Cultural Adaptation and Values
Posted on Thu, Feb 04, 2010
BLOG POST BY: Andrea, our eLearning specialist, CEO of eWorldLearning, Inc.
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I often tell clients that they need to recognize their own cultural values when they are trying to do business in another country or market to different cultures. In general, I get the ‘yes, we know' response. However, the reality is that, while we may recognize these differences, we don't adapt easily - because of our own cultural values - and subsequently, companies either lose existing customers or completely ignore new market opportunities.
Here's a recent example from the news:
In many non-U.S. countries, there is a strident rivalry among cricket teams. Recently, a well-known American company, Kentucky Fried Chicken, ran an advertisement in Australia showing a "...white Australian cricket fan subduing boisterous black West Indians fans by sharing his fried chicken." In my experience with culture, this was a very clever and appropriate way in which to get the attention of Australian cricket fans...and the fans of KFC. However, when some Americans viewed the ad, they were ‘offended' because they felt it represented a common derogatory stereotype of blacks, based on our history of slavery. Well, that may be the case in the U.S., but such a comparison in Australia was meaningless! See it here: KFC ad
How does this relate to opportunities in other markets?
Here's a prime example that I often encounter:
Training companies want to offer or market their courses (classroom-based or online) internationally. However, they do little or no ‘market research' on what is appropriate or desirable in another country or culture. In addition, they often cluster groups of countries or cultures together as being similar, (i.e., all Asian countries, all Latin American ones, etc.). Either approach is hazardous. For example, consider the leadership traits we extort and value in American leadership courses: Empowerment, achievement, decision-making, and so forth. However, in contrast, some of the most desirable leadership traits in China are holistic thinking, indirectness, and wisdom. How then, will an American leadership course reach a Chinese market? Yes, the Chinese will read your materials and maybe even review a course, because they have a keen interest - academically - on how western leadership practices work. However, the key challenges are:
Will they BUY your course?
Will they LOVE your course?
Will they require all their employees to take it?
Will they ADOPT your techniques?
My challenge is to find the true innovators who recognize an undervalued market by being willing to address - and embrace - cultural differences as opportunities.
If businesses can at least become comfortable with the values of learners in other countries, they can begin to compete in a global market. I am waiting for some elearning or training company to be the first to capture this market! Simple CULTURAL ANALYSIS can show how a course will or will not work for learners in another culture or country...such as knowing whether it's easy for them to understand, if the context is culturally relevant, and so forth. That's why we - eWorld Learning, Inc. - work so closely with CTS LanguageLink. In addition to translation and localization, we offer CULTURAL AUDITS of any educational materials destined for another country or culture. We review courses, materials, manuals, etc. from the perspective of instructional design to the media used (sound, audio, images) to the types of learner assessment techniques used. All of these aspects of teaching and training are different in other countries and cultures.
My question is: "What can we do to convince American companies that addressing cultural differences in learning is critical - to their success as businesses and to the success of their learners?" Hope to hear from you soon.
More questions or comments on this subject? Email us at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
Regards, Andrea