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Enhance Your General Knowledge

Khullar classifies cultures as individualistic or collectivistic. Individualistic cultures place value on individual self-expression and articulation of ideas, whereas collectivistic cultures communicate using culturally defined group norms. Power distance, another dimension identified by Khullar, is a measure of the cultures attitude to inequalities of power and authority in organizations. The U.S. is low on power distance and high on individualism, as opposed to India which is high on power distance and relatively low on individualism. What implications do these differences have for marketing communications or advertising promotions? Kale argues the need for culture-specific marketing communications and uses Khullars framework to suggest more effective ways of marketing India to the American tourist. Since the two countries differ considerably along the dimensions of individualism and power distance, his recommendation is that the Indian Department of Tourism place particular emphasis on reducing the cultural distance between the countries. For example, tourist brochures targeted at the American traveler need to emphasize the off-thebeaten-path image, along with discovery and flexibilityqualities that highly individualistic American travelers find appealing. This content is very useful for general knowledge purpose. Power distance can be minimized by using informal, friendly communication, as opposed to the formal, rather stiff descriptive approach currently used in most brochures. In terms of consumer product marketing, Samir Behl, vice president for international marketing, Pillsbury International, told us that in a highly individualistic country like the United States, a much greater variety of food products have to be marketed to suit diverse individual tastes. He adds that in a U.S. household with four people it is not uncommon to have four separate dishes, whereas in India, the family can do that in a restaurant, but not at home. This article is all about general knowledge Uncertainty avoidance, the third dimension identified in Khullars research, refers to the degree to which people in a country prefer structured over unstructured situations. A society high in masculinity values assertiveness, performance, and competition, whereas a more feminine society values quality of life, solidarity, and warm interpersonal relationships. India and the United States fall into the same cluster with their configuration of masculinity and high uncertainty avoidance. The U.S. is low on power distance and high on individualism, as opposed to India which is high on power distance and relatively low on individualism. Take, for example, the use of masculinity and uncertainty avoidance, as considerations in the purchase of an automobile. One study shows motives for buying automobiles in cultures clustered around the dimensions of masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. It concludes that people in these cultures tend to have a need for status, and have a preference for powerful cars. On issues defined by these dimensions one could expect Indian and U.S. individuals to be quite similar.

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