Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour

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CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Julie Lucas Joanna Mathioudakis Anne
McMullan Lee-Anne Thomas
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Introduction

• Overview of topic
• Culture
• the concepts, values and tangible items (such
  as buildings and foods) that make up a particular
  society (Dibb et al, 2001)
• Subcultures
• Sub-divisions of culture according to geographic
  regions or human characteristics, such as age or
  ethnic background. (Dibb et al, 2001)

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Introduction

• Main themes
• Language
• Family
• Religion
• Education, literacy and Internet
• Aesthetics
• Material culture
• Urbanisation
• Rituals
• Exposure to different cultures

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour

• Language
• Influences
• - How advertising is perceived ( Koslow, 1994)
  
• - How the brand is recalled (Schimitt, 1994)
• The correct use of the native language is a
  great advantage for researching the markets
  better (Swift, 1991)

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Religion
• The behaviour of those who are strongly committed
  to religion is influenced by moral conscience
• e.g. Malaysia
• Authoritarianism is closely linked to religion

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Education
• Education is closely linked to the value of
  quality of life
• Literacy
• In most developed nations, nearly all people
  over the age of 17 have a basic level of literacy
• Internet
• The Internet is more popular with weak
  uncertainty avoidance societies

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Family
• The most powerful social group in any society
• Learn within the family
• - what to believe
• - how to behave
• - what needs are socially accepted
• Who is the decision-maker within the family?

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Family size and structure
• - Size of European families
• - Developing countries
• Why???
• How does this impact on consumer behaviour?

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Aesthetics
• Relates to a cultures beliefs concerning
• - greetings
• - body motions
• - colours
• - numbers
• - shapes/sizes/symbols
• Acceptance of a market
• Do consumers care if a brand is global?

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Consumer Types
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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Materialism
• - To have
• - To be
• Self-image / status / success

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Technology
• - Manufactured goods versus hand made goods
• - Labour intensive versus mechanised
• - High technology versus low technology

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• The economic environment
• - financial
• - communication
• - transport
• Changing patterns in employment

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Cultural Factors include
• Religion, Language, Family, Education
• Other aspects of culture
• - Urbanisation
• - Ritualistic Behaviour
• - Effect of exposure to other cultures

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Urbanisation
• Why is the Industrial Revolution relevant?
• New Consumer experience
• - importance of identity
• - material goods
• - new values and lifestyles

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• And Today???
• - Anonymity of urban life
• - Important to give right impression
• - Creation of identity/personality
• Limitations
• - wealth
• - commuter culture

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Ritualistic Behaviour
• Rituals are symbolic actions performed by
  consumers to create, affirm, evoke or revise
  certain cultural meanings
• (Peter et al., 1999)

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Exchange Rituals
• transfer cultural meanings to the receiver
• (Peter et al., 1999)
• e.g. Christmas, Birthdays, Name Days etc.

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Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour (cont.)

• Exposure To Different Cultures
• Travel, telecommunication capabilities,
  immigration
• Different ways of life, beliefs and perspectives
• e.g. Food
• - Specialist stores
• - Supermarkets
• - Restaurants

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Summary

• How the impact of culture on consumer behaviour
  can influence International Marketing
• Why an understanding of this impact is vital