Culture the Key to Success of a Corporation’s International Marketing Strategy

Culture the Key to Success of a Corporation’s International Marketing Strategy

Culture: the Key to Success of a Corporation’s International Marketing Strategy

Yuxin Lu

MLitt. Management

University of St Andrews

02/11/2011

Introduction

‘Business executives in the 21st century are, or will be, forced to deal in the global market place’ (Wood, 2000: 542). The motives of this are the enormous expansion, potential profit overseas, and the desire to survive the onslaught of global competition (Rosensweig, 1998). Traditionally, international marketers hold the opinion that consumers would resemble each other increasingly and thus would eat the same food, wear same clothes, and watching the same television programs to an increasing proportion (de Mooij, 2003). But it is totally different in the practical markets where cultural diversity is becoming more and more distinct. When considering trading in international markets, executives face the economic, cultural and political boundaries which need to be overcome.

What is the key element, which is often overlooked by many marketers, can determine the success of failure of a company’s international marketing? It is culture. International marketing is not only an economic but more importantly a cultural activity. A good understanding of cultural environment is crucial for a corporation to effectively selecting the target markets, design appropriate marketing mix, and establish good international public relations which can grasp the potential consumers and maintain the existed one and thus determines the success of its international marketing.

The purpose of this essay is to discussion why cultural environment is the key to the success of international marketing. In realizing this aim, definition and explaining of the culture will come to the first which followed by the impact of culture environment on international marketing. The most significant part is the importance of understanding the cultural...