SSR INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND

RESEARCH

INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Submitted By:- Nihal Patel

Roll NO:- 27
INFLUENCE OF CULTURE
ON
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Introduction 3
Invisible hand of culture 5
Issues in culture 6-10
Why it is import to for marketers to understand 11
the cultural impact on consumer behavior
Indian core value 12

CHANGING TRENDS IN INDIAN URBAN MARKETS 13-14

15
Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION

 Consumer Behavior is largely dependent on cultural factors consisting of mutually shared

operating procedures, unstated assumptions, tools, norms, values, standards for perceiving,
believing, evaluating, and communicating.

 Cultural factors vary by country but become increasingly complex when people immigrate
to foreign countries that have different cultural dimensions. In these situations, people are
subjected to a wide variety of cultural reference groups that ultimately affect their purchase
behavior.
Culture as the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to direct the consumer
behaviour of members of a particular society .

 Beliefs and values- Accumulated feeling and priorities that individuals have about things and
possessions.

 They are mental images that influence the responses of a person in a specific situation .

 Customs – Usual and accepted ways of behaviour.

INVISIBLE HAND OF CULTURE

The impact of culture is automatic and natural and hence many times its takes for granted.

 Culture exists at different subjective levels :

 Level 1- Supranational :
Cultural differences that cross national boundaries, present in more than one country.
Consumer behaviour relevant factors: language, symbolism meaning, racial composition etc.

 Level 2 - National :
Cultural characters of that uniquely define citizens of a particular country.

 Level 3 – Group :
Cultural divisions that include collection of individuals .
ISSUES IN CULTURE

 Language and Symbols

 Rituals

 Sharing of Cultural Beliefs and Customs

 Enculturation and Acculturation

LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS

 To acquire common culture, a common language for communication is needed.

 To communicate with consumers , marketers must use appropriate symbols to convey product
images or characteristics.

 Symbols can be verbal and non verbal.

 Verbal symbols – television advertisement.

 Non verbal-figures ,symbol for additional meaning

RITUALS

 Ritual is a symbolic activity consisting of a series of steps occurring in a fixed sequence.

 Culture includes ritualized experiences.

 Rituals tend to be replete with ritual artefacts that are associated with or some how enhance
the performance of ritual.
ENCULTURATION AND ACCULTURATION

1. The learning of one’s own culture is known as enculturation.

2. The learning of a new or foreign culture is known as acculturation.

3. A consumer can be a “foreigner” in his or her own country

SHARING OF CULTURAL BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS

Institutions that traditionally share the responsibility for transfer of culture :

 1. Family
 2. Education institutions
 3. Houses of worship
 4. Mass media
 5. Virtual communities
 WHY IS IMPORTANT FOR MARKETERS TO UNDERSTAND THE
CULTURAL IMPACT ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

 Because culture satisfies needs

 Because culture is learned

 Because of Acculturation

 When using Language and Symbols

 When facilitating Rituals

 Because culture is shared

 Because culture is dynamic

INDIAN CORE VALUES

 Indian society is driven by a set of core values.

Variation in urban values due to: Changing Lifestyles, Westernization and Diffusion of
technology.

Indian consumers are culture-conscious as they follow the cultural expectations of the society

1) Family Orientation:
2) Savings Orientation
3) Festivities
4) Shopping as a ritual
5) Mythology
6) Food habits
CHANGING TRENDS IN INDIAN URBAN MARKETS

Urban setting is very different from rural or semi-urban market setting.

Target segments comprises professionally qualified, high- salaried persons with fast-track of life.
Strongly influenced by the lifestyle and aspirations of the West.

1) Achievement Orientation
2) Work ethic
3) Material Success
4) Middle-of-the-Road Approach to the Tradition
5) Impulse Gratification
6) Use of Hi-Tech products
EXAMPLES

1. Coca-cola : Usual advertisement in combined in Hindi and English languages ,but in some
region no Hindi speaking public available and hence they come out with regional languages in
advertisement.

2. Textiles and Television brands does more advertisements during festivals and religious seasons.

3. Cadbury India offers Special packs during festivals like Diwali, Christmas and Rakshabandhan.
CONCLUSION

 As it has been seen and said before, the world is becoming more and more globalize. People
tend to have the same needs and wishes and that is why in some cases, companies may have
the possibility to produce the same items and the same advertising campaigns for its
international consumers. However, thanks to the analysis previously done, it has been realized
that strong differences remain according to the cultures of the citizens.

 Companies must understand these differences, especially when they sell products that can be
considering as chocking by the population. If they understand them and learn how consumers
think according to their cultures, they will be able to produce good ways of communication
and sell their products properly.
REFERENCES
 https://
www.nust.na/sites/default/files/documents/CAO712S_Schiffman_CB10e_IM_11.pdf
 https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/impact-of-culture-on-consumer-buying-behavi
or
/
 https://www.translatemedia.com/translation-blog/culture-influences-consumer-purchasin
g-decisions
/