Cultural Influences on

Consumer Behavior

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Culture is the Accumulation of Shared Meanings, Rituals, Norms, and Traditions Among the

Members of an Organization or Society and Determines:

Overall Priorities A Consumer Attachesto Different Activities and Products

Success or Failure of Specific Products and Services

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Aspects of Culture

Social Structure

Way in Which OrderlySocial Life is Maintained

Ecology

Way a System is Adapted to Its Habitat

Ideology

Way in Which PeopleRelate to Their

Environment andSocial Groups

A Cultural System Consists of 3 Functional Areas:

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Other Aspects of CultureAlthough Every Culture is Different, 4 Dimensions

Appear to Account for Much of This Variability.

Power Distance

Uncertainty Avoidance

Masculinity/ Femininity

Individualism

How Interpersonal Relationships Form When Power Differences

Exist.

Degree to Which People Feel Threatened by Ambiguous

Situations.

Degree to Which Sex Roles AreClearly Delineated.

Extent to Which the Welfare of the Individual Versus the Group is

Valued.

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UA versus PDUncertainty Avoidance

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Japan

FranceMexico

BrazilMeast

Germany

Power Wafrica PowerDistance Holland Distance

0 USA Indonesia 100

UKHkong

0Uncertainty Avoidance

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M versus IMasculinity

100Japan

MexicoUK

GermanyHkong USA

Individual Meast Individual0 Indonesia Brazil 100

Wafrica France

Holland

0Masculinity

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Values of a CultureValues are Very General Ideas About Good and Bad Goals

Enacted Norms

Explicitly Decided On

Crescive Norms

Embedded in Culture

Customs

Mores

Conventions

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Types of Ritual ExperienceA Ritual is a Set of Multiple, Symbolic Behaviors That

Occur in a Fixed Sequence and That Tend to Be Repeated Periodically.

ReligiousReligious Baptism, Meditation, MassBaptism, Meditation, Mass

Rites of PassageRites of Passage

Festivals, HolidaysFestivals, Holidays

Parades, Elections, TrialsParades, Elections, Trials

Graduation, Marriage

Ritual Type Examples

GroupGroup Business NegotiationsBusiness Negotiations

FamilyFamily

PersonalPersonalGrooming, HouseholdGrooming, Household

Mealtimes, Birthdays

Cultural

Civic

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