UNDERSTANDING, ADAPTABILITY AND BUILDING CULTURES: KEYS TO CROSS CULTURAL MARKETING

Understanding the cultures and adaptability of the products is the key for the companies when they are selling their products outside the national boundaries. Cross-cultural marketing demands marketers to be aware of and sensitive to the cultural differences, to respect the right to culture by the consumers in various cultures and marketplaces, marketers should understand that consumers deserved the right to their cultures. If the marketers want to be the winners in the cross-cultural marketing they must create the marketing mix that meets the consumer\'s values said Prof. Atul Tandon, Ex Director, Mudra Institute of Communication,Ahmedabad while speaking on the topic "Cross Cultural Marketing" at Ludhiana Management Association.Dr.K.N.S.Kang, general Secretary LMA, Mr V.K.Goyal, President LMA, Mr. J.R.Singhal, Sr.Vice President LMA, businessmen, entrepreneurs and members of the association were also present on the occasion.

Dr K.N.S.Kang General Secretary Ludhiana Management Association while welcoming the guests said that Cross Cultural marketing evolved from cross cultural communication. It's after 1991 when liberalization policy of the govt allowed the foreign players to enter the Indian markets that concept of cross cultural selling of products started gaining importance. Dr. Kang said that in this globalised world it is important for the marketers that they should make right mix of product, promotion and pricing to make their products acceptable among the consumers. He further said that today's managers need to be educated and trained in such a way that they understand the challenges of cultural differences and try to overcome them by developing tailor made marketing programmes suited to specific cultural markets.

Prof. Atul Tandon while speaking on the topic said that cultures are inherited in the psyche of the consumers from their families and consumers want everything in their life as per the accepted standards of their defined culture. In such a scenario companies and their marketing gurus needs to first understand the specific cultural boundaries of the markets and then develop the products and market as per the set norms and standards of specific cultures. While speaking he highlighted that how Multinational Corporation have changed their management styles, products and even business philosophy to adapt and sell their products in such diverse and multi cultured society. He quoted the success stories of MNC like P&G, MacDonalds, Coca Cola, kellogs and entry of Japanese cars in US Markets etc. He further stressed that companies need to take initiative in building the cultures in market place rather than being responsive to the cultural requirements. He further said that organization having ability to tolerate failure and have risk appetite will succeed in such a dynamic and versatile cultural diversity.

While discussing the topic he emphasized that marketing should influence and develop cultures. Marketers can act as agents of changes within a culture. He said that the interactions between marketing and culture can be examined from three perspectives or dimensions. Firstly, culture defines acceptable purchasing and product-use behavior for both consumers and business. Secondly, each element of culture influences each component of the marketing mix. Promotion and advertisement, for instance, is strongly influenced by the language. Product acceptance is affected by culturally based attitudes towards change. And distribution is influenced by social institutions; thirdly, marketers should influences and build culture, especially by contributing to cultural borrowings and change. In the long run, as more markets become global and standardization of marketing mix increases, the rate of cultural changes will also increase. Thus in the modern era it is important how good you are in building the cultures rather than responsive to cultures.

Mr V.K.Goyal President Ludhiana Management Association while giving his presidential remarks said that there are many negative factors in the business environment we have to make efforts to make India grow in spite of all the odds. He said that rather than blaming others for not bringing change lets change ourselves as per the requirements of the society and then change others as per your requirements. He emphasized that same principle applies in business when it comes to question of cross cultural selling. He further emphasized that our mind sets need to be changed, we cannot move with same stereo typed approach with our products and business philosophy. Marketing cross-culturally is a process during which marketers need to continuously adjust and change their behaviors and marketing programs to fit into the targeted markets. He highlighted that entering foreign markets, marketers frequently fall into the trap of the self-reference criterion, the unconscious application of one\'s own cultural experiences beliefs and values to a market in another culture. Even more dangerous than self-reference criterion is the belief that one\'s own culture is superior to any other. We definitely have to change as per the requirements of cultures in different market places. During his presidential remarks Mr. Goyal stresses that we should create and build institutions that can run for log run.
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