- 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 a discussion of Canadian culture, see witiger.com/marketing/Canadian-Culture.htm
For the students of Prof.
W. Tim G. Richardson, Toronto, Canada
.
| .. | This unit is
used in
|
||
| . | 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. |
|
This webpage
is referenced in
Global Human Resource Management in Global Business Today Hill, McKaig ... and Richardson |
.... |  |
 |
 |
| 2nd Edition | 3rd Edition | 4th Edition |
 |
Posted a video on YouTube
May 11th introducing the purpose of this page.
Students are welcome to add
in information on particular countries not listed here (by emailing text
to me), in addition, you can make comments in response to my YouTube posting
about particular cultural things marketers might need to know about one
of the countries mentioned below.
|
| 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 countries and 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. |
 |
2011 Nov
The Economist Magazine ran a story about Immigrant Diasporas and how they are an opportunity to stimulate the economy. Diaspora - large numbers of a culture living outside the geographic area they originally came from Chinese - there are more Chinese people living outside China than there are French people in France. Ireland - worldwide, there are 80 million people of Irish descent - (among them are 41 million Americans who claim "Irish" as their primary ethnicity )the current population of Ireland (2011) is only 6.4 million |
| India - there
are 22 million people from India living outside of India
1 million in Canada 2.8 million in United States 1.4 million in UAE 1 million in South Africa Ukraine population 44 m
2016 Canadian Census
castanet.net/edition/news-story-361231-4-.htm#361231
|
Jamaicans
800,000 in England 740,000 in United States 230,000 in Canada Italians
Greeks
|
,
 |
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. |
| Is it useful to students, to have created such a list? | Hasan S. a former
student in MGTC46 and MGTD06 in 2009 emailed in June 2010 to say
"... wanted to thank you for allowing me to put you as a referrence, I did get the job at RBC and now am currently training as Account Manager at the bank ... wanted to say that the unit on various cultures in c44 and c46 have been of great help to me as I have started my job. Since I see clients everyday of different backgrounds and cultures, it helps to have an understanding of their culture and how to effectively and positively communicate with them. I still find myself going back to that specific page on your website to brush up on multicultural knowledge and tips before meeting clients. So wanted to say thank you!" WTGR replies
|
 |
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
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Stephanie, Carrie, Anthony, Natalie, Andrea |
Trinidad
pop 1.5 million |
Things in Trinidadian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Trinidad and Tobago people |
| Trinidad and Tobago is known
for it’s lively culture and diversity. The culture is reflective of Indian,
African, Indigenous, European, Chinese, Latin, and Arab cultures
- The island is composed of two islands and is the southernmost island in the Caribbean Sea. - Primary language is English. However, Trinidadians are known for their animated reactions, outlandish expressions, and local slang. Would be pertinent for advertisements to add some common phrases. - Ethnically, the two largest groups are Black (Afro-Trinidadians) and Indians (Indo-Trinidadian), with others such as Latins, Chinese, Arabic, and German/European. - The food of the island varies similarly to the respective ethnicities, with major influences of African, Indian, Chinese and Latin dishes. - Trinidad and Tobago served as a colony for the Spanish Empire, French Empire and for the longest, the British Empire. These influences have created customs that impact the culture of the Nation to this day. - While gaining it’s independence in 1962, Trinidad and Tobago, the country is still considered part of the British Commonwealth. As such, Trinidadians see value in products and services that are associated with the British. - Major religions include
Christianity, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam
- Primary language is English. However, Trinidadians are known for their animated reactions, outlandish expressions, and local slang. Would be pertinent for advertisements to add some common phrases. - Ethnically, the two largest groups are Black (Afro-Trinidadians) and Indians (Indo-Trinidadian), with others such as Latins, Chinese, Arabic, and German/European. - The food of the island varies similarly to the respective ethnicities, with major influences of African, Indian, Chinese and Latin dishes. - Trinidad and Tobago served as a colony for the Spanish Empire, French Empire and for the longest, the British Empire. These influences have created customs that impact the culture of the Nation to this day. - While gaining it’s independence in 1962, Trinidad and Tobago, the country is still considered part of the British Commonwealth. As such, Trinidadians see value in products and services that are associated with the British. - Major religions include Christianity, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam |
|
| contributed by student Rhea 2023 March |
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
Mexico
|
Things in Mexican culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to people in Mexico |
| - | |
| contributed by Saul N. in MRK460 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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) |
| Mexico
|
Things in Mexican culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Mexican people | |
|
||
| . |
| Guyana
|
Things in Guyanese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Guyanese people |
| We are also from the Caribbean but our culture is split in two. We have the Guyanese whose ancestors are from Africa and then we have the Guyanese whose ancestors are from India. These two groups even though both call themselves Guyanese have many differences in their culture. This is what causes most of the problems in Guyana, a clash of cultures, even though everyone there is Guyanese. I am the Guyanese with ancestors from India in which my mother and father's great grandparents originally came from India. Even though that is so, many generations back we still have a lot of the Indian culture within us. We wear there traditional clothing, listen to their music, watch their movies and eat the same types of food just with different spices. Some of my relatives can even speak relatively fluent Hindi. We commonly get mistaken for people from India. I for one love Indian music but don't understand a word of Hindi!... | |
| contributed by Abdul K. from C44 in Jan 2010 |
Suriname
.  |
Things in Suriname culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Surinamese people |
|
Although Suriname is geographically part of South America it considers itself part of the Caribbean (like its neighbour Guyana) Surinamese cuisine is a mix of Indian, Chinese, Javanese and Native Surinamese dishes. In some countries around the world where you might do business there may be "political risk" situations that you need to understand. Desi Bouterse led a military coup in 1982 to become president. The Dutch government (Holland previously held Suriname as a colony) convicted Bouterse on drug smuggling charges. Desi Bouterse's son is Dino Bouterse, a convicted drug trafficker and allegedly involved with the Islamic Hezbollah.. |
|
| contributed by Brendan T. from IBM600 in July 2014 |
 |
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
|
||
| originally
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 Vietnamese 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. in an email Jan 30th, 2012,
Sylvia T. suggested
|
|
| contributed
by these students
Vicky, Sylvia |
Chinese
pop. 1.3 billion |
Things in Chinese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Chinese people | |
Comments by various students
about Things in Chinese culture you should know about to be able to successfully
market to Chinese people
- Disparity between rural
and urban incomes is huge
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Carrie, Pan, Joe, Gavin, Rajiv, Qiong, Bo, Yanwei, Yuan Xiu, Han, Rosetta, Eddie, Vicky, Jessie C., |
| China's
Languages
pop. 1.3 billion |
Things in Chinese culture you should know about to be able to successfully understand their languages | |
|
||
| contributed by WTGR, |
| Hong
Kong SAR
SAR =
|
Things in Hong Kong Chinese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Hong Kong | |
Comments by various students about Things in Hong Kong culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Hong Kong people Here's some local info of Hong Kong, SAR. (We just call it Hong Kong FOR LIFE - same idea as calling Rogers Centre as SkyDome, or Scotiabank Centre as ACC) It's pronounced as "Hurn Gorn" in Cantonese. The Chinese name of HK is ??; literally means Fragrant Harbour since its origin began as a modest seaport closely tied to UK, and later to the world. - Despite Hong Kong has the ownership returned to China in 1997, the majority do not consider themselves belonging to China. They are still reminiscing the time under the British rules. They call themselves as Hongkongers. - Hong Kong locals speak Cantonese and English (depends on their learning efforts at schools). They prefer western cultures and do not mind dealing with foreign people such as Gwai Lo (Caucasians) from other parts of the world. The only limitation is the language. - Even though Hong Kong is an international city comprised of people from all over the world (significant amount!), the "foreigners" live in certain areas in either close to the financial core of Central ?? (places like Sheung Wan, Mid-levels), or secluded areas in HK Islands (Lantau Island - mainly in Discovery Bay) and New Territories (Sai Kung). - There is a significant amount of Canadians living in Hong Kong (I have had conversations with them personally) - Foodie culture is a major part of Hong Kong life. You may find varieties of cuisines (cheap to top-notch) from all over the world. - Music preferences: Canto-pop, Mando-pop from Taiwan (some China), as well as North American billboard 100 and UK-pop - Hongkongers are fond of Japanese and Korean cultures. Japan and Korea are their travel hotspots. - Due to political changes in recent years, living in Hong Kong becomes much tougher. Majority of locals has become less confident in the government due to negative impacts to the HK political systems caused by the regime of Chinese government. - Since Hong Kong is a fast-paced
metropolitan with international cultural dynamics, successful marketing
in HK is proven to be a challenging feat.
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Vincent W. 2019Jan30 |
| Chinese
Canadians
pop. 1 million+ mostly in Vancouver and Toronto region |
Things
in Chinese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market
to people of Chinese background in Canada
- Canadian born Chinese (which can be considered an oxymoron) - immigrants to Canada from China (NOTE: some students of Chinese background have commented that it is a very sensitive issue whether you use the term "Chinese Canadians", which emphasizes the "Chinese" part of the term, or Canadians of Chinese background, which emphasizes that these people feel they are Canadian first.) |
|
| In May 2013 Student Sam
Y. in IBM 600 emailed to explain a situation where a municipality is changing
the way streets are numbered.
Sam wrote
As a Chinese Canadian (albeit one who has been in Canada since age 1), I am simultaneously baffled yet humbled by the willingness and lengths the GTA will take to be 'culturally sensitive' in their policies. It
obviously makes for effective marketing too.
WTGR writes
|
||
| contributed by these students Sam Y. |
| Taiwan
(ROC) pop. 23 million |
Things in Taiwanese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Taiwanese people | |
FYI - Taiwan officially
referred to as ROC - Republic of China, whereas "China" is referred to
as PRC Peoples Republic of China - small difference in words - big difference
on the world stage since Taiwan's status as an independent country is a
contentious issue with China.
|
||
| contributed
by these students
Mudar, Sharon, Nicole, Jameson |
Philippines
pop. 88 million |
Things in Filipino culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Filipino people |
| 1. The country is spelled
Philippines and people from the Philippines
call themselves Filipino. - some people refer to it as P.I. (Philippine Islands) 2. Most Filipinos speak in Taglish (mix of English and Filipino). There are also 13 indigenous languages with at least one million native speakers: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Kapampangan, Bikol, Albay Bikol,Pangasinan, Maranao, Maguindanao, Kinaray-a, and Tausug. 3. English fluency depends on the person's education. 4. About 80% of Filipinos are Christians (most are Catholics due to the Spanish infleunce) , 20% are Muslims. Most Muslims live in the southern part of the Philippines, Mindanao 5. Almost all Filipino youth can play the guitar 6. Filipinos favorite hobbies and past time: tv, basketball, badminton, guitar, going to neighbors' houses, staying outside the house and hanging out with neighbors, eating streetfoods, playing loud music, swimming, beach, movies, playing cards, karaoke, drinking outside their house, live concerts 7. Everyone knows their neighbors 8. Filipinos love bargaining for a lower price 9. Filipinos adores street sales and street foods 10. FIlipinos love to gossip 11. Most Filipinos in the Philippines love skin whitening products. Mestiza look is favored in the Philippines. 12. Filipinos strongly hate it when a Filipino answers in English to them, when they are talking to him in Filipino. 13. Filipinos respect their elders 14. Filipinos hate it when people are being very showy 15. Filipinos listen to a wide variety of music: Filipino music, American rock/metal/alternative music, Hiphop, Japanese Rock music, 16. Young Filipinos tend to identify themselves as: Conyo(Rich, Fluent in English, high-class), Rocker, Hiphop, Typical Filipino, or a mix of any of them 17. Public display of affections is a NO in Philippines 18. Filipinos are happy people even when they don't have money. 19. Everyone has a celphone, even the poor. Everyone loves sending and receiving forwarded texts of inspirational quotes. most celebrated holidays: Christmas- going to Church, Dawn Masses, eating bibingka after masses, giving gifts, Christmas Caroles, Christmas trees, lanterns and lights New Year- Everyone do Fireworks and noises. All Souls day- Cemeteries are always packed during Oct 31-Nov 1. There are food, candle and flower sales in the cemetery. - sending money back home - 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) Hazelle F |
|
| contributed
by these students
Michele, Steve, Hazelle F added some in March 2010 |
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 in early Jan 2010, Ashok
S. wrote a long piece about India, which I have replicated here
|
 |
students Jessica A. and
Lovelesh K. in MGTC44 at UTSC in March 2010 created a YouTube video
youtube.com/watch?v=1Flj2bEPzBc on some things you should be aware of when dealing with business people in India - it is amusing and informative. |
 |
student Jalpesh in MRK 200 in Sept 2010 made a video in which he commented about the challenges of India's population and diversity of languages |
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 was known as
Ceylon before 1972
The ethnic division of Sri Lanka’s population is: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%. Major languages in Srilanka are: Sinhala 74% (official and national), Tamil 18% (national), other 8%. English is commonly used in government and spoken competently by about 10% of people. - Sri Lanka has a good climate for holiday-makers throughout the year. |
|
| contributed
by these students
Anonymous |
| Sri
Lanka
Tamils
|
Things in Sri Lankan culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Sri Lankan Tamil 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 - A Tamil student says "One major thing to know when selling to Sri Lankan Tamils is to be very friendly. We don’t really care about the facts and essays of information; we would usually buy if the seller is nice." - another Tamil student said
about the flag "I have attached the flag of proud Tamils with this e-mail.
The colors on the flag are very important because it represents not only
our pride, but red, yellow, and black is what we symbolize."
- India is reported as having
once armed and trained the terrorist group Tamil Tigers
|
|
| contributed
by these students
Anonymous, Sriskaran K. |
| 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 - holding hands in public is a problem (PDA) - earthquake prone country - last one in October 2005 |
|
| . |
 |
MIDDLE EAST
While there are a number
of significant countries in the Middle East, it was not until late 2006
that any Seneca or
By 2012 the number of Muslim
students at the campuses I teach at, has grown in number and there are
more contributions coming in.
Ramadan |
map at economist.com/node/21015995 |
|
Palestinian Diaspora
contributed by Yahya Al-Mashni from UTM in Feb 2015 |
several million in
Jordan Israel Syria several hundreds of thousands
in Latin America in
+
|
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 |
The
Cdn Dept. of Foreign Affairs has in the past said 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." |
| Things in Iranian culture
you should know about to be able to successfully market to the region
importance of Islamic religion
and the role in government
|
|
| contributed |
Jordan
pop. 10 million
|
Things in Jordanian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Jordanians. | |
| The official language is
Arabic, and English is the first foreign language.
Jordanian society is a mixture of Jordanians, Palestinians, Armenians, Circassians, Kurds, and others. Jordan is distinguished by
the diversity of cultures that harmonize together within an environment
of tolerance and respect. Its people are known for being hospitable, love
to help others, and respect their customs and traditions a lot, especially
in rural areas????.
Jordan's economy is well diversified despite the difficulties it faces and the fact that it is relatively small. Most of the GDP comes from the trade and finance sector, which together account for about a third of the output, while the transportation, communications, public utilities, and construction sectors contribute a fifth. GDP, which is the same value to which the industrial and mining sector contributes. And agriculture in Jordan constitutes 70% of the GDP. |
||
| contributed 2021 Sept by Rasha H. |
Lebanon
pop. 4 million
|
Things
in Lebanese culture you should know about to be able to successfully market
to the region
Ethnic Groups: Arab
95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
|
| contributed by Hamsa G.D. |
Qatar
pop. 900,000
|
Things in Qatar culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to the region |
| - Qatar is an oil and gas
rich nation. It is a peninsula surrounded by
countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain - currently, ruled by an absolute monarchy (the al-Thani family), it was formerly a British Protectorate - People are very culture conscious in the region. The country is bound by the Islamic law and adheres to its Muslim traditions - 900,000 people - but less than half are actual Qatar citizens. - It has a large South and South East Asian population consisting of people from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Philippines. - After hosting the Asian Games in 2006, the country has become cognizant of its global image. - The country places high importance in education and is building an education city with premier universities like Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown and Texas A?M setting up a Qatari campus. - Newfoundland opened a technical college in 2002 - University of Calgary opened a nursing school in Qatar in 2007 - The country has had great success hosting previous sporting events and has hosted many international sports stars such as Pete Sampras, Tim Henman, Boris Becker, Colin Montgomerie, and Steve Ballisteros. - Doha, the capital of Qatar, is a city buzzing with activity. It is a cultural and commercial hub where one can witness old, traditional part of the country blending in with the advancing modernization. - Petrol is very cheap in the country, Hence one can see the use of road transportation to the maximum. - Qatar played a significant role in the Persian Gulf War (1991), - Qatar allowed troops from Canada to use the country as an airbase to launch aircraft - Qatar does not have an Embassy in Canada, they communicate through their Embassy in Washington - In Qatar, Canada is represented by the Embassy of Canada in Kuwait. |
|
| contributed by Neha R. |
| 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
- The most famous sport is football (soccer). - All private schools teach in English. - importance of Islamic religion and the role in government • 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. - people drink tea a lot - 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 |
|
| contributed by Amal, Sari |
 |
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 |
|
| contributed by Amal (Jan 2008) |
Egypt
pop. 95 million |
Things in Egyptian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Egyptian people |
| - the most populous country
in the Arab world
- a very large number of young people, and unemployment is high - diaspora - almost 3 million Egyptians live outside of Egypt - 300,000 live in USA - 110,000 live in Canada - like many countries, Egypt has a minority population - 10% are Coptic |
|
| contributed by a Coptic student |
 |
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 |
Albania
pop. 3 million |
Things in Albanian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Albanians |
| - albanians take pride in
the way they look. businesspeople tend to dress well. any environment outside
of the home is viewed as a formal situation. the only time you dress casual
is when you are at home alone with your family. when guests come over,
dressing up is a must
- when guests come over, you ALWAYS offer them something to drink and a small pastry. It is rude to decline it. - at the end of a visit, it is polite to leave a small sum of money. Anywhere between 5-50 canadian equivalent dollars. - in any setting, you always greet the men first. - men and women are not seen as equals. women are expected to serve their husbands and take care of the home and children. no man vacuums in albania - the most important people are always greeted first, and if you are waiting to be seated in a restaurant, people take seats in order of importance. - titles are very important as they portray importance - teachers are very well respected (and feared) in albania. - the way the classroom works is that students are assigned a classroom that they attend all year round and the teachers are the ones that alternate in the classrooms. whenever a teacher walks in the classroom, all the students get up. students have to sit up with arms crossed and make eye contact with whoever is talking in order to show respect. - the most common pastime is hanging out in cafes and bars. there are hundreds of them that are busy at all hours of the day - most meetings take place in cafes - decisions are made from the top down and a group consensus doesn't usually play a role |
|
| contributed by Ida H. in MGTC44 in June 2011 |
 |
Albania is just
north of Greece
- or, east across the Adriatic Sea from Italy - the main meal is lunch
(usually served at around 3-4) always accompanied by a salad
|
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
|
||||
| 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) |
Greece
pop. 10 million |
Things in Greek culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Greek people | |
|
||
| video contributed by John B, and Daniela R. |
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 |
Moldova
pop. 4.3 million
|
Things in Moldovian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to people from Moldova |
| - The country is divided
between Russians and Romanians.
- Romanian and Russian are the two most important languages to know - If you plan to conduct business in large urban areas, it is important to know the Russian language because almost everybody in the big cities knows it. Only a small percentage of Russians in the big cities know the Romanian language. As a result, it is better to have advertising in Russian. - In large urban areas you have to dress to impress. People dress in nice clothes even when going to the grocery store that is a few meters away from their houses. - You have to shake hands when you meet someone, otherwise it is considered disrespectful. - Maintain eye contact with the person when talking as it is a sign that you are listening to them and that you are being honest when saying something. - English is the most popular foreign language but it is mostly known by the younger generation. The older generation was not taught English in schools, so they prefer Russian. - Soccer is very popular in Moldova, so TV companies use this when advertising sports packs. Also, never say ‘soccer’ in Moldova; the proper word for the sport is ‘football’. Moldovans hate it when their favorite sport is called ‘soccer’ instead of ‘football’. - The wine and cognac is very important to Moldova as we also export these worldwide. Moldovans are very proud of their wine and cognac. As a result, unlike many other European nations, Moldovans prefer wine and cognac as opposed to beer. - Religion is mostly Orthodox so Christmas falls on January 7th of every year. Do not try to do business in the period between New Year and Christmas as this time is characterized by very limited business activity. Moreover, in the summer, some companies and government agencies operate with reduced hours and staff. - In malls when buying clothes, you should always try to bargain for a better price. Some merchants inflate prices to account for negotiations while others may offer you discounts even if the price is fair. The point is: you should always try to negotiate. - Many babyboomers work abroad (i.e. Italy, Romania, Germany) and send their children money for living and other expenses. As a result, the younger generation became the target market to a lot of companies. So, if you want to have a successful business, you should have a product or a service that appeals to young people. |
|
| contributed by Vitalie S. of MGTC44 in April 2010 |
Bulgaria
pop. 7 million
|
Things in Bulgarian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Bulgarian people |
| - proper name of the country
is "Republic of Bulgaria"
- Bulgarians say "Republika Balgariya" - joined the European Union in 2007 - the telephone system left over from the Soviet era was very poor - when Bulgaria "went digital", cell phone use exploded and the number of cell phone subscriptions in Bulgaria is actually greater than the population - Bulgarian is a very proud nation. Our flag and national anthem should not be used in any type of marketing. - We are extremely proud of our nature; we have excellent sea resorts, ski resorts, lakes, rivers, and many historical sites. - Things Bulgarians like to be reminded of, therefore might be used for marketing:
- Bulgaria is home of the oldest golden treasure ever found. - The Bulgarian soccer team was 4th in the World Cup in 1994. - Bulgarians are very proud of our athletes in the following sports: rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, weightlifting, wrestling, high jumping, sprinting, recently figure skating. To develop good business relationships:
|
|
| contributed by Venelina G. |
Greece
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
|
||
| contributed by Lefteris K.,Chris |
| France
65 million |
Things in French culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to French people |
| Long lunches | |
| contributed
by
Thiery |
Ukraine
44 million |
Things in Ukrainian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Ukrainian people | |
| Canada has the world's third-largest Ukrainian population behind Ukraine !!! | ||
| contributed
by
WTGR 2023 April
“Slava Ukraini”
|
Russia
143 million |
Things in Russian culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Russian people |
| Russia also officially known
as the Russian Federation is the country in northern Eurasia.
2016 Canadian Census, 620,000 Canadians claimed full or partial Russian ancestry 70% of population in Russia
- orthodox christians.
1. Don't come to visit someone
empty handed - always bring something like bottle of wine, chocolate, flowers.
|
|
| contributed
by
Yulia Jan 2013 |
Malta
Maltese flag 420,000 people
|
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
- 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 |
|
| contributed
by
Tanya |
United
States
311 million |
Things in American culture you should know about to be able to successfully market to Americans people |
| pop. 330 million
Americans know very little
about Canada, compared to how much Canadians know about the USA
• More than 200 different ethnic origins were reported in the 2006 Canadian Census. |
|
| contributed
by
Tanya, Rae |
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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