Which Cultures Need You To Get To The Point Fast?

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.

We have already reviewed two such tools for cultures with a high masculinity behavioral trait. These were the web tools of:

• Games and Quizzes
• Product Quality

Get To The Point

This week we are going to look at another web tool for high masculinity cultures:

• Get to the point when giving your information on your website

It’s often easier to understand this when looking at how you would appeal to the cultures on the other end of the scale. At this opposite end of the scale you would use a soft sell approach with attention to images.

Here, in today’s example, in cultures with high masculinity traits you would use less imagery to get your point across.

Let’s review the the cultural behavior of masculinity:

Traits Of Cultures High In Masculinity

Some cultures are described as being high on a scale of masculinity and are compared to cultures at the other end of the scale which are high in femininity. The cultures high in masculinity are stimulated more with:

• Ambition
• Achievement
• Assertiveness

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

Highlight Your Directness

In these cultures you need to pay attention how you:

• Get to the point
• Avoid excessive imagery
• Be careful with the use of fantasy

In cultures high on the masculinity scale it is important to get directly to the point in giving information on your website.

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