ecrea3j brengman malaika ppt
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1
Cultural differences reflected on the internet:
Prof. dr. Malaika Brengman
A comparison between Belgian and Dutch e-commerce websites
‘The Myth of the Global Internet’ECREA Symposium 2007Brussels, BELGIUM
BELGIUM
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Overview
Introduction Culture and cultural sensitivity of websites Cultural differences between Belgium and
the Netherlands Research question and hypotheses Methodology Analyses & Results Conclusions
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Introduction
The growth of the internet as an internationalcommunication medium raises the questionwhether to standardize or to adaptmarketing communications via the www.
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Cultural sensitivity of websites
In favour of standardization
– Mass communication medium with worldwideaccessibility
– Some researchers are convinced that culturalfactors have no influence on website perception
– Some have even argued that the internet haspromoted “the emergence of a cosmopolitanonline culture, a hybrid culture overridingtraditional cultural differences”
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Cultural sensitivity of websites
In favour of adaptation
– Other researchers argue that the internet is not a culturallyneutral medium
– They confirm that there are intercultural differences inperception of website content and stress that values,images, themes and symbols should be adapted to localcultures.
– It is an interactive medium, making a high degree ofaudience adaptation possible.
– It is argued that the more a website is transaction-oriented,the more it should be localized (language, content, interfacedesign) in order to gain customer’s confidence and sales.
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Cultural differences betweenBelgium and the Netherlands
Local (Dutch and Belgian) companies oftenassume that Belgium and the Netherlands(as neighbours with a common language) arethe ideal countries to make their first stepstowards international expansion.
They often tend to ignore important culturaldifferences (Kotler et al., 2006).
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Cultural differences betweenBelgium and the Netherlands
In fact, no countries (…) with a commonborder and a common language
are so culturally apart (…)as (Dutch) Belgium and the Netherlands”.
Geert Hofstede, 1980, p228
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Cultural differences betweenBelgium and the Netherlands
Socio-scientific approach to culture
It can be conceived as a mentalpredisposition in attitudes and behaviouracquired and preserved by education andsocial relations. It is a collectivephenomenon, with at its core a number ofpositive and negative values, which can besummarized in 5 to 7 cultural dimensions
(Hofstede, 1980& 2001; Trompenaers, 1994)
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Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Power distanceAppreciation of social inequality and hierarchy
MasculinityThe extent to which masculine values as assertiveness,competition, urge for achievement and success prevail incomparison to more feminine values such as life quality,nurturing, helpfulness and solidarity
Uncertainty AvoidanceThe degree to which individuals tend to avoid ambiguoussituations and to take risks when making decisions
CollectivismThe degree to which ties between members of a community arerather loose (i.e. individualistic) or tight (i.e. collectivistic)
(Hofstede, 1980, 2001)
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Cultural differences betweenBelgium and the Netherlands
7172787580Individualism
8693979453UncertaintyAvoidance
4360435414Masculinity
6867616538PowerDistance
FranceWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumThe
Netherlands
(Hofstede, 1980, 2001)
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Cultural differences betweenBelgium and the Netherlands
No data-4-26-4-2Individualism
+43+47+47+53+44UncertaintyAvoidance
+12+18+13+21+29Masculinity
+20+18+25+16+23PowerDistance
Gerritsen(2001)
ICT-sector2001
Claes &Gerritsen(2004)Students
1998
Orriëns(1998)Banking-
sector 1998
Hofstede(2001)
Managers1990
Hofstede(1980)
IBM’60-’70 Be vs Nl
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Research Objective & Hypotheses
Research objective:
To explore whether cultural differences betweenBelgium and the Netherlands are actuallyreflected in their respective commercial websites.
Hypotheses:We expect Belgian commercial sites (vs Dutch ones)H1 – to reflect more ‘Power Distance’H2 – to display a higher level of ‘Masculinity’H3 – to reflect a higher level of ‘Uncertainty AvoidanceH4 – to display no difference in collectivism
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Methodology
Elaborate content analysis of commercial websites ofboth countries (cfr. Singh & Baack, 2004)
40 Dutch and 40 Belgian commercial websites (20Flemish and 20 Walloon) have been analyzed in asystematic way
5 sectors: online sellers of clothing, books, music,computers and travel (for each sector 8 sites percountry)
Online retailers identified through search engines
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Methodology
Power distance (7 items)company hierarchy information, pictures of CEO’s, Quality informationand awards, vision statement, rank or prestige of the company, prideof ownership appeal, proper titles
Masculinity (7 items)Quizzes and games, hard sell approach, explicit comparisons, realismtheme, product effectiveness, use of superlatives, clear gender roles
Uncertainty Avoidance (9 items)Customer service, secure payment, guided navigation, traditiontheme, local stores, local terminology, free trials and downloads,customer testimonials, toll free numbers
Collectivism (8 items)community relations, clubs or chat room, newsletter, family theme,country specific information, symbols and pictures of nation, loyaltyprograms, links to local websites
(Singh & Baack, 2004)
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Analyses and Results
0
1
2
3
4
5
Power Dist
ance
Masc
ulinity
Uncerta
inty
Avo
idance
Collect
ivism
The Netherlands Belgium Flanders Wallonia
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Analyses and Results
n.s.p=.0502.952.102.532.13Collectivism(8 items)
n.s.p=.0024.353.103.733.35UncertaintyAvoidance(9 items)
P=.014p=.0094.152.903.532.80Masculinity(7 items)
P=.036n.s.2.901.902.401.50PowerDistance(7 items)
t-testt-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumTheNetherlands
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Analyses and Results
p < .000n.s.404542.57.5Proper Titles
n.s.n.s.504547.565Pride of Ownership appeal
n.s.p = .0015553022.5Rank or Prestige of the Company
n.s.p = .01160204025Vision Statement
n.s.n.s.302527.520Quality Information and Awards
p = .014n.s.1525202.5Pictures of CEO’s
p = .005n.s.402532.57.5Company Hierarchy Information
(%)(%)(%)(%)Power Distance
χ2-test
χ2-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumThe Netherlands
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Analyses and Results
H1 confirmed
Websites of Belgian online retailers reflect ahigher level of ‘Power distance’ than Dutchones
+ information on company hierarchy+ depictions of CEO’s+ use of proper titles of address
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Analyses and Results
0
1
2
3
4
5
Power Dist
ance
Masc
ulinity
Uncerta
inty
Avo
idance
Collect
ivism
The Netherlands Belgium Flanders Wallonia
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Analyses and Results
n.s.p=.0502.952.102.532.13Collectivism(8 items)
n.s.p=.0024.353.103.733.35UncertaintyAvoidance(9 items)
P=.014p=.0094.152.903.532.80Masculinity(7 items)
P=.036n.s.2.901.902.401.50PowerDistance(7 items)
t-testt-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumTheNetherlands
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Analyses and Results
p = .026p = .027602542.520Clear Gender Roles
p = .007p = .00190406535Use of Superlatives
p = .035n.s.65656585Product Effectiveness
n.s.n.s.707572.572.5Realism Theme
p = .027p = .02425012.50Explicit Comparisons
n.s.n.s.806572.557.5Hard Sell Approach
n.s.n.s.252022.510Quizzes and games
(%)(%)(%)(%)Masculinity
χ2-test
χ2-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumThe Netherlands
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Analyses and Results
H2 confirmed
Websites of Belgian online retailers reflect a higher level of‘Masculinity’ than Dutch ones
+ superlatives+ distinction between the sexes+ explicit comparisons
(However Walloon sites seem mainly responsible for these differences)
Nevertheless:- emphasis on effectiveness of products
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Analyses and Results
Within Belgium websites of Walloon onlineretailers appear to reflect a higher level of‘Masculinity’ than Flemish ones
+ superlatives+ distinction between the sexes+ explicit comparisons
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Analyses and Results
0
1
2
3
4
5
Power Dist
ance
Masc
ulinity
Uncerta
inty
Avo
idance
Collect
ivism
The Netherlands Belgium Flanders Wallonia
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Analyses and Results
n.s.p=.0502.952.102.532.13Collectivism(8 items)
n.s.p=.0024.353.103.733.35UncertaintyAvoidance(9 items)
P=.014p=.0094.152.903.532.80Masculinity(7 items)
P=.036n.s.2.901.902.401.50PowerDistance(7 items)
t-testt-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumTheNetherlands
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Analyses and Results
n.s.n.s.0002.5Toll Free Numbers
n.s.n.s.55512.5Customer Testimonials
p = .002n.s.401527.52.5Free Trials and Downloads
n.s.n.s.10052.5Local Terminology
n.s.n.s.655057.552.5Local Stores
n.s.n.s.30202520Tradition Theme
n.s.p = .0241007587.582.5Guided Navigation
n.s.p = .00790507070Secure Payment
n.s.n.s.95959590Customer Service
(%)(%)(%)(%)U n c e r t a i n t y
Avoidance
χ2-test
χ2-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumThe Netherlands
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Analyses and Results
Websites of Belgian online retailers do notseem to reflect a higher level of ‘UncertaintyAvoidance’ than Dutch ones
Nevertheless:+ free downloads and trials
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Analyses and Results
Within Belgium websites of Walloon onlineretailers do appear to reflect a higher level of‘Uncertainty Avoidance’ in comparison toFlemish websites
+ emphasis on security of payment+ possibility of guided navigation
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Analyses and Results
0
1
2
3
4
5
Power Dist
ance
Masc
ulinity
Uncerta
inty
Avo
idance
Collect
ivism
The Netherlands Belgium Flanders Wallonia
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Analyses and Results
n.s.p=.0502.952.102.532.13Collectivism(8 items)
n.s.p=.0024.353.103.733.35UncertaintyAvoidance(9 items)
P=.014p=.0094.152.903.532.80Masculinity(7 items)
P=.036n.s.2.901.902.401.50PowerDistance(7 items)
t-testt-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumTheNetherlands
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Analyses and Results
n.s.n.s.65355052.5Links to Local Web sites
p = 0.043n.s.35454020Loyalty Programs
n.s.p = .04630517.510Symbols & Pictures of Nation
n.s.n.s.151012.522.5Country Specific Information
n.s.p = 0.01265254527.5Family Theme
n.s.n.s.556057.557.5Newsletter
n.s.n.s.253027.515Clubs or Chat room
n.s.n.s.502.57.5Community Relations
(%)(%)(%)(%)Collectivism
χ2-testχ2-testWalloniaFlanders
BelgiumThe Netherlands
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Analyses and Results
H4 confirmed
Websites of Belgian online retailers do notseem to reflect a different level of‘Collectivism’ than Dutch ones
Nevertheless:+ loyalty programs
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Analyses and Results
Within Belgium websites of Walloon onlineretailers do appear to reflect a higher level of‘Collectivism’ than Flemish ones
+ family themes+ symbols and images of national identity
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Conclusions
Cultural differences in mentality between Belgiumand the Netherlands are also reflected in theirrespective commercial websites.
+ Power Distance+ Masculinity
We also revealed some significant culturaldifferences reflected between Walloon and Flemishcommercial websites
+ Masculinity+ Uncertainty Avoidance+ Collectivism
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To be continued…
The present study did not investigate theeffectiveness of locally adapted commercialwebsites
We only established that there are culturaldifferences which appear to be reflected incommercial websites
In a subsequent phase of this research project,an experimental study will be carried out in orderto investigate this crucial question
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Questions?
Department of Business Economics and Strategic ManagementFaculty of Economics, Social and Political Sciences, and Solvay Business School
Vrije Universiteit BrusselPleinlaan 2
1050 BrusselBELGIUM
Prof. Dr. Malaika BrengmanTel.: +32 2 629 20 65
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact information