• Culture is a learned, shared, compelling, interrelated set of symbols whose meanings
•      provide a set of orientations for members of a society.
• What do these things have in common?
• Food, clothing, shelter, marriage, protection from enemies, death,
•       child raising, socialization, birth, division of labor, sharing, working, power, control, etc.

• It provides meaning and order
• It endures yet changes
• People learn through socialization
• Consumer socialization
• Culture is learned,interrelated, shared
• Self Reference Criterion - what do things mean in terms of what I am used to?

What kinds of things are learned as part of culture?

• Certain interpersonal behaviors - e.g soles of feet, which hand to use in greeting
• Lucky and “taboo” numbers, colors, items, etc.
• Other issues of “common knowledge” - e.g. what to eat or drink when you have a cold

3    Defining Culture
   It provides meaning and order
   It endures yet changes: learned,interrelated, shared
   Self Reference Criterion - what do things mean in terms of what I am used to?
   Cultural Universals

Global Cultural Environment
   How is clothing related to culture?
   How are consumer products like detergent related to culture?
   How are foods related to culture?
   How is cleanliness related to culture?
   How are toys related to culture?

4    Hofstede's Four Cultural Dimensions
   Individualism/Collectivism:  I vs. we
   Power-Distance Index:  hierarchical vs. equality
   Uncertainty Avoidance:  Distrust of new and clinging to old; want documentation
   Masculinity/Femininity:  gender roles vs. equality for men and women, achievement orientation
              (masculine) vs. caring and social action (feminine)

5    Elements of Culture
   Material Life - what do average people have?
   Language
               - spoken, silent
               - Vocabulary, Idioms, Grammar, Cultural references, Understanding the Foreigner
   Social Interactions - Friendship
   Language of Space
   Language of Time: ptime and mtime
   Aesthetics - what is beautiful - e.g. music

6    Additional Elements of Culture
   Religion
               - Marketing in an Islamic Framework
               - People in the US are not used to the impact of religion on legislated behaviors
   Saudi Arabia is a good example
   Education - can be surprising -
               - look up Costa Rica and South Africa for literacy
               - But - what is literacy?
                Consumer literacy, numeracy

7    Cross - Cultural Comparisons
   High- versus Low-Context Cultures
How much meaning is carried in interpersonal interactions and what takes place in the context?
How much meaning is carried in objective terms, often put into print??
   Cultural Homogeneity
               - homophilous vs heterophilous (major differences within)
   Hofstede's Classification Scheme
               - power distance, uncertainty avoidance,
               - individualism, masculinity, longtermism
               - Uncertainty Avoidance vs Power Distance
               - Masculinity vs. Individualism
 

8    Behavior Patterns
               - Cultural Exclusives: persons who are not members of the culture should not do
               - Cultural Imperatives:  all persons are expected to do, even when visiting
               - Cultural Adiaphora;  It is up to you
               - http://www.jetro.go.jp
Go to the Publications section, then "Doing Business in Japan", and then "Making Initial Business Contact '
 http://www.jetro.go.jp/it/e/pub/index.html
 
 

Factual vs. interpretive knowledge
The soles of your shoes are showing vs. the soles of your shoes are insulting!!!
The shirt is green,  vs. Green is a good color.
The food is made from roasted dog, vs., Dog is an acceptable food for me to eat.
Cultural empathy - attempting to understand a culture without judging it
 

9    Cross Cultural Negotiations
   Stages of Negotiation Process
               - non-task soundings
               - task-related information exchange
               - persuasion
               - concessions and agreements

10  Cross Cultural Negotiations
   Employ an Agent or Advisor
   Involve a Mediator
   Induce the Counterpart to Follow One's Own Negotiation Script
   Adapt to Counterpart Negotiation Script
   Coordinate Adjustment of Both Parties
   Embrace the Counterpart's Script
   Improvise an Approach
   Effect Symphony
 

 

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