culture.
  • Which countries can you name that have more than one language? Which countries have a high number of languages?
  • What about dialects?
  • What is the impact on international business and marketing?

Language Issues

Non-Verbal Communication

  • Unspoken language refers to nonverbal communication. We all communicate with each other by a host of non-verbal cues.
  • What non-verbal communications can have double meanings? Give examples
  • Modern marketing is moving from written form, increasingly to visual and audio.

Non-Verbal Communications

Language and communication

  • High Context vs. Low Context Culture and Communication:
  • What is meant by “high context” and conversely “low context”
  • Which cultures/languages fall into each group?
  • Reliance on written contracts? Verbal contracts?
  • Direct vs. Indirect Communication

Context

Language and Communication

  • Affective
  • Process oriented
  • Relationship focused
  • Focused on receiver
  • Collective & high context
  • Instrumental
  • Goal oriented
  • Sender focused
  • Individualistic
  • Low context

Corporate Culture

RELIGION and marketing

  • Christianity
  • Islam
  • Judaism
  • Hinduism
  • Confucianism
  • Buddhism
  • Taoism
  • Other

Overt Marketing Issues

Foods

Holidays & Celebrations

Restrictions

Lifestyle

Attitudes

Monochronic vs. polychronic

  • Monochronic – one activity at a time, adherence to pre-set schedule, minimal interruptions expected – (but what about blackberry’s)
  • Polychronic – deal with multiple events/issues simultaneously, pre-set schedules can be easily subordinated by other events

High Trust Vs. Low Trust – (think Branding)

Rise of the Corporation

Rule of Law

Institutions & systems

Nuclear and extended family

Currency (figurative)

Hofstede Measures of Culture

  • 116,000 surveys conducted in 72 IBM subsidiaries, twenty languages and thirty-eight occupations:
  • Power distance
  • Individualism-collectivism
  • Masculinity-feminity
  • Uncertainty avoidance

POWER DISTANCE

  • The extent to which less powerful members within a society accept that power is unevenly distributed
  • High power distance societies
  • Children expected to be obedient to parents
  • Subordinates are less likely to contradict bosses

INDIVIDUALISM vs. collectivism

  • The world is viewed as in-groups and out-groups
  • Individuals are identified by group allegiance and role
  • Groups are established, strong, and cohesive – You don’t just choose which group to join!
  • Non-group members may eventually become “trusted” outsiders
  • Individualistic cultures are more open to outsiders and foreign ideas

Masculinity vs. femininity

  • Masculinity is associated with assertiveness
  • Masculine societies value ambition, competitiveness, and high earnings
  • Femininity is associated with modesty and nurturing
  • Feminine societies are concerned with public welfare and caring for the underdog

Uncertainty avoidance

  • The state of being uneasy or worried about what may happen in the future
  • Anxious in general
  • Uncertainty avoidant societies
  • Don’t like ambiguity
  • Consider the different to be threatening
  • Tend to be better implementers than innovators