Impact of culture to the content of websites Elena Vitkauskaitė Kaunas University of Technology...
Transcript of Impact of culture to the content of websites Elena Vitkauskaitė Kaunas University of Technology...
Impact of culture to the content of websites
Elena Vitkauskaitė
Kaunas University of Technology
Lithuania
Agenda
1. Culture
2. Standardise or localise?
3. Why localisation efforts fail?
4. Levels of culture4.1. Perceptual level
4.2. Behavioural level
4.3. Symbolic level
1. Culture
The culture is man-made part of the human environment (Herkovits, 1995)
2. Standardise or localise?
Standardisation strategy uses promotional messages internationally, translating but not otherwise modifying headings, illustrations or copy
Localisation (or adaptation) strategy posits that consumer difference may have been widening and that messages should be tailored according to culture, media availability, product life-cycle stages and industry structures
Third school of thought offers a compromise approach – appropriateness of standardisation depends on the product, consumer characteristics and environmental factors
3. Why localisation efforts fail?
Designers do not necessarily know about other cultures
Cosmetic changes are not enough
4. Levels of culture
Perceptual level (emphasises on language use and colour categories)
Behavioural level (emphasises on cultural values)
Symbolic level (emphasises on emic understanding of signs and symbols of the society)
4.1. Perceptual level
Spatial orientationWeb page layoutText lengthNavigation modesTranslation equivalenceDialectsColour categories
4.2. Behavioral level
Cultural values proposed by Hofstede and Hall: Individualism – collectivism Uncertainty avoidance Power distance Masculinity – femininity Confusian dinamism High / low context cultures Polychronic /monochronic cultures
4.2.1. Collectivism
Community relationsClubs or chat roomsNewsletterFamily themeSymbols and pictures of national identityLoyalty programsLinks to local web sites
4.2.2. Uncertainty avoidance
Customer serviceGuided navigationTradition themeLocal storesLocal terminologyFree trials or downloadsToll-free numbers
4.2.3. Power distance
Company hierarchy informationPictures of CEOsQuality assurance and awardsVision statementPride of ownership appealProper titles
Example of high power distance website
Example of low power distance website
4.2.4. Masculinity
Quizzes and gamesRealism themeProduct effectivenessClear gender roles
Example of masculine website
4.2.5. High / low context cultures
High context culturePoliteness and indirectnessSoft-sell approachAesthetics
Low context cultureHard-sell approachUse of superlativesRank of prestige of the companyTerms and conditions of purchase
4.3. Symbolic level
Country-specific symbolsIconsColor symbolism
Thank you for your attention
Questions?