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How does culture influence consumer behaviour
Elements of consumer behaviour
Limitation of hofstede's cultural dimensions
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Introduction-
Culture refers to the dynamic process that occurs within a given society group and which creates the cognitive map of beliefs, values, meaning and attitudes that drive perception, thoughts, reasoning, actions, responses and interactions. Thus culture impacts on what is seen as most important within a country as well as between different countries.
Few research articles are reviewed on cross-cultural consumer behaviour. The authors have been successful in formulating the issues related to culture as in what influence different cultural behaviour, how change in culture takes place etc. The objective of one of the articles was to examine a new paradigm in consumer behaviour and the author considered it to be the ethno-consumerism
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Tools Used-
Cultural models have been developed that explain differences and help develop strategies that target consumers across cultures more effectively. This article demonstrated how the Hofstede model is used for the purpose to explain cross cultural consumer behaviour.
The data is not collected based on what people of different culture collectively do but it is done from many individuals. It is considered that individuals are products of their culture and their social groupings and thus they are conditioned by their socio-cultural environment to act in certain manners.
Few articles focused on theoretical examination of structured hypothesis relating the variables of culture with that of consumer behaviour. Also quantitive approach based on a survey is adopted with data being collected in many countries.
This supported a proposed conceptual framework for understanding consumer behaviour. The articles give understanding and knowledge of consumer behaviour in different countries due to difference in their culture.
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The articles also confirm the relevance of culture on consumer behaviour and marketing. The concern whether or not culture plays a shaping role in consumer behaviour in different countries is also answered.
The researches done to address the psychological mechanisms underlying cultural differences in consumer judgements does not give satisfactory answers. Also it is not clear from the articles reviewed that the cultural difference is only origin based or only based on the place people live in or both have influence on cross-cultural consumer behaviour and if there is an impact then what are the variables based on which the difference is seen.
Future area of
Characteristics of our society reflect in the outcome of purchasing tendencies. How many of us can honestly say we make a valid effort to purchase goods made in our own country? In our face paced world where both parents are in the work force, raising children, social activities and everything else, who has time to make an effort? Most often, consumers only care about marking off the s...
However, entering into a market as different as Japan is not without its risks, and must be ensured to be successful, with the help of market research, marketing, and operational theories, lest the new venture become a very costly mistake. Target Consumer Market When moving to a market with a consumer culture so different from the home market, a company must be careful to analyse its target audience in detail, to avoid costly cultural faux pas. To get a good feel for the Japanese culture, a good place to start would be the experts in the cultural studies field. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, created during his in-depth GLOBE study of the cultures of the world, gives a good comparison between the priority differences between Japanese and English culture. A detailed analysis of the cultural differences will be given in the ‘Marketing Issues’ section of the report.
Hofstede (1983) suggests that individuals from similar cultures have a “collective mental programming” which is part of their conditioning that they share with other citizens of the country they reside in but not with other citizens who do not live in the same country. Hofstede defines this “collective mental programming” as culture (Armstrong, 1996). Several researchers have documented the cultural influence on consumer behaviour (e.g Erickson et al, 1984). Other researchers have focused on ethnic differences (e.g. Wallenford and Reilly, 1983). Tse et al (1988) also investigated whether a manager’s home culture has “predicable” significant effects on decision making of executives from the People’s Republic of China and Canada.
The authors identify that there are three main factors that effect how people act, think, and make decisions. The first is religion, in some countries faith plays an important role in all areas of life in the culture of the country and can influence many of their customs and behavior. The second factor is that of fact. In many countries their greatest desire is to find the best deal and the best product or services. The final factor is feeling, if a culture is based on feelings the people will conduct business accordingly. For example it would be essential to make a personal connection with this type of individual.
... and Engel, J. (2007). Consumer Behaviour An Asia Pacific Approach. Australia: Nelson Australia Pty Limited. 172.
Mooij, M.de. (2004). Consumer Behavior and Culture, Sage Publications, Page 102, Page 119, Page 274, Page 275
When marketing across borders, the cultural environment will inevitably change. Usunier (2009) and numerous others have written about the limitations of Anglo-Saxon approaches in less developed territories. Trompenaars and Woolliams (2004 p7) believe culture is not just a factor - it is the “dominant factor” and “one that pervades all relationships and behaviours…” Their marketing paradigm is based on the three Rs; Recognise, Respect and Reconciliation.
As culture may impact people's behaviours generation by generation, in other words, the consumer's need of business in some level depends on cultural influence. Cultural influence lies in a variety of forms, from laws, regulations, religions to personal interests.
In an article called Cultural Factor Highly Influences On Consumers & Their Buying Behavior – In Indian Context, the basic characteristics of culture are described:
Shiffman, L.G. & Kanuk, L.L. 2010. Consumer behaviour. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River. NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
To conclude culture is a very broad term, which can be defined in many ways. India and the USA share some of hofstede’s dimensions in common with each other, Such as masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. But also differ greatly when it comes to power distance and individualism dimensions. Coca-Cola does customize its operations to a certain degree, mainly concerning packaging and marketing in different countries. However this customization is next to nothing when looking at how extensively different fast food menus are in different countries. Coca-Cola has faced issues while operating in India, which they have taken measures to correct and improve.
What is culture? Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving
Consumer behavior incorporates certain activities, decisions or experiences, which satisfy the needs of the consumers. It concerns all the activities that incorporate consuming, obtaining and product disposing of that precedes and carry out these actions (Darling, 2015). The Consumer behavior remains one of the important areas for research in the tourism and marketing fields in terms of travel behavior or the behavior of tourist (Rid, Ezeuduji & Pröbstl-Haider 2014). There are a few comprehensive literature reviews on the behavior of consumer typically described his injurious area with the help of the existing models or concepts of Consumer Behavior. There are exceptions in the insights of the authors who give the review about
Socio- cultural factors consists of language, ethics, religion, values and customer perceptions. It deeply affects t...
Solomon, Michael R; Bamossy, Gary; Askegaard, Søren; Hogg, Margaret K (2010): “Consumer Behaviour A European perspective” 4th edition.