3. Culture and Its Powerful Impact

In this chapter an attempt is made to connect culture and consumer behavior. This connection will explain the role of culture in forming the significant differences in consumer behaviors that can be observed in different parts of the world. The association between the culture and consumer behavior is very strong. Therefore, if the international marketer can comprehend the far-reaching characteristics and impact of culture, there will be more profound marketing plans succeeding in the international arena. This is the key theme of this book. Thus, unlike the traditional views on behavior, this chapter proposes that culture is a very significant factor influencing consumer behavior. Lewin’s behavior model is contrasted to Wallace’s theory in order to understand the underlying assumptions of our discussion. Wallace’s theory, still preferred by this author, plays a critical role in many parts of this book. Dealing with consumer behavior in a given country culture is often taken as a given and mostly ignored. However, here we see that when dealing with international consumer behavior, it is extremely important to understand just how culture influences individuals and their behavior.