The Next Localization Frontier: Designing Culturally Customized Web Sites Dr. Nitish Singh:...

The Next Localization Frontier: Designing Culturally Customized

Web Sites

The Next Localization Frontier: Designing Culturally Customized

Web Sites

Dr. Nitish Singh: [email protected]

All Rights Reserved 2006

Global Web


• It is expected that by 2006 global e-commerce sales will reach $12.8 trillion.

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

• US only accounts for 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.

What is a Culturally Customized web site?

• A web site that reflects complete “immersion” in the culture of the target market.

• A web site that addresses three levels of cultural adaptation: perceptionperception, symbolismsymbolism, and behaviorbehavior.

• A web site that that goes beyond simple translation, and cosmetic adaptation when targeting different countries and/or cultures.

• In short, Cultural Customization begins where basic “localization” ends.


What Do You See?


Perception of Images


Western and Eastern people look at the world in different ways, according to University of Michigan scientists. Researchers compared the way Chinese and US students viewed photographs of animals or inanimate objects set against complex backgrounds.

The results were startling!

Perception of Color


•Americans and Asians were asked to visualize the following:

A lady dressed in white, in a house of worship

89% of Americans: A bride at the altar

Perception of Color


•Americans and Asians were asked to visualize the following:

A lady dressed in white, in a house of worship

92% of Asians: A widow in prayer

Perception of Symbols

The Biggest Blunder!The Biggest cultural blunder- is to ignore the importance of culture in web design.

Our research across several countries (all discussed in the book) 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 you

ROI


Cultural Customization Levels of Web Site

High Medium Low Italy

Attitude Toward Site 3.60 3.57 3.34 Purchase Intention 3.06 3.10 2.68

India Attitude Toward Site 4.26 3.74 3.04 Purchase Intention 4.04 3.68 3.18

Netherlands Attitude Toward Site 3.48 2.97 2.87 Purchase Intention 2.34 1.91 2.19

Switzerland Attitude Toward Site 3.59 3.16 2.69 Purchase Intention 3.16 2.93 2.64

Spain Attitude Toward Site 4.31 3.50 2.82 Purchase Intention 4.14 3.30 2.67

It is Not a Luxury!


Types of Web Site Customization

• Standardized Web SitesA single site serves all customer segments (domestic and international)

• Semi-Localized Web Sites A single site serves all customers; however, contact information about foreign subsidiaries available for international customers.

• Localized Web Sites Country-specific web sites with language translation for international customers, wherever relevant.

• Highly-Localized Web SitesCountry-specific web sites with language translation; they also include other localization efforts in terms of time, date, zip code, currency formats, etc.

• Culturally Customized Web SitesWeb sites reflecting complete “immersion” in the culture of target customer segments; as such, targeting a particular country may mean providing multiple web sites for that country depending on the dominant cultures present.

Web Sites of US Multinationals:A Survey of Web Customization

Survey based on a sample of 307 US multinationals in Forbes 900 (see book for details of this study).

S: Standard Web Sites (7.49%)

SL: Semi-Localized Web Sites (28.66%)

L: Localized Web Sites (35.17%)

HL: Highly Localized Web Sites (28.66%)

CC: Culturally Customized Web Sites (0%)

The Basis For Cultural Customization


• The basis for cultural customization of web sites is a theoretically-sound, empirically-validated framework built on specific cultural values that account for similarities and differences across global cultures.

Cultural Values


Cultural ValuesCultural Values

Individualism-CollectivismIndividualism-Collectivism

Power DistancePower Distance

Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty Avoidance

Masculinity-FemininityMasculinity-Femininity

Cultural Values

• A belief in the importance of the goals of the individual (individualism) versus the goals of the group (collectivism). In individualistic cultures, the needs, values, and goals of an individual take precedence over group goals; the opposite is true for collectivistic cultures.

• A belief in authority and hierarchy. Cultures high on power distance accept power and hierarchy in the society and are low on egalitarianism.


Individualism-CollectivismIndividualism-Collectivism

Power DistancePower Distance

Cultural Values

• The importance of predictability, structure, and order (high uncertainty avoidance) versus a willingness for risk-taking and an acceptance of ambiguity and limited structure (low uncertainty avoidance.) People from cultures high on uncertainty avoidance tend to have low tolerance for uncertainty and avoid ambiguous situations.

• A belief in achievement and ambition (masculine) versus a belief in nurturing and caring for others (feminine). Masculine cultures value assertiveness, material possessions, and success, while feminine cultures place more value on helping others, preserving the environment, quality of life, and nurturance.


Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty Avoidance

Masculinity-FemininityMasculinity-Femininity

Pan-American Global Web Culture?

Cultural Analysis of almost 100 local Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and U.S web sites.

Main effectsa Interactionsa Tukey testb Values Country (C) Industry (I) C X I Group Comparisonsc Collectivism 11.00** ns 4.81** Jp>In&US; Ch>US Individualism 137.12** 4.75* ns US>Jp,In&Ch; Jp&In>Ch Uncertainty Avoidance 7.58** ns ns In>US&Jp Power Distance 25.81** ns ns In,Jp&Ch>US; Masculinity 6.70** ns 5.51** Jp&In>US a F-Values b Comparisons that are significant at <.05 level are reported c Note: Jp=Japan, In=India, Ch=China, and US=United States * p<.05, **p<.01


Cultural Map-1


Web Features-1

Web Features for Customization Web Features for Customization

Soft-Sell Approach Quizzes and Games

Aesthetics Realism Theme

Product Effectiveness

Clear Gender Roles


Customer Service Soft-Sell Approach Customer Service Quizzes and Games

Guided Navigation Aesthetics Guided Navigation Realism Theme

Tradition Theme Tradition Theme Product Effectiveness

Local Stores Local Stores Clear Gender Roles

Local Terminology Local Terminology

Free Trials/Downloads Free Trials/Downloads

Toll Free Numbers Toll Free Numbers

Transaction Security Transaction Security


Cultural Map-2


Web Features-2

Small power distance Large Power Distance

Collectivist Collectivist


Clubs/Chat Rooms Firm Hierarchy Info Clubs/Chat Rooms

Newsletter Images of Management Newsletter

Family Theme Quality Assurance Family Theme

National Identity Vision Statement National Identity

Loyalty Programs Pride of Ownership Loyalty Programs

Links to Local Sites Relevant Titles Links to Local Sites


Privacy Statement Firm Hierarchy Info Privacy Statement

Independence Theme Images of Management Independence Theme

Product Uniqueness Quality Assurance Product Uniqueness

Personalization Vision Statement Personalization

Pride of Ownership

Relevant Titles

Small power distance Large power distance

Individualist Individualist


Cultural Customization Score Card

• Given the target country of a web site, we can quantify (in the form of a “scorecard”) the extent of cultural customization of that site.

• We use “content analysis” (a specific statistical technique) to measure the degree to which the web site has features consistent with the target country’s cultural values. The scores listed in the scorecard can judged as follows:

– >90% = Excellent Customization on Cultural Value– 70-89% = Good Customization on Cultural Value– <70% = Poor Customization on Cultural Value

The scorecard provides a “snapshot” diagnosis of the level of Cultural customization (or the lack thereof) for the target country, presently exhibited by that site.

Cultural Customization Score Card

The Cultural Customization Scorecard™

Website: Target country:

Values Individualism Collectivism

Uncertainty Avoidance

Power Distance

Masculinity

Low Context

High Context

Cultural Scores

Not Relevant

5/30= 16.67%

26/40= 65.00%

9/20= 45.00%

5/15= 33.33%

Not Relevant

5/15= 33.33%

Note: We offer detailed analyses and recommendations to effectively modify the site so that it is optimally customized to a specific country/culture. Further, we also offer services to help design new sites customized to targeted countries/cultures. For more information on these services, please contact: [email protected]

Examples

What collectivist feature is being used here to hit the sweet spot?

Family Theme

What Individualist feature is being used here to hit the sweet spot?

What feature is being used here to lower uncertainty and hit the sweet spot?

The Indian Site has picturesof its brand ambassadors tohit the sweet spot of Indian consumers?

Excite Japan: Devoted exclusively to women (www.excite.co.jp).

www.toshiba.co.jp

Reverse Sexism

Scooter for MenScooty for Women!

www.theculturallycustomizedwebsite.com

Take A Cultural IQ test


Localization Certification Program

June 12th-14th 2007Localization Project

Management June 15-16th 2007

Contact InfoContact Info::Dr. Nitish SinghCalifornia State University, Chico(530) 898-6090/ [email protected] Certification: www.csuchico.edu/localize

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