Consumer Cultures: A Comparison between USA and India

A Comparison between USA and India

Abstract

Decision making can be dependent on the specific culture or society in which one person is living. Moreover the religion, culture and society are effective on the behavior as well. Culture can be defined as the specific set of belief and ideas that are related with different societies or group of people. In this way it can be observed that the modern world is experience in cultures, religion and the social values. By considering these points and issues it can valued that the future demand of customer can have different variation and differences. In this way there is great need to form different policies that would be good enough to complete the changing demand of customers in future because of the difference in culture, religion and social values. Business has to consider the demand, cultural values, social structure and religion of country before launching nay product in that specific country. On the basis of this observation it has been resulted that the social values or norms of America and of India are different in following five reasons and these affect the demand of customer as well. These factors are individualism, masculinity, power distance, uncertainty avoidance and the long term orientation LTO.

1. Individualism

American society and Indian society are very different. India is a moderate country with respect to individualism having 48 score while the America is highest country in terms of individualism with 91 scores. Thus the framework of demand would be different in these countries as well because the people in India live in form of families.

2. Masculinity

India and America are following the different cultures so it has been observed that the India is a male dominant country and male have preference on different places like the workplaces, homes and other places. On the other hand the in American country the women are working for same hours as men in offices. They have been considered with same strength as the men.

3. Power distance

India is the country that is experiencing different kind of groups that are enjoying the particular type of powers or preferences on others. People consider the power as their self satisfaction so they enjoy the specific preferences at different places. On the other hand the American society is not experiencing the power distance. So the markets in India are very scatter and distributed so it can be difficult to cover these scatter markets and different strategies are required for capturing the market in India.

4. Uncertainty avoidance

These countries are very different in terms of the resources, so behavior of people is very distinct because they have different resources. Thus the people in India avoid to take risk in market because these people are trapped in vicious circle of poverty while the American people can take risk due to their resources.

5. Long-term orientation (LTO)

People in India have the concept of long term orientation LTO that means people use products till its maximum utilization. In the long term orientation the score of India is 61 that show the concept is carried by majority of people. On the other hand the people of America have not long term orientation for products but they keep changing their products with new advancements. They score 29 in long term orientation.

The analysis of these different factors represents that the people in America and India have different believes and consumption pattern. In this way the demand of market is change in these two countries as well. These factors are important in business to form strategies for relevant markets according to culture and social structure.