Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Sociocultural Forces
Learning Objectives
Be prepared Slow down Establish trust Understand the importance of language Respect the culture Understand the components of culture
6-5
What is Culture
The sum total of beliefs, rules, techniques, institutions, and artifacts that characterize human populations
Learned Interrelated Shared Defines the boundaries
6-6
Ethnocentricity
6-7
Sociocultural Components
Culture is:
Aesthetics Attitudes and beliefs Religion Material Culture Language Societal organization Legal characteristics Political structures
6-10
Aesthetics
Cultures sense of beauty and good taste
Art conveys meaning Colors, symbols, numbers--Nike air Architectural style differences feng shui
Deadlines
Liability abroad
6-12
Job Prestige
The distinction between blue-collar workers and office employees
6-13
Religion
Responsible for many of the attitudes and beliefs affecting human behavior
Work Ethic Protestant work ethic
Duty to glorify God by hard work and the practice of thrift
6-14
6-15
Buddhism
Reform of Hinduism
Sikhism
Bridge between Hinduism and Islam
6-16
Confucianism
Inseparable from Chinese culture
Taoism
Lao Tzu, contemporary of Confucius
Shintoism
Indigenous to Japan
6-17
Islam
Five Pillars of Faith
Confession of faith Five daily prayers Charity Ramadan fast Pilgrimage to Mecca
Muhammad is Founder
Prophet of God and head of state
6-18
6-19
Animism
Spirit worship, incl. magic, witchcraft Everything in nature has its own spirit or divinity
6-20
Material Culture
Material Culture
All human-made objects concerned with how people make things (technology) and who makes what and why (economics)
6-21
Technology
Technology
Mix of usable knowledge that society applies and directs toward attainment of cultural and economic objectives
6-22
Importance of Technology
Enables a firm to be competitive in world markets. Can be sold or be embodied in the companys products Can give a firm confidence to enter a foreign market Enables the firm to obtain better than usual conditions for a foreign market investment
Enables a company with only a minority equity position to control a joint venture Can change the international division of labor Causes major firms to form competitive alliances
6-23
Appropriate Technology
The technology (advanced, intermediate, or primitive) that most closely fits the society using it
Technological Dualism
The side-by-side presence of technologically advanced and technologically primitive production systems
Boomerang Effect
Situation in which technology sold to companies in another nation is used to produce goods to compete with those of the seller of the technology.
6-24
Information Technology
Information Technology Era
As early as 2000 the Internet economy
had reached $850 billion
exceeded the size of the life insurance and real estate industries
6-25
Spoken Language
Most apparent cultural distinction Spoken languages demarcate cultures
Switzerland: four separate cultures
Many languages can exist in a single country, but one usually serves as communication vehicle
Lingua franca or link language English primary language of business
6-26
Language
Translation
The ability to speak the language well does not eliminate the need for translator
Back Translation
To avoid translation problems Japanese hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid. Bangkok dry cleaner: Drop your trousers here for best results.
6-27
Language Issues
Technical words do not exist in all languages
Usually use English
6-28
Unspoken Language
Nonverbal communication
Gestures vary tremendously from one region to another Closed doors convey different meanings Office size has difference meanings in various cultures Conversational distance small in East Gift giving has specific etiquette in each culture Gift or bribe? Questionable Payments
6-29
6-30
Societal Organization
Kinship Extended Family includes blood and marriage relatives Members responsibility Although the extended family is large, each members feeling of responsibility to it is strong Associations Social units based on age, gender, or common interest, not on kinship
6-31
Societal Organization
Associations
Age is important market segment criterion
Gender As nations industrialize, more women enter the job market and assume greater importance in the economy Free association people joined together by a common bond: political, occupational, religious or recreational
6-32
6-34
Individualistic cultures
People look after only themselves and the immediate family
6-35
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6-40