When A Show Of Company Hierarchy Reassures Your Clients

Last updated 16 August 2008

There are fives scales to measure different cultural behaviors.

• High Individualism versus High Collectivism Behavior
• Uncertainty Avoidance versus Low Uncertainty Avoidance Behavior
• High Power Distance versus Low Power Distance Behavior
• High Masculinity versus High Femininity Behavior
• High Context versus Low Context Behavior

Important: Read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools before implementing any of these web tools.

There is more than one tool you can use to appeal to each of the different cultural behavioral traits.

This is the first web tool for cross cultural communication to cultures with cultures the Power Distance behavioral trait:

Company Hierarchy

This week we will look at a web tool for cultures with a high Power Distance culture behavioral trait:

• Company Hierarchy

Some cultures expect more emphasis on company hierarchy than others. They need to be able to identify the leaders. They might only want to speak to the person with the right title or who is at an appropriate level for them.

There are some cultures that respond better with stronger communication on company hierarchy. These are cultures with a strong belief in authority and hierarchy.

Cultural barriers will pop up if you don’t work towards these needs in your foreign culture.

As you get to know your foreign markets, pay attention to their needs in being informed of your company hierarchy. You may not need to change what you already have on your website.

Do some online market research in your target country to see how other local websites present their company’s hierarchy.

Let’s review the cultural behavior of high power distance behavior traits:

Traits Of Cultures High In Power Distance

Some cultures are described as being high on the power distance scale. These cultures have a strong belief in:

• Authority
• Hierarchy

Here’s one thing you can do to communicate better with your clients in these cultures:

Highlight Information On Company Hierarchy

In these cultures you will want to find the right way to:

• highlight your executive team a little differently
• present your company’s executives in a different way.
• include other members of your staff.
• be careful how you translate job functions

Determine what your foreign market needs with regards to their cultural beliefs and find a way to give it to them.

The Right Touch

Remember…

These web tools are not absolute remedies to barriers in your cross cultural communication. You will need to find the right mix of different web tools to communicate effectively with your particular markets.

Different cultures respond to different things. They have different communication needs. And it is never a simple mix of tools.

This is not about whether to put any reference to company hierarchy on your website or not. You need to test:

• the best places to put this information on your website
• how your web tool comes across in these countries

There will be other tools you will need to highlight as well. Luckily it is easy to test results with online marketing. As we go through this series of cross cultural communication web tools, use the knowledge you have on your foreign markets, do a little foreign market research and test your own mix of these tools.

Use these cross cultural web tools to inspire you to improve your web communication with your international clients.

There is lots more on the different cultural behaviors in the June issues of the Get International Clients Weekly Newsletter. Sign up quickly for more tips and ideas for getting more out of your international marketing.

Important Notice

Basic Guidelines For Using This Web Tool

If you have not read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools as mentioned in the very beginning of this article, please do so before implementing any of these web tools.

You need to look at the whole picture of all five cultural behaviors before tweaking how you use the specific web tools outlined here.

Cindy King is a Cross-Cultural Marketer and International Sales Specialist, with over 25 years field experience in international business development. Find out about how Cindy can help you get international clients