Chapter Two

The Influence of Culture

 The sum total of learned
beliefs, values, and
Culture customs that serve to
regulate the consumer
behavior of members of
a particular society.
A Theoretical Model of Cultures’
Influence on Behavior
Culture Is Learned
Issues

• Enculturation and • Enculturation

acculturation – The learning of one’s
own culture
• Language and
• Acculturation
symbols – The learning of a
• Ritual new or foreign
• Sharing of culture culture
The Movement of Cultural Meaning
Culture Is Learned
Issues

• Enculturation and • Without a common language

acculturation shared meaning could not exist
• Language and • Marketers must choose
symbols appropriate symbols in
• Ritual advertising

• Sharing of culture • Marketers can use “known”

symbols for associations
Culture Is Learned
Issues

• Enculturation and • A ritual is a type of symbolic

activity consisting of a series of
acculturation steps
• Language and • Rituals extend over the human
symbols life cycle
• Ritual • Marketers realize that rituals
• Sharing of culture often involve products (artifacts)
 Discussion Question
• What are some rituals (religious,
educational, social) that you have
experienced?
• What artifacts or products were part of that
ritual?
• How did marketers influence the choice of
these artifacts?
Culture Is Learned
Issues  To be a cultural
• Enculturation and characteristic, a belief,
acculturation value, or practice must be
shared by a significant
• Language and portion of the society
symbols
 Culture is transferred
• Ritual through family, schools,
• Sharing of Culture houses of worship, and
other common practices
The Measurement of Culture
• Content Analysis
• Consumer Fieldwork
• Value Measurement Instruments
 A method for
systematically analyzing
the content of verbal
Content and/or pictorial
Analysis communication. The method is frequently
used to determine
prevailing social values
of a society.
 A cultural measurement
technique that takes
Field place within a natural
Observation environment that
focuses on observing
behavior (sometimes
without the subjects’
awareness).
Characteristics of Field Observation

• Takes place within a natural environment

• Performed sometimes without the
subject’s awareness
• Focuses on observation of behavior
 Researchers who
participate in the
Participant- environment that they
Observers are studying without
notifying those who
are being observed.
 Discussion Question
• Have you observed changes in any of the
core values over the past 4 years?
• Why did those changes occur?
• How have they affected marketers?
Forms of Cultural Learning
Formal Learning

Informal Learning

Technical Learning
 Value Measurement Survey Instruments
• Rokeach Value Survey (RVS): A self-
administered inventory consisting of eighteen “terminal”
values (i.e., personal goals) and eighteen “instrumental”
values (i.e., ways of reaching personal goals).
• List of Values (LOV): A value measurement
instrument that asks consumers to identify their two most
important values from a nine-value list that is based on
the terminal values of the Rokeach Value Survey
• Values and Lifestyles (VALS): A value
measurement based on two categories: self-definition
and resources
 The Rokeach Value Survey
TERMINAL VALUES INSTRMENTAL VALUES
A COMFORTABLE LIFE AMBITIOUS
AN EXCITING LIFE BROAD-MINDED
A WORLD AT PEACE CAPABLE
EQUALITY CHEERFUL
FREEDOM CLEAN
HAPPINESS COURAGEOUS
NATIONAL SECURITY FORGIVING
PLEASURE HELPFUL
SALVATION HONEST
SOCIAL RECOGNITION IMAGINATIVE
TRUE FRIENDSHIP INDEPENDENT
WISDOM INTELLECTUAL
 continued
TERMINAL VALUES INSTRMENTAL VALUES
A WORLD OF BEAUTY LOGICAL
FAMILY SECURITY LOVING
MATURE LOVE OBEDIENT
SELF-RESPECT POLITE
A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT RESPONSIBLE
INNER HARMONY SELF-CONTROLLED
 Criteria for Value Selection
• The value must be pervasive.
• The value must be enduring.
• The value must be consumer-related.
Characteristics of Culture

 socially shared
 learned
 subjective
 enduring
 cumulative
 dynamic
Examples of values:
 Achievement and  Freedom
success
 Humanitarianism
 Activity and
involvement  Youthfulness
 Efficiency and  Fitness and health
practicality
 Progress
 Material comfort
 Individualism
  Norms
 Cultural factors  values
 attitudes
 behaviors
 that the group deems
appropriate for its members
 Status
 each person’s relative position
in a group
 Roles
 what members of the group
expect from the individual
Variations in Cultural Values
 Environment-oriented
Other-Oriented Values values
-Individual/collective -Cleanliness
-Youth/Age
-performance/status
-Extended/Limited family
-Traditional/modern/recent
-Masculine/Feminine
-Risk taking/security
-Competitive/cooperative
-problem solving/fatalistic
-Diversity/uniformity
-Admire/Overcome Nature
Variations in Cultural Values
 Self oriented Values
-Active/passive
-Sensual gratification/abstinence
-Material/non material
-Hard work/leisure
-postponed gratification/immediate gratification
-Religious/secular
Cultural Variations in Nonverbal communications
 Time
 Nonverbal  Space
communications
 Things
 Agreements
 Relationships
 Symbols
 Etiquette-represents generally
accepted ways of behaving in
social situations
 Aspects of Culture
A Cultural System Consists of 3 Functional Areas:

Social Structure Ecology

Way in Which Orderly Way a System is
Social Life is Adapted to
Maintained Its Habitat
Ideology
Way in Which People
Relate to Their
Environment and
Social Groups
Other Aspects of Culture
Although Every Culture is Different, 4 Dimensions Appear to Account for
Much of This Variability.

How Interpersonal Relationships

Power Distance Form When Power Differences
Exist.

Uncertainty Avoidance Degree to Which People Feel

Threatened by Ambiguous
Situations.
Masculinity/ Femininity Degree to Which Sex Roles Are
Clearly Delineated.

Individualism Extent to Which the Welfare of the

Individual Versus the Group is
Valued.
Marketing strategy and values
 Cause-related
 Green marketing
Marketing/social
-Involves developing products marketing
whose production, use, or
disposal is less harmful to -The application of the
the environment than the marketing principles and
traditional version of the tactics to advance a cause,
product. such as a charity(united
way),an ideology
(environmental protection)
 Subcultures
 Subcultures - numerous sub groupings with
their own distinguishing modes of behavior
 based on factors such as:
 race

 nationality

 age

 rural vs. urban

 sex

 religion

 geographical distribution
Culture and Marketing Strategy
 Identify key cultural values that affect the
consumption of the product
 Ensure the marketing mix appeals to these values
 Examine changes in cultural values and adapt the
marketing mix if needed
 Modify marketing mix to subcultures if the culture
is heterogeneous
 Be aware of symbols and ritual
End of the Chapter