Any casual observer of the growing globalization of the world and its markets must certainly be aware of the effect that culture has had and will continue to have on marketing activities. Culture, understood in the broadest possible sense, refers to the distinctive norms, mores, values, traditions, and beliefs of a group; culture permeates daily life and shapes the types of consumer purchase decisions that an individual makes, and despite globalization, the effects of culture on such choices remain significant. Even within a single social system or country, there are generally many different sub-cultural groups that consider purchase decisions through a unique lens.
For marketing professionals, culture must be approached with sensitivity and knowledge. While it is certainly true that certain well-known, even "international" brands (e.g., Coca-Cola, Nike, and Mercedes Benz) will resonate across markets, other brands or products must be customized to meet local tastes and interests. Marketing professionals cannot simply assume that a brand accepted û even loved û in one culture will automatically be accepted and embraced in another.
What this means is that market researchers and marketing directors must examine each new market into which they intend to enter and then modify either their product or its presentation, packaging, position and pricing to accommodate the demands and interests of the marketplace. Understanding the critical differences between, for example, collectivist versus individualistic culture, cultures which accept or reject uncertainty, and cultures high in either "masculinity" or "femininity" is vital to knowing how consumers will respond to advertising messages as well as products.
Long before a firm decides that it will begin marketing activities in a new location, it should investigate such cultural influences as power relations, status attributions, and business etiquette. Doing business abroa...