International Marketing: Culture, Communication, and Global Product Strategy

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the origins and elements of culture, communication styles, business ethics, product adaptation models, global service characteristics, and international branding strategies.

Culture

Behaviors and values, the seen and unseen, that are learned, shared, and transmitted by a group of people.

Origins of Culture

Geography, history, technology and political economy, social institutions, and peers.

Rituals

Patterns of behavior and interaction that are learned and repeated, associated with major life events (marriage, funerals, graduation) as well as smaller daily actions (dining at a restaurant, grooming, visiting a store).

Symbols

Cultural elements including language as a social institution, as well as aesthetics such as art, folklore, music, drama, dance, dress, and cosmetics.

Beliefs

Cultural elements that mainly stem from religious training and vary across cultures.

Individualism/Collective Index (IDV)

A cultural dimension focused on self-orientation: whether people emphasize personal goals and independence or group goals and interdependence.

Power Distance Index (PDI)

A cultural dimension focused on authority orientation: the degree to which differences in power and authority are accepted.

Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)

A cultural dimension focused on risk orientation: the degree to which people feel uncomfortable with uncertainty, ambiguity, and risk.

Masculinity/Femininity Index (MAS)

A cultural dimension focused on assertiveness and achievement: the extent to which a culture emphasizes assertiveness, competition, and achievement versus cooperation and quality of life.

Linguistic Distance

The difference between languages and how difficult they are to understand or translate between.

Bilingualism

The ability to speak and understand two languages.

Biculturalism

Familiarity with and understanding of two cultures, including their customs and ways of communicating.

Cultural Borrowing

Learning from other cultures to solve society's problems while maintaining unique cultural identity.

Cultural Congruence

Marketing a product in a way that fits existing cultural norms to minimize resistance.

Planned Cultural Change

A strategy that involves identifying cultural factors that cause resistance and trying to turn those obstacles into stimulants.

Cultural Imperatives

Business customs and expectations that must be met and conformed to or avoided.

Cultural Electives

Behaviors or customs that cultural aliens may wish to conform to or participate in, but are not required.

Cultural Exclusives

Customs or behaviors that foreigners are barred from and must not participate in.

High-PDI Countries

Cultures where status and position are prominent, making subordinates less likely to contradict bosses.

Low-PDI Countries

Cultures where authority differences are less pronounced and subordinates often challenge bosses.

Top-Level Management Decisions

A decision-making style where the highest-level managers make the important decisions for the organization and pass them down to employees.

Decentralized Decisions

A decision-making structure where authority is spread throughout the organization, giving employees greater independence to respond quickly to problems.

Committee Decisions

A decision-making process where a group of people discuss options and work together to reach a decision, allowing multiple perspectives to be considered.

High-Context Communication

A communication style characterized by heavy dependence on nonverbal communication, context, and interpersonal relationships.

Low-Context Communication

A communication style characterized by heavy dependence on explicit, direct, and verbal communication.

Monochronic

A cultural view of time that is linear, emphasizing promptness and the importance of scheduled time.

Polychronic

A cultural orientation toward time that emphasizes multi-tasking and deep involvement with individuals.

Bribery

A legal and ethical issue involving payments made within specific cultural contexts.

Extortion

Payments extracted under duress.

Lubrication

Small sums of money given to facilitate normal procedures, not prohibited by law.

Subornation

Large sums of money paid to entice an official to commit an illegal act.

Agent's Fees

Payments to intermediaries that are legal as long as they are not used as a conduit for illegal payments.

Information-Oriented Culture

A business orientation that focuses on exchanging information and communicating details clearly.

Relationship-Oriented Culture

A business orientation that places greater emphasis on relationships, trust, and personal connections during interactions.

Market-Perceived Quality

The consumer's subjective perception and evaluation of a product's quality.

Performance Quality

How well the company believes its product performs, including reliability, proper function, and durability in its intended environment.

Product Homologation

Mandatory changes required to meet local product or service standards and legal regulations.

Green Marketing

Product development and marketing approaches that address environmental concerns, packaging waste, and consumer demand for eco-friendly products.

Product

A bundle of satisfactions or utilities that a buyer receives, comprising physical and psychological satisfactions as well as cultural influences.

Diffusion

The process by which an innovation is communicated through channels over time among members of a social system.

Relative Advantage

The degree to which an innovation appears better than the product or idea it replaces.

Compatibility

How well an innovation fits existing values, experiences, and needs of potential adopters.

Complexity

The degree to which an innovation appears difficult to understand or use.

Trialability

How easily consumers can try or test an innovation before committing to its adoption.

Observability

The ease with which consumers can see the results or benefits of an innovation.

Self-Reference Criterion (SRC)

An unconscious reference to one's own cultural values, experiences, and knowledge that creates bias when evaluating products in foreign markets.

Product Component Model

A model that divides a multidimensional product into three components—core, packaging, and support services—to analyze adaptation requirements.

Core Component

The physical product component consisting of its design and functional features.

Packaging Component

The product component that includes physical packaging, style, brand names, trademarks, country-of-origin labeling, and color meanings.

Support Services Component

The product component consisting of post-purchase services such as repair, maintenance, and instructions adapted to local literacy and education levels.

Intangibility

The characteristic of services indicating they cannot be physically touched or evaluated in the same manner as physical products.

Inseparability

The service characteristic stating that a service's creation cannot be separated from its consumption.

Heterogeneity

The service characteristic describing how services vary because they are individually produced and each customer experience may be unique.

Perishability

The characteristic of services meaning they must be consumed as they are created and cannot be stored for future use.

Global Brand

A brand that uses the same name, term, sign, symbol, or design worldwide to identify goods or services and distinguish them from competitors.

National Brands

Brands designed for or specific to an individual country.

Country of Origin Effect (COE)

The influence that a product's country of manufacture, assembly, or design has on consumer perceptions and evaluations.

Ethnocentrism

A cultural tendency that leads consumers to favor their own country's products and view foreign products negatively.

Xenocentrism

A consumer preference for products from other countries over domestic products.

Private Brands

Brands owned and controlled by retailers rather than manufacturers, which often offer lower prices and high profit margins.

Product Shifting

A strategy where companies alter or adapt their products to better meet local market preferences and cultural expectations.

Quality Defined

As a measure of a product's ability to satisfy customer needs and expectations, quality defined encompasses various attributes such as performance, reliability, and durability.

Product Adaptation

The process of modifying an existing product to cater to the preferences or requirements of a specific market, ensuring it aligns with local culture and consumer behavior.

Maintain Quality

Ensuring that a product consistently meets defined standards and satisfies customer expectations across different markets.

Distribution Structure

The system a country uses to move products from manufactures to consumers. It varies with competition, tradition, economic development, and available intermediaries.

Import-oriented distribution

Importers control a limited supply of goods, often selling at high prices to a small group of consumers. The importer/wholesaler performs most marketing functions.

Traditional Distribution System

These systems do not change overnight, and international companies often need intermediaries to reach consumers.

Retail Patterns

Retailer size, the number of retailers, direct selling, and resistance to change differ across countries.

Size Patterns

Retailer to consumer ratio varies dramatically by market. High concentration of retailers, more competition for marketer.

Direct Selling

Often used in markets with underdeveloped distribution systems

Channel Selection

A company decides whether to handle distribution itself or rely on intermediaries. 

Channel Process

 Includes all activities from manufacturer to consumer, involving both home-country and foreign-market channels. 

Agent Intermediaries

Do not take ownership of merchandise; the manufacturer assumes trading risk. 

Merchant Intermediaries

Take ownership of merchandise and assume trading risks.

Complementary Marketers (Piggybacking)

One company distributes another company's complementary, noncompeting products. 

Foreign-country intermediaries

Bring the manufacturer closer to the foreign market and can shorten distribution channels.

Government-affiliated intermediaries

Government purchasing offices acquire products and services for government use. 

Cost

Investment and ongoing expenses of developing and maintaining distribution channels.

Capital Requirements

The financial investment needed to distribute products; intermediaries may reduce the investment required. 

Control

Longer channels generally reduce the manufacturer's control over price, volume, promotion, and outlets. 

Coverage

Reaching enough geographic areas and market segments to achieve sales and market-share goals.

Character

Choosing channels that fit the company and product, considering perishability, bulk, complexity, service needs, and value

Continuity

Maintaining dependable distribution relationships when intermediaries change or leave the business