Chapter 16:
Culture and cross-cultural variations in
consumer behaviour
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Concept of culture
How culture is shared and acquired
Cultural values classified into 3 categories
Culture also involves non-verbal communications
Consumption practices are influenced by cultural
content
• Considerations before undertaking cross-cultural or
ethnic marketing
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-1
Cultural influences—Overview
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•
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Definitions
Cultural values
Cross-cultural variations
Non-verbal communications
Cross-cultural marketing strategy
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-2
Definition of culture
• Complex concept that includes knowledge, beliefs,
art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities
acquired by humans as members of society.
• Culture includes almost everything that influences
an individual’s thought processes and behaviours.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-3
Variables influencing cross-cultural
marketing strategies
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-4
Culture
• Is a comprehensive concept
• Influences our preferences
• Is acquired from our experiences and learning
• Supplies the boundaries for behaviour in modern
societies
• Consumers are seldom aware of cultural influences
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-5
Cultural values, norms, sanctions
and consumption patterns
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-6
Culture and change
• Cultures are not static and evolve and change
slowly over time
• Sometimes changes can be rapid
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Technological advances
Dramatic events e.g. war
• Marketers need to monitor changes
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-7
Interaction between values, norms,
and consumption patterns
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-8
Classification of cultural values
• Three broad classifications are used:
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Other-oriented
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Environment-oriented
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Self-oriented
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-9
Other-oriented values
• Individual vs collective (initiative, conformity)
• Romantic orientation (love)
• Adult vs child (child’s place)
• Masculine vs feminine (male role)
• Competition vs cooperation (excel or not?)
• Youth vs age (wisdom of elders)
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-10
Environment-oriented values
• Cleanliness (extent of)
• Performance vs status (performance or class)
• Tradition vs change (new behaviours?)
• Risk-taking vs security (risk encouraged?)
• Problem-solving vs fatalism (problem-solving or
acceptance encouraged?)
• Nature (admired or overcome?)
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-11
Self-oriented values
• Active vs passive (physical activity)
• Material vs non-material approach (acquisition?)
• Hard work vs leisure (admire hard work?)
• Postponed vs immediate gratification (save/enjoy
now)
• Sensual gratification vs abstinence (food, drink)
• Humour vs seriousness (is life serious?)
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-12
The Australasian culture
• Australasian values
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–
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Self-oriented values
Environment-oriented values
Self-oriented values
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-13
Australasian self-oriented values
• Hard work valued
• Strong bias for action
• May be a lessening of self-gratification
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But very high personal debt
• Material orientation
• Humorous outlook
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-14
Australasian environment-oriented values
Traditionally have admired:
• Cleanliness
• Change
• Performance
• Risk taking
• Conquest of nature
How have these changed?
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-15
Australasian other-orientated values
• Traditionally (Aust-NZ) have been individualistic,
competitive, romantic, masculine, youthful, and
parent-oriented societies
How are these changing?
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-16
Australasian values dictate that hard
work is desirable
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-17
Western society accepts open courtship
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-18
Cultural variations in non-verbal
communications
Translation problems in marketing
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-19
Cross-cultural variations:
Factors influencing non-verbal
communications
• Time
• Space
• Friendship
• Agreements
• Things
• Symbols
• Etiquette
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-20
Time perspective
Monochronic
• One thing at a time
• Concentrate on one
job
• Deadlines matter
• Commitment to task
• Adhesion to plans
• Promptness is valued
• Short-term
relationships
Polychronic
• Many things at once
• Highly distractible
• Deadlines are
secondary
• Commitment to people
• Changing plans is
easy
• Promptness depends
• Long-term preferred
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-21
Time perspective
Monochronic and polychronic cultures
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-22
Non-verbal communications (cont.)
• Space
• Friendship
• Agreements
• Things
• Symbols
• Etiquette
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-23
Meaning of numbers, colours and other
symbols, in different cultures – Part 1
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-24
Meaning of numbers, colours and other
symbols, in different cultures - Part 2
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-25
Etiquette
• Eye contact with business clients
• Touching a customer on the arm or shoulder
• Contact between males
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-26
Developing a cross-cultural
marketing strategy
Seven questions:
• Is it a homogenous culture?
• What needs will the product fill?
• Can enough afford the product?
• What values are relevant to this product?
• What are the distribution, political and legal
structures?
• How can the firm communicate about the product?
• What are the ethical implications?
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-27
Next Lecture
Chapter 17:
Business-to-business buying behaviour
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Consumer Behaviour 5e by Quester, Neal, Pettigrew, Grimmer, Davis & Hawkins
Slides prepared by Dr Wayne Binney
16-28