Intercultural Issues in Online Communication: A German-Egyptian Comparison

Diplomarbeit von Verena Wiedmaier, Britt Söder

Abstract:

In these times of rapid increase of internet usage, the question arises for multinational companies (MNCs) whether to standardise or adapt their internet presence to different cultural groupings or even subcultures.

The overall target of this research is therefore to assist MNCs by producing recommendations concerning the promotion of products and services for a particular transnational consumer group. Therefore, country-specific websites of companies rooted in different cultural origins are selected for this research, namely EgyptAir, Mercedes-Benz and SonyEricsson.

This analysis follows the inductive research approach embedding elements of an ethnographic and exploratory research method. The main part of the empirical study is conducted by means of an online-behaviourist questionnaire following the quantitative research approach and complementary a culture-related questionnaire following the qualitative research approach.

The sample size is composed of Egyptian students from the Misr International University in Cairo and German students from Heilbronn University forming the selected samples. Even though Egypt is a developing country and Germany an industrialised one, the samples are comparable due to the similar social and educational backgrounds.

The research results are applied to the lifestyle typology segmentation method, namely the Euro-Social-Styles of the GfK thus creating a new model of six lifestyle typologies in which the two samples are categorised.

It is revealed by the main findings that the respective companies deal despite the different nationalities of the samples, with a transnational consumer group which is characterised by a relative homogeneity. Nevertheless, not all values and traits are similar within this consumer group and it therefore requires a certain degree of adaptation of marketing activities.

It was possible to identify within the scope of this research that, in general, companies enjoying a high brand awareness and reputation are not exposed to the urge of adaptation, especially when selling culture-free products and services.

Finally, one should continuously bear in mind that generalisations must not be made at any stage. Moreover, due to the small sample size, this research only represents a starting point for further research.

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents:

Text Sample:

Chapter 5.4, Adaptation of Lifestyle Typology to the Research Results: As mentioned in chapter 3.2.4, the method of lifestyle typology such as the Euro-Social Styles seems to be the most appropriate one. Nevertheless, due to the geographical limitation given by the European focus, this segmentation needs to be adapted to the respective Egyptian and German culture in order to reach the most possible realistic implementation of the survey results and to later give precise recommendations how the companies may promote their products to the respective samples. In respect to the validity of the research findings the following procedure is conducted carefully:

The four main tendencies of the questionnaires’ research results are determined thus being (1) search for stability in terms of traditional values, (2) security in regard to the respective government and country, (3) seek for change and departure in connection to self-development and finally (4) seek for self-fulfilment in terms of financial and personal freedom.

The most important material and immaterial values as well as the perception of a genuine person and the cultural heritage mentioned in the culture-related questionnaire are applied to this model.

On the basis of the findings, six main lifestyle typologies are derived. Finally, the two samples of the research are categorised in these typologies in general and in respect to their consumer behaviour. It has to be kept in mind that cultural groupings cannot be clustered in general. The validity of this adaptation approach is limited to the subjective perception and knowledge of the interrogated Egyptian and German sample.

As generally valid values and traits are examined by the culture-related questionnaire, an overall picture of a genuine Egyptian and German can be drawn and used for the sake of completeness. Nevertheless, this should be applied carefully as this approach may also favour stereotyping and generalisations.

Even though tendencies can be derived from the results of both questionnaires in regard to both samples, the researchers avoid to cluster the mentioned values into existing clusters or dimensions. Beside the striking tendencies of both samples which are revealed by the questionnaires, the educational background is taken into consideration, too. The following main aspects are figured out:

The young Egyptian academics name traditional values e.g. family, love, and care even though they perceive themselves as more modern than traditional. They seem to be deeply rooted in their social grouping and highly influenced by reputation.

On the contrary, the German students lay emphasis on self-fulfilment and individualistic values rather than collective ones. On the basis of these two tendencies the following two are added: The first one is self-fulfilment in regard to individual freedom, especially in a monetary sense. These might be the progressing step of the young German academics when they get older. And the second one is the tendency towards high appreciation of security but in addition to the family security; the security given by the political system and state plays a major role.