If McDonalds had kept the same taste in all these countries, it would have failed to expand beyond US borders. There are several factors which influence the buying decision of consumers, cultural factors being one of the most important factors. How do Culture and Subculture Affect Consumer Behavior? The dressing style, language, music of both these regions are completely different. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR. Culture: In the social sciences, a culture refers to the set of behaviors and activities of a society. For instance, when a child is born, he is not only dependent but unaware of how to behave. I am a serial entrepreneur & I created Marketing91 because i wanted my readers to stay ahead in this hectic business world. Culture:, values, and beliefs in Consumer Behaviour. He further contends that culture exerts the broadest and deepest influence on buying behaviour. Based on the targeting of social class, the company can alter its product to normal, premium and super premium (which BMW is doing continually). Yet, culture offers order, direction, and guidance to members of society in all phases of human problem solving. Be it the north or the south, be it one country or another, the effect of culture on consumer behavior is observed most on the basis of social class of the individual. In supporting this view, Kotler (2001), argues that culture is the most fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behaviour. Let us take simple examples of difference in cultures between two countries, How To Calculate Marginal Cost (with Steps and Formula), How To Write A Reference Letter (with Template), How To Write An Executive Summary (Complete Guide). In this short report, we will be discussing the effect of such culture and also subculture on consumer behavior and marketing application. Culture is the most fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behavior. Let's stay in touch :), Your email address will not be published. ADVERTISEMENTS: The Impact of Culture on Consumer Behaviour! 1. Consumer behavior is deeply influenced by cultural factors such as: buyer culture, subculture, and social class. I love writing about the latest in marketing & advertising. Culture is part of the external influences that impact the consumer. Your culture prescribes the way in which you should live and has a huge effect on the things you purchase. What he wears, what he drives or rides, how he carries himself, which product he needs or does not need, are all decided on the basis of Social class. How does culture affect the needs we recognize, how we search, our evaluation of alternatives, our shopping habits, consumption habits, how we dispose of products? The people of these two countries love the country for the heritage they have or for things that have happened in the past as well as the way the country is moving forward. Importance and Strategies to Influence them. 3. Subculture: Meaning, Subculture division, and consumption pattern in India, Types of subcultures. This attitude might be positive, negative, and neutral. Cultural characteristics as a continuum.  There is a tendency to stereotype cultures as being one way or another (e.g., individualistic rather than collectivistic).  Note, however, countries fall on a continuum of cultural traits.  Hofstede’s research demonstrates a wide range between the most individualistic and collectivistic countries, for example—some fall in the middle. Department of Marketing Language issues.  Language is an important element of culture.  It should be realized that regional differences may be subtle.  For example, one word may mean one thing in one Latin American country, but something off-color in another.  It should also be kept in mind that much information is carried in non-verbal communication.  In some cultures, we nod to signify “yes” and shake our heads to signify “no;” in other cultures, the practice is reversed.  Within the context of language: Writing patterns, or the socially accepted ways of writing, will differs significantly between cultures.Â. Young people may not adopt cultural practices that are common for adults, and may develop practices unique to their own subculture. In English and Northern European languages, there is an emphasis on organization and conciseness.  Here, a point is made by building up to it through background.  An introduction will often foreshadow what is to be said.  In Romance languages such as Spanish, French, and Portuguese, this style is often considered “boring” and “inelegant.”  Detours are expected and are considered a sign of class, not of poor organization.  In Asian languages, there is often a great deal of circularity.  Because of concerns about potential loss of face, opinions may not be expressed directly.  Instead, speakers may hint at ideas or indicate what others have said, waiting for feedback from the other speaker before committing to a point of view. a) Culture Culture is the essential character of a society that distinguishes it from other cultural … Culture in a broader and deeper degree, which is hinged on variable like, perception, value, and preference are also central to culture and subculture they influence on consumer buying behaviour. For example, in Beirut, Lebanon, women can often be seen wearing miniskirts. In China, even if someone is coming to your place, you have to give gifts to them. A subculture is a group of people who share a set of secondary values, such as environmentalists. CULTURE AND SUBCULTURECONSUMER BEHAVIOUR BY TASLEEM ALI MBA (PRIST) BATCH-2010-12 MSRIM Bangalore. For example, in Beirut, Lebanon, women can often be seen wearing miniskirts. and subculture. The definition of culture offered in one textbook is “That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man person as a member of society.”. A subdivision of a national culture that is based on some unifying characteristic . The text is first translated by one translator—say, from German to Mandarin Chinese.  A second translator, who does not know what the original German text said, will then translate back to German from Mandarin Chinese translation.  The text is then compared.  If the meaning is not similar, a third translator, keeping in mind this feedback, will then translate from German to Mandarin.  The process is continued until the translated meaning appears to be satisfactory. (213) 740-7127 A consumer’s buying behaviour is influenced by cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors. Although the two share many similarities, there is a clear difference between culture and subculture. And this culture influences the consumer greatly. a) Culture Culture is the essential character of a society that distinguishes it from other cultural … Culture is part of the external influences that impact the consumer. That is, culture represents influences that are imposed on the consumer by other individuals. Subcultural Context Affecting Consumer Behavior Consumer behavior is greatly influenced by cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors. Culture is learned as part of social experience. Social class influences many different aspects of a consumer. Subcultures It is a distinct cultural group that exists as an identifiable segment within a larger, more complex society. Cultural Factors, culture, subculture and social class to be examined under three headings (Durmaz and Jablonski, 2012: 56). Culture is the fundamental determinant of a person's wants and behavior. Thus, the customer can then pick his choice to match his social class. Similarly, each individual of different countries will have different cultural backgrounds. Many factors can place an individual in one or several subcultures. Consumer behaviour Cultural factors have a significant impact on customer behavior. Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing 46 Subcultures . The influence and impact of a subculture is lasting and persistent in the determination of consumer behaviour. Culture and subculture. Review of Subject: Culture is the fundamental determinant of a person's wants and behavior. Does Culture Influence Our Consumer Behavior? Because of differences in values, assumptions, and language structure, it is not possible to meaningfully translate “word-for-word” from one language to another.  A translator must keep “unspoken understandings” and assumptions in mind in translating.  The intended meaning of a word may also differ from its literal translation.  For example, the Japanese word hai  is literally translated as “yes.”  To Americans, that would imply “Yes, I agree.”  To the Japanese speaker, however, the word may mean “Yes, I hear what you are saying” (without any agreement expressed) or even “Yes, I hear you are saying something even though I am not sure exactly what you are saying.”, Differences in cultural values result in different preferred methods of speech.  In American English, where the individual is assumed to be more in control of his or her destiny than is the case in many other cultures, there is a preference for the “active” tense (e.g., “I wrote the marketing plan”) as opposed to the passive (e.g., “The marketing plan was written by me.”), Because of the potential for misunderstandings in translations, it is dangerous to rely on a translation from one language to another made by one person.  In the “decentering” method, multiple translators are used.Â. Cultural Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior Definition: The Cultural Factors are the factors that an individual learns at a very early stage of life due to socialization within the family and other key institutions, such as the set of values, preferences, behavior patterns, and perceptions are learned as the individual grows. There is a saying that goes “The child always adopts the culture of the parents”. Naturally, the product brought by the individuals will be different too. Yet, culture offers order, direction, and guidance to members of society in all phases of human problem solving. What he wears, what he drives or rides, how he carries himself, which product he needsor does not need… On the other hand, a consumer of the low social class will be happy with a bicycle too. Cultural factors influencing buyer behaviour . There are often large variations in regional dialects of a given language.  The differences between U.S., Australian, and British English are actually modest compared to differences between dialects of Spanish and German. Culture is made up of the things that have happened in the fast. According to Shah (2015), basically, culture is the part of every society and is the important cause of person wants and behavior. 3 Figure 13.1 Relationship Between Culture and Subculture. A consumer’s level of exposure towards foreign goods or lifestyles may influence his buying decisions and preferences. If a company which is entering a new market, fails to understand the influence of culture on consumer behavior, then it will have serious ramifications in its success. Basically, culture is the part of every society and is the important cause of person wants and behavior. On the other hand, a consumer of the low social class will be happy with a bicycle too. Be it the north or the south, be it one country or another, the effect of culture on consumer behavior is observed most on the basis of social class of the individual. If you only have normal products, the super premium class will ignore you. To ascertain if culture has buyers behavior to what extend and how best to take advantages of that consumers in Obiangwu, Ngor/Okpala local government are will be based on the area of cultural factors like social groups, role and status religion and other to ascertain the influence in consumers attitude from buying behavior. Consumer behaviour deals with the study of buying behaviour of consumers. Lars Perner, Ph.D. Consumer behaviour helps us understand why and why not an individual purchases goods and services from the market. Culture is a handed down way of life and is often considered the broadest influence on a consumer’s behavior. It shouldn’t be surprising that marketers are keenly interested in the effect of all these influences on your buying decisions. The impact of culture is so natural and ingrained that its influence on behavior is rarely noted. Culture, subculture and social class are particularly important influences on consumer behaviour. Influence of culture. Think of this as the statement “I love India” or “I love USA”. Five of the most important factors that create subcultures are: Material culture – People with similar income may create a subculture. Cell: (213) 304-1726, How to Get Good Grades in Marketing (Satire). Thus, subculture members generally have many behaviors in common with members of the broader culture. Different perspectives exist in different cultures on several issues; e.g. Throughout the process, the consumer is under influence of his culture as his friends, family, society, and his prestige influence him. Culture contains smaller subcultures or groups of people with shared values systems based on … How does culture affect the needs we recognize, how we search, our evaluation of alternatives, our shopping habits, consumption habits, how we dispose of products? You can follow me on Facebook. If so, How? Culture is the most fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behaviour. And if you only have premium products, you are losing out on the normal social class (it is your choice to do so based on your decided target market). Here, we find the following four factors: Family. 18. The same McDonalds has different type of Burgers in USA, UK and India. In supporting this view, Kotler (2001), argues that culture is the most fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behaviour. How do culture and subculture influence consumer behavior? On a cultural level, these consumers might all be buying the same McDonalds. Culture. Culture exerts different levels of influence on members. Cultural lessons.  We considered several cultural lessons in class; the important thing here is the big picture.  For example, within the Muslim tradition, the dog is considered a “dirty” animal, so portraying it as “man’s best friend” in an advertisement is counter-productive.  Packaging, seen as a reflection of the quality of the “real” product, is considerably more important in Asia than in the U.S., where there is a tendency to focus on the contents which “really count.”  Many cultures observe significantly greater levels of formality than that typical in the U.S., and Japanese negotiator tend to observe long silent pauses as a speaker’s point is considered. These rules deal with the subtleties of consumer behavior, including the ‘correct’ way to furnish one’s house, wear one’s clothes, host a dinner party, and so on. I am sure it will be different in China as well. Subcultures and Consumer Behavior; 2 Subculture. Influence of culture 1) On Cultural value systems – Ethics: good, moral, immoral – Aesthetics: beautiful, ugly, pleasant, unpleasant. By Jeetesh Kumar CULTURE Culture is defines as the sum of total of learned beliefs, values, customs, that serve to direct the customer behavior of members of a particular society. In every society, there exists a culture. Other issues are relevant.  Art, for example, may be reflected in the rather arbitrary practice of wearing ties in some countries and wearing turbans in others.  Morality may be exhibited in the view in the United States that one should not be naked in public.  In Japan, on the other hand, groups of men and women may take steam baths together without perceived as improper.  On the other extreme, women in some Arab countries are not even allowed to reveal their faces.  Notice, by the way, that what at least some countries view as moral may in fact be highly immoral by the standards of another country.  For example, the law that once banned interracial marriages in South Africa was named the “Immorality Act,” even though in most civilized countries this law, and any degree of explicit racial prejudice, would itself be considered highly immoral. by  Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry, Ph. Dealing with culture.  Culture is a problematic issue for many marketers since it is inherently nebulous and often difficult to understand.  One may violate the cultural norms of another country without being informed of this, and people from different cultures may feel uncomfortable in each other’s presence without knowing exactly why (for example, two speakers may unconsciously continue to attempt to adjust to reach an incompatible preferred interpersonal distance). Cultural Factors, culture, subculture and social class to be examined under three headings (Durmaz and Jablonski, 2012: 56). The spending patterns of a top economy like UK will be completely different then a developing nation. for consumer behavior; customs are unusual and accepted ways of behaving. Consumer marketing - How consumer marketing has changed over time? Culture and Subculture. So, in India for example, the north is filled up of Sikh’s and Punjabi’s whereas the south is filled up of South Indian people. Download file to see previous pages Culture is the set of norms, values, beliefs, and practices that characterize a group of people or institutions. Culture includes factors such as shared values, beliefs, norms, attitudes, affective reactions, cognitive beliefs, and patterns of behavior. The influence of culture on buying behavior varies from country to country therefore marketers have to be very careful in analyzing the culture of different groups, regions or even countries. In essence, there are small things which make up the culture of an individual. The definition of culture offered in one textbook is “That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man person as a member of society.”  From this definition, we make the following observations: Culture has several important characteristics:  (1)  Culture is comprehensive.  This means that all parts must fit together in some logical fashion.  For example, bowing and a strong desire to avoid the loss of face are unified in their manifestation of the importance of respect.  (2)  Culture is learned rather than being something we are born with.  We will consider the mechanics of learning later in the course.  (3)  Culture is manifested within boundaries of acceptable behavior.  For example, in American society, one cannot show up to class naked, but wearing anything from a suit and tie to shorts and a T-shirt would usually be acceptable.  Failure to behave within the prescribed norms may lead to sanctions, ranging from being hauled off by the police for indecent exposure to being laughed at by others for wearing a suit at the beach.  (4)  Conscious awareness of cultural standards is limited.  One American spy was intercepted by the Germans during World War II simply because of the way he held his knife and fork while eating.  (5)  Cultures fall somewhere on a continuum between static and dynamic depending on how quickly they accept change.  For example, American culture has changed a great deal since the 1950s, while the culture of Saudi Arabia has changed much less. : Culture, as a “complex whole,” is a system of interdependent components. The definition of culture offered in the text, is “That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other […] In terms of etiquette, some cultures have more rigid procedures than others.  In some countries, for example, there are explicit standards as to how a gift should be presented.  In some cultures, gifts should be presented in private to avoid embarrassing the recipient; in others, the gift should be made publicly to ensure that no perception of secret bribery could be made. Ethnocentrism and the self-reference criterion.  The self-reference criterion refers to the tendency of individuals, often unconsciously, to use the standards of one’s own culture to evaluate others.  For example, Americans may perceive more traditional societies to be “backward” and “unmotivated” because they fail to adopt new technologies or social customs, seeking instead to preserve traditional values.  In the 1960s, a supposedly well read American psychology professor referred to India’s culture of “sick” because, despite severe food shortages, the Hindu religion did not allow the eating of cows.  The psychologist expressed disgust that the cows were allowed to roam free in villages, although it turns out that they provided valuable functions by offering milk and fertilizing fields.  Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one’s culture to be superior to others.  The important thing here is to consider how these biases may come in the way in dealing with members of other cultures. A distinct cultural group that exists as an identifiable segment within a larger, more complex society. How to analyse consumer behavior by asking these 12 simple questions? Knowledge and beliefs are important parts.  In the U.S., we know and believe that a person who is skilled and works hard will get ahead. set of values and ideologies of a particular community or group of individuals This influence is quite significant if the consumer regularly interacts with others in those communities, as the subculture lifestyle, values and expected behaviors are frequently reinforced. It is through the culture that people learn of the accepted and expected codes of behavior. The best example of influence of culture on consumer behavior is McDonalds. It is important to remember that subculture members are also members of the dominant culture. So culture definitely defines an individual and the buying pattern of the individual will vary on the basis of culture. Required fields are marked *, Copyright © 2020 Marketing91 All Rights Reserved, The Influence of Culture on consumer behavior, Retail Marketing: What it is, Main Principles, and the Importance, Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Behavior, Personal factors affecting consumer buying behavior. 6. Who Are Early Adopters? Cultural and subcultural influences on consumer behavior. Take any democratic country and you will find many different regions sub divided, with each region having its inherent characteristics. Culture is part of the external influences that impact the consumer. Culture is a handed down way of life and is often considered the broadest influence on a consumer’s behavior. If the consumer belongs to a higher social class, he has to buy a mercedesto show his social class. A subculture has been defined as a segment of a culture which shares distinguishing patterns of behavior (Robert-son 1970). Cultural Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior Definition: The Cultural Factors are the factors that an individual learns at a very early stage of life due to socialization within the family and other key institutions, such as the set of values, preferences, behavior patterns, and perceptions are learned as the individual grows. Social Influences. It is this culture that teaches the child to … Marshall School of Business 2) Culture is socially acquired We are not born with any cultural knowledge It is the society which teaches an individual its various cultures and norms of behaving in the society Our society plays a vital role in teaching its culture to an individual Sometimes people strictly follow their culture only because of the fear of the society According to Shah (2015), basically, culture is the part of every society and is the important cause of person wants and behavior. Your culture prescribes the way in which you should live and has a huge effect on the things you purchase. Cultural and subcultural influences on consumer behavior. Consumers tend to have an attitude when it comes to a particular product being made in a particular country. 2. Culture greatly influences consumer behavior; it contains the common meanings and socially constructed values that are acknowledged by the majority of members of a society or a social group. A nation’s culture can be understood at the macro level, but many countries are divided in sub cultures as well. Reference groups. For a marketer, it is very crucial to take all these things into consideration while analyzing or observing a consumer’s behavior as they play a vital role in his behavior, perception and expectations. Economic or social status. Age, language, ethnicity, gender and education level all affect which consumer behaviors a member of a given culture demonstrates. Warning about stereotyping.  When observing a culture, one must be careful not to over-generalize about traits that one sees.  Research in social psychology has suggested a strong tendency for people to perceive an “outgroup” as more homogenous than an “ingroup,” even when they knew what members had been assigned to each group purely by chance.  When there is often a “grain of truth” to some of the perceived differences, the temptation to over-generalize is often strong.  Note that there are often significant individual differences within cultures.