- learning about the language and customs of your customers so you can use marketing promotion techniques that will fit their culture
| Mother Tongue
Marketing
- learning about the language and customs of your customers so you can use marketing promotion techniques that will fit their culture |
|
.
For the students of Prof.
W. Tim G. Richardson, Toronto, Canada
.
| .. | This unit is
used in
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| . | Not all of the material in this unit will be used in each of these courses; the amount of material covered will be indicated by the actual lecture given in class by the professor. Some courses cover this topic extensively, some courses deal with it briefly. |
| DISCLAIMER | The
comments on this list comes mostly from emails from my students who "represent"
the different cultures below. Most words in each sentance, and the choice
of grammar and syntax comes directly from each student email, without editing
- unless you notice [ ].
If people who are reading this unit, disagree with the opinions expressed here, keep in mind these comments are expressed by students who are actually from these cultures and feel they have a right to freely express their opinion(s) as they chose. Sometimes "alternate points of view" are not expressed for the simple reason that no student has emailed to make such a contribution. If
you are a student of one of the cultures listed here, and wish to express
an "alternate comment" you are invited to
It is not intended that these comments be considered "rigid accurate, researched academic opinion" on the various countriesand cultures - rather it is a simple list by students for students. However studying the information on this list would be considered valuable since such knowledge may help students in answering questions on a test that may cover the topic of cultural awareness in marketing. |
Chpt 5 |
The Canadian
Consumer Market: Demographic and Economic Dimensions
Chpt 5 in the Shapiro, Wong, Perreault text used in MRK 200 discusses the demographic dimensions of the Canadian market - which was the impetus for this unit. Part of the reason for creating this reference list is due to the fact that the students of Prof. Richardson come from many different countries and it might be helpful to have some ideas on what things you need to consider. |
 |
Canadian immigrants
by country of origin (2004)
- this information helps marketing people plan cultural aspects of marketing products and services from the federal government
ministry of
|
 |
Canadian immigrants
by language (2004)
- this information helps marketing people plan the language of marketing communications from the federal government
ministry of
|
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CARIBBEAN
CENTRAL AMERICA Map of the Caribbean, Central
America,
click map to view larger
image
|
Jamaica
 |
Things in Caribbean culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Jamaican people | |
| - patois slang
- there are several countries in the Caribbean but the largest one that represents students in Toronto is Jamaica - Jamaicans in Toronto are greater in number than all other Caribbean islands put together (in Montreal it is Haitians) - the use of famous singers eg. The Hon. Robert N. Marley - reggae music - colours (red, gold, green ) Rasta colours - Reggae Boyz, - dominoes - Red Strip Beer - American influenced pop culture [clothing, food] - Jamaicans have more slang words for marijuana than Inuit have words for snow
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||
| contributed
by these students
Stephanie, Carrie, Anthony, Natalie, Andrea |
Barbados
pop. 250,000 |
Things in Caribbean culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to people from Barbados | |
| Barbados is known as "Little
England" and therefore assumes a lot of British practices and indeed
the capital Bridgetown resembles London.
- Barbados is very proud of its 99.7% literacy rate as defined by the CIA at https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/bb.html - Because of the high literacy rate Bajans (the term for Barbadian) prefer advertising with intellectual wit - They also prefer products with a British "feel" to them - The youth prefer highly Americanized products and services but they must be the latest thing. Anything obsolete or not meeting current world standards will get little sales. - The older people prefer British products and ideals - The workplace and schools prefer British products and ideals - Barbadians tend not to respect marketing done in the Bajan dialect unless it is for the purpose of humour - Barbados has 4% Caucasian people versus 90% black people and this has led to a kind of worshipping of Caucasians - therefore marketing (using Caucasian figures for respect) is usually more effective unless, of course it is trying to be humourous. - Older Barbadians like Spouge, calypso and reggae while younger ones tend to live Soca, Dancehall and Hip Hop.
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Tara (CCT 322 UTM Jan. 2007) |
| Latin
America
Panama
|
Things in Panamanian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to people in Panama |
| - Panamanian wardrobe is
all shorts and mini skirts to complement the very hot weather (says a young
female student who lives there)
- Central Americans like 'hot' tropical colours, like bright yellow, green, pink, red. - some panamanian slangs that are considered teenager-lingo (for products targetting teenagers): Q'xopa! (What's up?), Parkear ( To chill), Esta del K-rajo! (That's so cool!) - Mainstream musical preferences are definitely: salsa, merengue, tipico and reggaeton - Another predominant aspect is the social, friendly atmosphere, where people kiss each other on the cheeks to say hi and bye... a MUST (So when you go to a party with 50 people...that's 100 kisses!)...so being friendly is very important. - Dancing and not drinking is more dominant in Panamanian parties - For food, Panamanians love banana, coconut rice and pinacolada! - in Panama people speak Spanish and English |
|
| contributed by Eliza (UTSC C44 student from Panama) |
 |
SOUTH AMERICA
Map of South America click map to view larger image |
| Latin
America
Peru
|
Things in Peruvian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to people in Peru |
| Peru has a very complex
socioeconomic environment.
Race/Class/Money is a big issue that stands out to any advertisers The country is divided into different "layers" . You have the poor. The typical scene you see in infomercials asking you to donate $1/month to help a village. Then you have the country's "working class".... this within itself has a wide income range. Then you have the white people. The white people are the elite. They live in a different world. When marketing to Peruvians you have to keep in mind the differences because what appeals to one sector has nothing to do with what appeals to the other sector. The working class is more "show off". They are of darker skin, loud, rambuntious, and will buy anything "shiny", big jewelery, little integration with the english language etc. The white part of the contry is considered the "Creme de la creme". They live in a "mini USA" environment, where they only drive expensive imported cars, wear big brands (Ralph Lauren, Tommy, Gucci etc). They are very brand and image culture. English is a large part of their culture. Not so much because they speak english but because they travel a lot, often sending their children for a year in the USA, they are attracted to anything that has english in it. Any advertising ad
with an english sentence and they are sold on the product no matter what.
They believe in quality food, quality drink and quality partying.
They are
|
|
| contributed by Silvia (UTM student from Peru) |
| Latin America | Things in Latin American culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Latino people |
| Argentina - Tango
Peru & Chile - the native indians are a large part of the population Christian religious figures Taco Bell dog - chihuahua - in Brazil they speak Portuguese not Spanish |
|
| contributed by Andrew |
 |
ASIA PACIFIC
A simple map of Asia is not simple, meaning different people consider different countries to be part of Asia - for example most Asia maps show Australia, but not far enough south for New Zealand, which begs the question "Are Australia and New Zealand (who are neighbours) in separate regions?" - also, the question of how wide do you go, if Asia includes China, then right under China is India - if India is in Asia is it's neighbour Pakistan also in Asia? or is Pakistan in the Middle East cause it is beside Afghanistan? - if you click on the map to the left you can see a larger image which shows the the 3 divisions of Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East as adhered to by the U.N. |
Singapore
pop. 4.6 million |
Things in Singapore culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Singapore people |
| - Singlish slang (A mix
of the different languages and dialects spoken added into English)
- A large percentage of Singaporeans are able to understand, speak and write English. English is the official First language in Singapore. - There are three official ethnic groups in Singapore : Chinese, Malays and Indians. - There are many festive seasons and important holidays in Singapore due to its variety of different ethnic groups and religions. Many companies use these festive seasons as themes to promote their products. The main in Singapore that one should be aware of are - Chinese New Year, Buddhist Vesak Day, Muslim Eid ul-Fitr alias Hari Raya Puasa), Hindu Diwali alias Deepavali, Christmas, Good Friday, New Year's Day and last but not least National Day (Independence Day). - Other days that Singaporeans typically celebrate are : Valentines Day, Teachers' Day, Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day - Thanksgiving Day or Boxing Day are non-existent in Singapore. - Major school holidays for grade schools to high schools are in the month of June and in the month of December. - Summer vacations are non-existent in Singapore since every day is a summer day - Singaporeans love to watch movies at theatres (A movie ticket ranges between (CND$5-$8) depending on location and day of the week - Jan 2007) - GST is included on what you see on the price tags. - It is not uncommon for Malays and Indians in Singapore to understand and/or speak Mandarin - It is not uncommon for Chinese or Indians in Singapore to understand and/or speak Malay - Singaporeans generally do not favour Singaporeans speaking English in an American/foreign accent. May be seen as annoying. - Racial harmony exists in Singapore. - Unlike Canada, Singaporeans, despite their race or where their ancestors were originally from, identifies themselves as Singaporeans. - People follow trends for food (Example: It was a trend to drink Taiwanese Bubble tea around the years of 1999-2002; In 2005, it was a trend to eat a new type of pastry - "Rotiboy") |
|
| contributed
by these students
Weifang (UTM student in Jan 2007) |
Korea
pop. 48 million |
Things in Korean culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Korean people |
| Arirang
- South Korea is properly called Republic of Korea or ROK, North Korea is called Democratic People's Republic of Korea - don't mix them up !! - South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country - Taekwondo is their national martial art and they think they are very good at it - it is also an Olympic sport - Kimchee - boiled cabbage , a popular food - do NOT use Red as the main colour in marketing a product - this colour is associated with communism - young Koreans are different than middle aged Koreans due to Intl' events such as soccer World Cup 2002 - young Korean men hate compulsory military service but they talk about their service time a lot (like being proud to have been in the Korean Marines) - Korean flag is hard to draw so if you want to use that symbol, better have a Korean person do it - Korean food is more spicy than Japanese food - drinking alcohol is a big part of bonding for social and business circumstances - there are many mannerisms to follow when drinking, such as filling up your partners glass (do not fill a glass half full, you only do that for dead people) - like Chinese and Japanese people, the number # 4 is bad luck - # 3 is a lucky number, so is # 7 - do not assume religion, do not generalize that all Koreans you meet are Buddhists - do not mention WW2 and the Japanese occupation (last emperor of Korea was slaughtered by the Japanese forces) - do not disrespect elders - it is socially acceptable that they strike out at you if you jostle or bump them |
|
| contributed
by these students
Daniel, Kim, Sung, and a lot of help from UTSC C44 TA Joe Park |
Japanese
pop. 127 million |
Things in Japanese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Japanese people |
| - Japanese people use Chinese
characters for writing (they call them Kanji) but, the pronunciation is
different
- Bonsai - kite flying - kimono - Martial arts, Samurai, Sumo, Judo, Karate, Kendo - Sushi - extreme pressure to do well in school and get into a good university - sogoshosha, keiretsu - kaizen, TQM, J.I.T. - Sakura (cherry blossom) - young Japanese women have a very high disposable income, which means companies around the world want to be successful marketing consumer products to them - they lead consumer trends in Asia - food, clothing, entertainment (Prof. Richardson lived in Tokyo 1983-1985) |
|
| contributed
by these students
Kam, Hsiuhui, Bevneet, Karol, Edison |
Vietnam
pop. 87 million |
Things in Vietnamese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Chinese people |
| - Saigon is the old name
for the "Ho Chi Minh city". The city is named after
Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh who contributed greatly to the liberation of the city/country from foreign governments. Many people prefer Ho Chi Minh city due to this political reason. - Ho Chi Minh's picture is printed on all Vietnamese bills so sometimes people use the slang term "Cu Ho" or "Bac Ho"( both of them mean roughly "Uncle Ho") to refer to Vietnamese bills. - A few people speak French, especially those from the South - however it is mostly the older generations, English is the new "hot" language. - Just like many Asian countries, Vietnamese viewers, especially young adults, love Japanese and Korean soap operas. |
|
| contributed
by these students
Vicky |
Chinese
pop. 1.3 billion |
Things in Chinese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Chinese people |
| - using dragons in symbols
can be helpful to identify Chinese culture
- chinese characters - important to understand that within China there are several sub-cultures and regional dialects which are different - the colour red is a big part of marketing promotions - Yao Min replaced Michael Jordan - Chinese people now have their own intl superstar athlete - nice cars are important symbol of status - Will Hung (nuff said) - red lanterns - avoid use of the number 4, lucky numbers 88, 8 - because gambling is a big part of the culture - place in the restaurant varies deities such as "God of Wealth" - Hong Kong people go to Dim Sum every day -It is important to know that a couple is able to have only one child in the family stated by the Chinese law (still true in 2007) - Mahjong- a very popular game (played with tiles) that most Chinese people know - Chinese outside of China are not confined to just Markham/Spadina, Vancouver and San Francisco, it is estimated that the are 37 million people in 136 countries who consider themselves ethnically Chinese from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the PRC - myth, the largest population of Chinese outside China is Toronto (1 million) - wrong the number of Chinese in Indonesia is over 7 million, 6 million in Thailand, 5 million Malysia, 2.3 million Singapore. -Tapping your four fingers down on the table means “Thank you” (or to show appreciation) and normally you do it when you’re eating in a Chinese restaurant. For instance, when someone helps you to refill your cup of tea you should do that. -The “Face” concept is another cultural thing you should know when marketing to Chinese people. It is about the image and credibility of a person. To make sure you don’t cause a person to lose “Face” you should never make the person feel ashamed, embarrassed or just feel bad, especially in front of other people. - The whole concept of family is extremely important to the Chinese market, while there is more and more western influence in China to be more “independent” and “individualistic”, but the significance of family is still the keystone of the Chinese culture. Chinese parents raise their kids as part of retirement planning. - says Eddie -A lot of people in China believe in spirit and ghost even though they didn’t see one before. - Since the government generally doesn't support wide-spread religious practices and beliefs in the media, ghost or horror movies sometimes are required to have alternative endings e.g. they want to see an ending that suggests everything happened in the movie as a dream or an illusion. |
|
| contributed
by these students
Carrie, Pan, Joe, Gavin, Rajiv, Qiong, Bo, Yanwei, yuan xiu, han, Rosetta, Eddie, Vicky, Jessie C., |
Philippines
pop. 88 million |
Things in Filipino culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Filipino people |
| - sending money back home
- the country is spelled Philippines, the people spell it Philipino or Filipino - some people refer to it as P.I. (Philippine Islands) - the importance of the Catholic Church - everybody speaks English fluently - Tagalog language uses a lot of Spanish words - brand names are important for clothing - heavy American influence - family values (Prof. Richardson lived in the Philippines in 1998) |
|
| contributed
by these students
Michele, Steve |
Australia
pop. 21 million |
Things in Australian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Australian people |
| images related to animals
which are specific to Australia, like the Kangaroo, Koala Bear
- some Australians are very proud of the fact that the origins of the country is based on convicts from England being sent there in the 1800's |
|
| contributed
by these students
Prathib |
| India
|
Things in East Indian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to East Indian people |
| Firstly, India is the world
biggest democracy, meaning the gap between the rich and poor is widest
and the extremes of democracy show through here more than in any other
country. That however is just one of the democracies that exist (rich
poor gap). other include the bollywood vs. hollywood battle, and traditional
vs. modern cultural standards. Education is hugely popular for those
who can afford it and is heavily stressed by parents and elders.
Elders are still very much respected (compared to western culture).
- pictures of God - religious
deities of many types
|
|
| contributed
by these students
Rajiv, Jia, Steve, Chandraseka, Mike |
Sri
Lanka
pop. 20 million
|
Things in Sri Lankan culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Sri Lankan people |
| - Sri Lanka, the country
is currently in a state of conflict
- some people say the conflict (Sinhalese vs. Tamil) is violent, some say it is not too violent, it depends on what side you support - the majority of the population in Sri Lanka (70-75%) are Sinhalese - Tamils represent 5-10% of the population in Sri Lanka, depending on who is the source of counting - India is reported as having once armed and trained the terrorist group Tamil Tigers http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/526407.stm - in Canada, about 80% of people from Sri Lanka are Tamil - the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a cease-fire in February 2002, - whether the Tigers are called Terrorists or Freedom Fighters depends on your perspective as to the source of the conflict but it remains a very sensitive issue for Canadians since Canada has the largest population of Tamil people outside Sri Lanka and many Canadian newspapers report that most Tamils support the "Tigers" - the Tigers are considered terrorists by the Canadian RCMP and CSIS, however many Canadian politicians have been seen at public events raising money for the Tigers so there is inconsistency with how they are treated - Paul Martin was criticized for supporting the Tamil separation movement (to get votes among Tamils in Toronto) but not supporting the Quebec separation movement? - if you want to sell to Tamil people in Toronto (and there is a large populatiom here) you can use images like a Tiger and people will think you support the Tamil Tigers |
|
| contributed
by these students
Anonymous |
| Pakistan
pop. 162 million |
Things in Pakistani culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Pakistani people |
| - between Afganistan (to
the west) and India (to the east)
- many times in recent decades the head of the government has been a military leader - large % of the population speak English - cricketeers, famous players can be used in marketing - singing and songs and dancing used in commercials - some sources claim 200,000 people in Canada of Pakistani origin - most Pakistanis in Canada come from Punjab and Sindth province, which includes the big cities of Lahore (to the north) and Karachi (at the very south on the coast) - Punjabi language in Pakistan is also spoken by people in N.W. India - strong influence of Islamic culture - earthquake prone country - last one in October 2005 |
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| . |
 |
MIDDLE EAST
While there are a number
of significant countries in the Middle East, it was not until late 2006
that any Seneca or
|
Iraq
pop. 29 million |
Things
in Iraqi culture you should know about to be able to successfully market
to the region
- although currently (2002-2007) there is an active war in the country, people still do business in the middle of a war - UN agencies and other military groups import food and equipment and Iraqi businesses export a variety of products through different methods - the Cdn Dept. of Foreign Affairs says about Iraq "Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against all travel to this country" - there is no Embassy of Canada in Iraq |
| importance of Islamic religion
and understanding the split between the main groups
- Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian - Iraq was historically known as Mesopotamia, which literally means "between the rivers". This land was home to the world's first known civilization. - an Iraqi student at UTM says "People in Iraq are so proud of their past and their history that they spent too much time about what they did and will forget sometimes to talk about the future. You can see that from where Iraq was and where is it right now" - Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3% Sunni government rule Iraq for more than 5 decades, but Christians and other minorities were treated the best throughout these years. - Iraq has more oil resources that any other country in the world… not production I said resources, the people could’ve been the richest citizens on the globe because there is only 27 million of them, but they were taken back in time at least a century … to the point where people had to go their water from beside the river, [there was no municipal water supply]. - The government of Saddam Hussein made a schedule for the times each of the 18 major cities in Iraq will get power (electricity) ?such an organized regime! Some cities will get power for 12 hours a day other will get 2 hours only! Great example of equality! - Throughout the 90s and until 2002 the average salary for employees who work for the government were around 5000 Dinars, and you have to pay 1500 Dinars for a Dozen of eggs! ? So you know how comfortably the people are living |
|
| contributed by Firas of UTM |
Iran
pop. 71 million |
Things
in Iranian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market
to the region
- the Cdn Dept. of Foreign Affairs says about Iran "Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against all travel to this country" - DFAIT says "you are advised against all travel to the Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran as this region is regularly affected by ethnic conflicts and there have been a number of kidnappings involving foreign tourists in that province. For the same reasons, you are also advised against all travel to the Khuzestan province." |
| importance of Islamic religion
and the role in government
- in Iran, a popular food is shish kabob - Iranian people do not speak "Iranian" - they speak Farsi - the country was called Persia up until 1935 |
|
| contributed |
| U.A.E.
United Arab Emirates 
pop. 4 million |
Things in UAE (Arabic) culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to the region |
| United Arab Emirates is
not a country, but a federation made out of 7 countries
importance of Islamic religion and the role in government
• The most famous sport is football. • All private schools teach in English. • Everyone eats rice for lunch. That doesn’t mean only plain rice, but flavored rice too. A popular rice dish would be The Ouzi. • Men usually don’t shake women’s hands. • Arabic is spoken in different accents by different Arabic countries. UAE’s Arabic accent is called the “Khaleeji” accent. This means the gulf accent. • Falconry or the upkeep of falcons is a traditional and highly valued custom in the UAE. • Dubai is one of the seven emirates (cities) in UAE. • Camel racing is a traditional sport. - predominantly a Islamic society, with 79% Sunni Muslims and 16% Shi'i Muslims. 4% are Christians - UAE is composed of 80% foreigners, 40% are arabs and 40% are non-arabs "There are few intermarriages between the different groups, and immigrants do not enjoy all the same rights as the indigenous population, even if they stay here all their life" said http://lexicorient.com/e.o/uae_4.htm |
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| contributed by Amal |
 |
AFRICA
click on the small image
to the left to see
|
African
 |
Things in Africa culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to African people | |
| great diversity within Africa
- hard to be specific cause cultures so different - a lot of countries in Africa speak French as a result of the French colonial activity in the 1700's and 1800's
- in a UTM class in Jan 2007
a student suggested that Africa was "underepresented" but there haven't
been many students "step up" to represent, so until we do, there
is not much information for this region
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Judy |
Tanzania
pop. 36 million |
Things in Tanzanian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Tanzanian people |
| Tanzania is made of the
mainland (Tanganyika) and the Islands (Zanzibar & Pemba)
- Languages mostly spoken in Tanzania: Swahili (referred to as Kiswahili) & English - English (which has been the colonial language since the end of the First World War) is still the language of high schools and universities. - Everybody knows everybody. This means Tanzanians like to socialize. - Most popular meal is called “Mishkaki”. It consists of barbequed chicken and fries that is shopped from fresh potatoes. - Samosas are very popular in Africa and they pronounce it as “Sambosa”. - Most women wear tailored dresses made out of special African materials called “Kitenge” and “Kanga”. - They rarely use landlines because it is more expensive than cell phones. - You can negotiate in almost every store you visit. - Electricity is very expensive and bought in advance - see also http://www.tanzania.go.tz/culture.html |
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| contributed by Amal (Jan 2008) |
 |
EUROPE
click on the small image
to the left to see
|
Scotland
pop. 5 million |
Things in Scottish culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Scots |
| - Anything that shows Sean
Connery in the commercial
- the Scottish lion - the Rangers, and Celtics FCs - tartan and kilts - golf - the thistle - one of the few countries in the world that has a prickly weed for the national flower !!! - think about it - bagpipes "I cheer for two teams, Scotland, and anybody playing England" is a popular expression put on T-shirts - also a T-shirt owned by Prof. Richardson |
|
| contributed
by these students
Sean, Kam |
Ireland
the Euro coin for Ireland showing a harp |
Things in Irish culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Irish people |
| - shamrock
- Irish people call their country Eire, not Ireland - Ireland is an English name - Guinness - horse racing - potcheen - Celtic music - the colour green - because of the green fields - called the "Emerald Isle" - there is a movement in Ireland to have many official documents and street signs bilingual, in English and Gaelic - many young people are learning Gaelic and old people who still speak Gaelic are highly respected - the IRA Terrorist groups are not as active in Northern Ireland as they used to be in the 1990's and 1980's but it is still very unwise to discuss matters of religion with an Irish person unless they bring up the topic first and unless you are talking with everybody in the room who is of the same faith |
|
| contributed
by these students
Jay |
Italy
pop. 59 million |
Things in Italian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Irish people | |
| - soccer is not a religion....
it's more important than that !!! (anonymous)
- emotions tend to flow easily in this culture with large hand gestures and close personal contact. So don't be alarmed if you get hit by an out of control hand gesture. “Bella Figura” is a phrase that represents a good image; the need to always be reserved and have a presentable appearance, especially when doing business with others Trust and being punctual are considered major factors when building a relationship with business partners A high respect for those in authority or for those who are older exists First impressions are very significant under any circumstance, people should expect to be judged by what their wearing and how they carry themselves (confidence etc.) Many businesses in Italy are a family collaboration or passed on from generations - Don't dress like a bum, Italians pride themselves on being the fashion centre of Europe - When someone offers you food, take it! In my experience, if I reject my grandmothers food she tends to be mad the rest of the day. She tends to come to the conclusion that I may have an eating disorder. · DO maintain eye contact while talking. This is a sign to your Italian business colleagues that you are sincere and honest. · DO shake hands with everyone when being introduced during a business or social meeting. Men should wait for women to extend their hand first. · DO ensure that you knock before entering an office in Italy and always close the door behind you. · DON'T appear impatient or rush your Italian colleagues in their business negotiations. Italians may see this as a sign of weakness. · DON'T give a business gift until you receive one first. In addition, gifts showcasing your company's logo should be avoided. · DON'T be surprised if during business meetings your Italian colleagues speak simultaneously or interrupt one another. It is a common trait of the Italian communication style. some from http://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/culture-for-business-and-management /doing-business-in/Italian_business_culture.php
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||
| contributed
by these students
Lenny C., Christina D |
| Germany
Deutschland 
pop. 82 million |
Things in German culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Irish people | |
| - first, Germans don't call
Germany "Germany", they call it Deutschland
- they don't say they speak German, they say they speak Deutsch - sports are of high importance in German culture, over 27 million Germans are members of sports clubs - most famous sport: football (soccer), over 6 million Germans play in 170.000 teams - Christmas is celebrated on December 24 - tax is already included in assigned prices (19% since 2007) - students learn English as 2nd language and often French as 3rd language, in some high schools they also teach Spanish or Italian - Germans are very punctual, especially in business meetings, so they also expect punctuality from their visitors - The Beer Nation: Germans drink a lot of beer but never during work time, so if you go to a lunch as a business meeting don’t order any alcoholic drink unless everyone else does, then you can, but you must not - If you go out with your business partners for a drink after work be prepared that everyone will drink a lot and they will order the same amount for you. So be sure you eat before you go out with them. Germans are used to drink more so they don’t get drunk that fast, in most cases people from other countries are not used to this…
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Sofia E. (UTSC exchange student) |
Poland
pop. 38 million
|
Things in Polish culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Polish people |
| - About 80% of Polish
people are Roman Catholic
- the Polish eagle is a very nationalistic symbol - English, German and Russian are among the better known foreign languages spoken in Poland, especially in the larger urban centers and hotels. English (and also German) is particularly popular among the younger generation (older people prefer German). - Close social atmospheres are preferred. (Hugging/kissing on the cheeks is common even when meeting for the first time). - Vodka - Famous Polish beers: Zywiec, Okoczim, EB, Warka - There are three main meals in Poland: the morning sniadanie (breakfast), the afternoon obiad (dinner), and the evening kolacja (supper). In between they may be supplemented with a lighter drugie sniadanie (second breakfast) and a podwieczorek (tea). - Traditional foods include LOTS of carb’s, like perogies, potato pancakes, - because of their location, Poland receives a lot of snow and winter sports are very popular |
|
| contributed
by these students
M. Czechowicz |
Greece
pop. 11 million |
Things in Greek culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Greeks |
| Greek Marketing shares many
concepts with what we see in Canada and the US when it comes to promotion
of products. Due to the fact that Greece as a whole has become a very westernized
country, there are many parallels in marketing between the United States
and Greece. Similarly Greek marketing also shares characteristics with
Italian marketing campaigns, and other characteristics from its Mediterranean
neighbours. Also, there are some characteristics that seem reminiscent
of Japanese style advertising.
Characteristics of Greek Marketing • Features soccer, and occasionally
basketball
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| contributed by Lefteris K. |
Malta
Maltese flag
|
Things in Maltese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Maltese people |
| Located in the Mediterranean
half way between southern Italy and Tunisia in north Africa
- population 400,000 on a series of islands - people speak English and Maltese - Maltese is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family - most closely related to, Arabic. - people from Malta have spread overseas to live in Canada, USA and Australia - because of their geography, people from Malta usually speak several languages and have travel experience in several countries -they love soccer (or "football", as they call it) -they are predominantly Catholic and very family-oriented -only country in the EU where divorce is not permitted -they are very involved in the local politics - long-term grudges regularly arise over political disagreements |
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| contributed
by
Tanya |
United
States
 |
Things in American culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Americans people |
| pop. 303 million
Americans know very little
about Canada, compared to how much Canadians know about the USA
|
|
| contributed
by
Tanya |
| Canadian
Culture 
|
Things
in Canadian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market
to Canadian people
- Canada is not the same from coast to coast - Canadians in the large multi-cultural cities of Toronto and Vancouver have muich different opinions about traditional Canadian values and heritage than Canadians in the small villages and farms in the smaller provinces - one person put it this way "25 million Canadians DO NOT live in Toronto" |
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"There are more doughnut shops per capita in Canada than anywhere else on the planet. Canadians eat more doughnuts than any other country's citizens. Although the doughnut is often seen as an American icon, it has become Canada's unofficial national snack. The popularity of the deep fried treats has to do with Canada's love affair with coffee...Coffee and doughnuts go hand in hand. And since coffee is Canada's number one beverage, its partner in crime, the humble doughnut, ranks up there in popularity." http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-1371-8375/life_society/canadian_food/clip8
- People give distances in times, not miles (1 hour to Port Hope from Toronto) - Canadians are obsessed with comparing themselves to Americans - Canadians consume more Kraft Dinner per capita than any other nationality on earth - Canadians usually put vinegar on their chips (French Fries), rather than ketchup. - many Canadians use mayo on their fries - homo milk means Homogenized milk. Known in the States as whole milk - poutine (pron. poo-TEEN) Quebecois specialty. French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. - Bloody Caesar Just like a Bloody Mary, except it's made with Clamato (clam and tomato) juice instead of plain tomato juice. - you can't get Clamato juice easily in the U.S. - Robertson screws Screws (for metal or wood) with a square hole in the top rather than a straight or X-shaped one. - Many of Canada's cities and provinces have nicknames: Vancouver = Hongcouver, Winnipeg = Winterpeg, Edmonton = Deadmonton - Canadian Tire money can be used like real money at small stores in Western Canada - Canada is one of the few countries in the world that will suspend, or delay, the national news because a hockey game went in to overtime |
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| see
www.canadianaconnection.com/cca/headlines.html - about our red plaid work shirts |
| French-Canadian
Culture  |
Things about French- Canadian culture you should know |
| You can't talk about Canadian
culture without talking about French-Canadians too.
In Dec 2007 CanWest News
Service reported that
Journalist Meagan Fitzpatrick
noted "Francophones are making up a smaller proportion of Canada's population"
Fitzpatrick explains "According to data from the 2006 census, 22.1 per cent of Canada's population reported French as their mother tongue, down from 22.9 per cent in 2001. " Statistics Canada said the numbers in Quebec can be explained by high immigration of people whose mother tongue is neither French or English |
|
Canadian
born abroad
 |
Things about "New Canadians" you should know | |
| Statistics Canada published
a report Dec 4th 2007 that revealed a number of things about the culture
and language of Canada towards the end of the first decade of the new millenium
Eric Beauchesne of CanWest
News Service wrote an article about the Stats Canada report and said
Canada more international than the U.S.? Statistics Canada's 2007
report reveals that Canada has a much higher proportion of foreign-born
than the United States
(what is not counted in the U.S. score by the U.S. government is the %'age of "illegal aliens" which is considered a sensitive point in U.S. politics)
|
||
Canadians
born abroad
 |
Things about "New Canadians" you should know |
| Statistics Canada report
Dec 4th 2007
Almost everybody wants to live in the city Toronto, Vancouver & Montreal are home to 2/3rds of immigrants Toronto accounts for 37% of the total immigrant population and 40% of recent immigrants. - this means Toronto is growing in popularity with immigrants, compared to Vancouver or Montreal |
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| COMMENT | Another
reason for building this page is the hope that, by students sharing several
things from each culture, we might find more things we have in common,
which may contribute towards cultural harmony, as opposed to cultural misunderstandings.
Click on the scan below and you can read a 2006 article Prof. Richardson wrote about cultural diversity - this is a personal opinion and not part of the course work you need to know. Prof. Richardson's article was written in response to a letter in the Toronto Star in June 2006 in which the writer (Omar Alghabra, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale) complained that there was not enough support for cultural diversity. Richardson replied saying that in his opinion, celebrating cultural diversity means emphasizing differences and if you want to "build a country" you should celebrate things we have in common, which would lead people to support and encourage each other. We have the same analogy from professional sports and corporate management - if you want a strong team, or a productive company, everybody has to pull together and support each other - not "celebrate" their differences - IMHO. |
check also http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/countries/business-with-other-countries.html
Pop. stats from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population
some
flags on this page come from www.theodora.com/flags/
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Richardson © www.witiger.com 
