We'll explore how we are going to divide the class into regional teams. We'll take a look at some global statistics, and review—with your involvement—what the "hottest" markets are, and why we may want to include some "cooler" markets (cool in several senses of the word). You'll start working in your teams, and get to know the strengths of your team members.
We'll make sure everyone understands course expectations. Your syllabus is here.
And we'll begin a discussion of what international marketing is about, and touch on some key themes that will come up again and again in our discussions in this course.
We'll discuss two articles: Agar on Culture, and Douglas & Wind's article on The Myth of Globalization. These are clickable links!
What's Going On With Culture?
There are many ways of looking at and thinking about culture. They depend on the perspective you take, your disciplinary inclinations, and your interests. What, in fact, do you want to DO with the concept of culture?
When you cross "cultural boundaries," however you define them, you have to make some kind of translation. You may have to understand someone else's point(s) of view in new ways. If you make and sell products across cultural boundaries, you have to have your eyes and ears and mind attuned to the possibility that your understanding of someone else's needs, wants, desires, (or grocery store or supply chain or regulatory environment) may be very different from the one you know and understand.
In this course, we'll explore some of the cultural models that have guided International marketing. We'll touch of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, on cultural analysis of the kind that anthropologist Dr. Mary Douglas uses to understand organizations and so-called consumers. As an introduction to some of the problems and prospects in using the Culture Concept in marketing, here's an article that lays out the problems in a pretty clear way. We'll discuss and refer to this article and the concepts here often.
Pay special attention to the idea of "rich point." Understand what Agar is talking about when he talks about ethnography. Take note of the examples he uses: especially take note of the "thought experiment" he uses to illustrate his points. Can you sort out the "traditional" view of culture, and some of the problems there? Can you see the value of linking language and culture? Be ready to talk about this article when we next meet.
What's Going On With Globalization?
The second required reading for Tuesday is this article. Take a look: its a classic. In fact, you may wish to think about some products that are marketed in the USA from overseas companies. Do you think they are the same products that are marketed elsewhere? (Check of Chupa Chups, Epson Printers, and Toblerone, for example, and think of some others).
What do you think of the standardization philosophy? When can it work? Aren't some products pretty standard all over the world?
If standardization does not work, can you explain to me why the television series "Friends" is so amazingly popular in DVD boxed-sets in China? And, what do you think of Agar's speculation that any two teenagers from any two countries anywhere in the world have more in common with one another than their parents have with one another. Do you think it is true, or not, and why?
Be ready to talk about this article, too.
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