The Roles of Cultural Distance Theories in Shaping Global Marketing Operations

Globalization has been one of the major factor of cross-cultural among different nations by understanding consumers‘ norms and how to influence their behavioral practices in the world market, Consequently, this provides a competitive platform in the market world thus an advantage in world marketing operations. For global firms to be successful, they have mastered the different cultures in the world, therefore, enabling them to integrate their marketing strategies and outsourcing their operations from different countries. Hofstede (2013) ascertains that cultural distance is a collective programming of the mind that helps distinguish members of different groups in a diverse society.

As such, global companies need to adopt different marketing strategies that align with the diverse cultures prevalent in their international markets. Different researchers have come up with put various theories in an attempt to show ways of measuring cultural distance and the affects it has on global marketing operations of several firms.

Accordingly, the paper evaluates various cultural distance theories by giving an insight on their roles they plays in shaping global marketing operations According to Geert Hofstede Cultural-Dimensions Theory a survey was done to understand 116, 000 international business machines (IBM) employees in forty different countries.

Hofstede collected data from different workers at a scale of 1 to 20 based on cultural factors to determine the power distance index significant to dimensions of the culture, Moreover, he measured the degree of individualism integration as a collective means of the society. The further proposes that masculinity and femininity of a society may help measure the culture distance, in that the ones that score high are more ambitious and competitive in the long-term orientation of cultural distance in the society thus building strong relationships.

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This model played a significant role in bases of measuring the degree of cultural distance. Schwartz Values Inventory Frame Work was established by choosing two distinct groups as they are different communities in a country. The research cut across eight nations with coverage of forty—one groups, Drogendijk 8t Slangen, (2006), affirmed that cultural distance was measured by various factors, which included, power, achievement and security. Power emerged as a significant factor in evaluating the cultural range and the social status of the different societies. Achievement is also one of the determinants used in numerous international markets as a measure of cultural distance and it was achieved through the desire to set goals and motivate such society. Lastly, Schwartz noted that security was another factor that would assist in defining the existing cultures in the foreign markets.

The Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior (GLOBE) Project made it effective to study sixty-two different cultures in their home countries. The researchers employed qualitative methods to find out the cultural dimensions with different leadership approaches that could help define the cultural distance. According to Javidan et al. (2005), elude the performance orientation in different societies to inspire and reward according to their input. The scholars gave an insight on assertiveness that could help differentiate various confrontational in the social relationships. Moreover, different societies have valid capabilities in planning and investing thus the need for orientation to help define their cultural difference.

In conclusion, the analysis from different researchers has pointed out some frameworks proposed in measuring cultural distance and their effectiveness, It also gives an understanding on global markets operations based on different cultures from different countries. By the evaluation of the three theories, a need for firms branding to influence its strategies for the competitive gaps in the international markets. The brands serve as an epitome of the importance of recognizing the power, achievement and security of cultural distance in shaping the success of global marketing operations and as a result, businesses venturing into the international market are able to plan and design better marketing strategies to secure their investments.