Culture and Multimedia

Meaning and Dimensions

The nature of culture The nature of culture Values and folkways Comparing cultural values Outline Hofstede’s Cultural dimensions How cultures view each other Research different website designs

Objectives: outline

The Biggest Blunder!

The Biggest cultural blunder- is to ignore the importance of culture in web design. Getting the name a product wrong – ie there could be

language differences!Research across several countries reveal that web site

cultural customization leads to:

• Higher web site usability, accessibility, and interactivity.• A more favorable attitude toward the site.• A state of “flow” and browsing comfort.• Increased purchase intentions which eventually impact

your ROI

Global Web

Global e-commerce is expected to be more than $12.8 trillion annually.

US will account for less than 58% of total Global Online sales.

US only accounts for about 185 million Internet Users today.

In comparison Global Internet population is 1.08 billion users and by 2010 it will reach 1.8 billion.

Today almost 65 percent of Global Internet users are non-English speakers.

The Nature of Culture

Culture is the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and generate social behavior

Cultural knowledge forms values, creates attitudes, and influences behavior

Not everyone in a culture has exactly the same values.

Values and Folkways

Culture sets norms (expectations) for behavior Values are cultural beliefs about right and

wrong. Values have moral significance and are often included in law.

Folkways are customary ways of behaving, with little or no moral significance.Examples: wedding customs, what to wear to a funeral

Activity 1

Look at the list of values Which are your top values i.e those

most important to you

Cultural Values

1. Freedom2. Independence3. Self-reliance4. Equality5. Individualism6. Competition7. Efficiency8. Time9. Directness10.Openness

United States 1. Belonging

2. Group harmony

3. Collectiveness

4. Age/seniority5. Group

consensus6. Cooperation7. Quality8. Patience9. Indirectness10. Go-between

Japan1. Family

security2. Family

harmony3. Parental

guidance4. Age5. Authority6. Compromise7. Devotion8. Patience9. Indirectness10. Hospitality

Arab Countries

Sub-cultures and Cultural Change

Groups within a culture may be part of a sub-culture that varies in some ways from the national culture.

Cultures can change gradually over time.

People who have worked outside their own country or have friends from other cultures may pick up some attitudes or behaviors from the other culture.

How Cultures View Each Other

Stereotyping: assumes that all people within one culture or group behave, believe, feel, and act the same.

Ethnocentrism: occurs when people from one culture believe that theirs are the only correct norms, values, and beliefs.

Self-reference criterion: the assumption that people in another culture will behave like people in your culture

Hofstede National Culture Dimensions

Power Distance (PDI) Individualism versus

Collectivism (IDV) Masculinity versus Femininity

(MAS) Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) Long-term v short-term

orientation(LTO) Indulgence v Restraint (IVR)

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Power Distance

Power distance: The extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations accept that power is distributed unequally High power distance countries: people may blindly obey

the orders of their superiors and are less likely to question authority. Companies tend to use centralized decision-making and tall organization structures (many levels of management)

Low power distance countries: flatter and decentralized organization structures, smaller ratio of supervisors. Employees are more likely to question their bosses. Participative management may be used.

Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsIndividualism and Collectivism

Individualism: Tendency of people to look after themselves and their immediate family only Countries high in individualism: High individual

initiative. Promotions are based on achievement. Salaries are based on market value.

Collectivism: Tendency of people to belong to groups or collectives and to look after each other in exchange for loyalty Countries high in collectivism: Low individual

initiative. Salaries and promotions may be based on seniority

Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsUncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance: Extent to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid such situations

High uncertainty avoidance countries: people have high need for security, strong belief in experts and their knowledge, more written rules and procedures, less risk taking by managers

Low uncertainty avoidance countries: people are more willing to accept risks associated with the unknown, fewer written rules and procedures, more risk taking by managers, higher employee turnover, more ambitious employees

Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsMasculinity and Femininity

Masculinity: the dominant social values are success, money and things Countries high in masculinity: People place great

importance on earnings, recognition, advancement, challenge, and wealth. High job stress.

Femininity: the dominant social values are caring for others and the quality of life Countries high in femininity: great importance on

cooperation, friendly atmosphere, employment security, and the natural environment. Low job stress.

Long-term v short-term orientation(LTO)

The long-term orientation dimension can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue. Societies with a short-term orientation

generally have a strong concern with establishing the absolute Truth. They are They exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving quick results.

Long-term v short-term orientation(LTO)

In societies with a long-term orientation, people believe that truth depends very much on situation, context and time.

They show an ability to adapt traditions to changed conditions, a strong propensity to save and invest, thriftiness, and perseverance in achieving results.

Indulgence v Restraint (IVR)

Indulgence stands for a society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and natural human drives related to enjoying life and having fun.

Restraint stands for a society that suppresses gratification of needs and regulates it by means of strict social norms.

Workshop

Compare the websites for McDonald’s in: North America South America Australia Europe Japan China An Arab state

What are the effects of culture on the designs?

Important Links

http://geert-hofstede.com/