Week 11 - Culture

Question 1

What is Cultural Variation Theory?

Answer 1

States that culture differs on three dimensions:

1. Complexity (e.g. high tech, GNP per capita)
2. Tightness (e.g. in tight cultures, norms are imposed tightly)
3. Collectivism (vs. emphasising the significance of groups)

Question 2

What are Hofstede’s 5 dimensions of culture?

Answer 2

1. Power distance
2. Individualism
3. Masculinity
4. Uncertainty avoidance
5. Long-term orientation

Question 3

What is power distance? (Hofstede’s dimensions of culture

Answer 3

The extent to which less powerful members of organisations (e.g. family) accepts and expect that power is distributed unequally.

Low power distance (e.g. Denmark)- subordinates expect to be consulted

High power distance (e.g. Iraq) - subordinates expect to be told what to do

Question 4

What is individualism? (Hofstede’s dimensions of culture)

Answer 4

High individualism (e.g., Australia)

• “I” consciousness
• Task prevails over relationship
• Others classified as individuals

Low individualism (Collectivism) (e.g. China)

• “We” consciousness
• Relationship prevails over task
• Others classified as in-group or out-group

Question 5

How do masculinity and femininity differ in different countries? (Hofstede’s dimensions of culture)

Answer 5

In countries, like Japan, maximum emotional and social role differentiation between genders. e.g. girls cry, boys don’t. For men, work prevails over family.

In countries like Sweden, minimum emotional and social role differentiation between the genders. e.g. both boys and girls cry but neither should fight. For women, there is a balance between work and family.

Question 6

What is uncertainty avoidance? (Hofstede’s dimensions of culture)

Answer 6

A society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity.

Low uncertainty avoidance (e.g. Singapore) - comfortable with ambiguity

High uncertainty avoidance (e.g. Germany) - need for clarity and structure - strict laws and rules, safety and security measures. There can only be one truth and we have it

Question 7

What is short-term vs. long-term orientation? (Hofstede’s dimensions of culture)

Answer 7

The connect of the past with the current and future actions/challenges.

Short-term orientation
- most important events in life occurred in the past/present

Long-term orientation
- most important events in life will occur in the future

Question 8

What are some criticisms of Hofstede’s dimensions of culture? (4)

Answer 8

• Theory assumes that all dimensions of national culture have been discovered
• Because the data was obtained ages ago, it might not mirror today’s country characteristics
• Survey questions were designed to measures and compare cultural differences at a macro-level, not micro level. So the instrument can’t be used with individual consumers.
• Researchers have questioned the validity and reliability of the results

Question 9

What are culture clusters and in what project do they appear?

Answer 9

A grouping of countries that share similar cultural characteristics.

Appear in the GLOBE project

Question 10

What are ethnic subcultures?

Answer 10

A self-perpetuating group of consumers who are held together by common cultural or genetic ties.

Question 11

What is acculturation?

Answer 11

Adapting to one country’s cultural environment by a person from another country.

Question 12

During the acculturation process, immigrants experience either:

Answer 12

• Assimilation (eg. adopt products/values that are identified with the mainstream culture)
• Resistance (e.g. resentment of adoption)

Question 13

The marketing perspective of lifestyle recognises that people sort themselves into groups on the basis of what 3 things?

Answer 13

(1) They things the like to do
(2) How they like to spend their leisure time
(3) How they spend their disposable income

Question 14

To create product-lifestyle linkages, consider: (3)

Answer 14

(1) Co-branding (e.g. strategic partnership with different brands)
(2) Product complementarity: occurs when the symbolic meanings of different products are related to each other
(3) Consumption constellations: clusters of complementary products, specific brands and/or consumption activities used by consumers

Question 15

Psychographic segmentation typologies were developed by companies and ad agencies to identify groups of consumers with common lifestyles. What are 3 key approaches to classifying consumers in terms of lifestyle?

Answer 15

• VALS
• Roy Morgan Values Segments
• Global MOSIAC

Question 16

The Values and Lifestyles System (VALS) involves what 3 self-orientations? (HINT: PSA - psychographic segmentation typologies)

Answer 16

Principle orientation: guided by a belief system.

Status orientation: guided by opinions of peers.

Action orientation: desire to impact the world around them.

Question 17

What are the 8 VALS groups? (HINT: Ingrid Thinks Assholes Eat Bacon Sandwiches More on Sundays - psychographic segmentation typologies)

Answer 17

Innovators	
Thinkers	
Achievers
Experiencers		
Believers
Strivers		
Makers
Survivors

Question 18

What are the 4 human social dimensions of the Roy Morgan Values Segments? (Psychographic segmentation typologies)

Answer 18

Individualism
Life satisfaction
Conservatism
Innovation

Question 19

What are the two marketplace reality dimensions of the Roy Morgan Values Segments? (Psychographic segmentation typologies)

Answer 19

Quality and price expectations

Question 20

What is the Global MOSIAC?(Psychographic segmentation typologies)

Answer 20

Classification identifies 10 distinct neighbourhood types, each with a set of distinctive demographic and lifestyle characteristics that can be found in every country covered by the classification.

Question 21

A cultural system has 3 functional areas:

Answer 21

1. Ecology
2. Social structure
3. Ideology

Question 22

From values flow norms: rules dictating what is right or
wrong, acceptable or not. Marketers may violate norms to break through clutter.
What are the 2 types of norms?

Answer 22

Enacted norms – norms explicitly decided on. E.g., green lights mean ‘go’.

Crescive norms – norms embedded in a culture e.g.:

• Custom – a norm handed down from the past that controls basic behaviours (e.g., what time to eat dinner).
• More (‘mor-ay’) – a custom with a strong moral overtone (e.g., what kind of food to eat).
• Conventions – norms regarding the conduct of everyday life (e.g., how to eat, including utensils to use and appropriate etiquette).

Question 23

A myth is a story containing symbolic elements that represent the shared emotions and ideals of a culture. What are the functions and structures of a myth.

Answer 23

1. Metaphysical
2. Cosmological
3. Sociological
4. Psychological

Question 24

What is profane consumption? (as opposed to sacred consumption)

Answer 24

Involves consumer objects and events that are ordinary, everyday objects and events that do not share the ‘specialness’ of sacred ones.

Question 25

What is desacralisation?

Answer 25

Some things formerly regarded as sacred have become profane

Question 26

What is sacralisation?

Answer 26

Some things formerly regarded as profane become sacred

Question 27

Individuals and organisations responsible for creating and marketing a cultural product is a what?

Answer 27

Culture Production System (CPS)

Question 28

What is reality engineering?

Answer 28

Occurs as marketers appropriate elements of popular culture and convert them for use as promo vehicles

Question 29

What is cultivation hypothesis?

Answer 29

The media’s ability to distort consumers’ perceptions of reality

Question 30

What is diffusion of innovations?

Answer 30

When a new product, service or idea spreads through a population (e.g. early adopters, late adopters, etc)

Question 31

What is an etic persepctive? (Standardised strategy - transferring product meanings to other cultures)

Answer 31

Focuses on commonalities across cultures

Question 32

What is an emic persepctive? (Localised strategy - transferring product meanings to other cultures)

Answer 32

Stresses variations across cultures

Question 33

What is the Globalised Consumption Ethic?

Answer 33

People worldwide begin to share the ideal of a material lifestyle and value brands that symbolise prosperity.
Foreign influences may be absorbed and integrated with local meaning.

Question 34

What are transitional economies?

Answer 34

Refers to a country that is struggling with the difficult adaptation from a controlled, centralised economy to a free-market system.