1 The cultural process
1.2 Elements of culture
1. Language
2. Institutions
3. Material productions
4. Symbolic productions
Language
The primary mechanism for sharing and transmitting information between
members of a particular society.
It is also claimed that the language we learn in our native community shapes and
structures our world view and our social behavior, as is influences how we select
issues, solve problems and act.
Whorf-Sapir hypothesis = the structure of language has a significant influence on
perception and categorization
Institutions
The spine of the cultural process that links the individual to the group.
Malinowski's list of seven universal principles around which institutions are
formed across cultures:
1. Reproduction (blood relationships and marriage)
2. Territoriality (common interests dictated by neighborhood and vicinity)
3. Physiology (sex, age, physical traits, also includes sexual division of
labor, sex roles, the relationship patterns between age groups, way
minority members of the community are treated)
4. Spontaneous tendency to join together (common goals)
5. Occupational and professional activities (labor divisions)
6. Hierarchy (rank and status)
7. Totality
Material productions
Primary productions that are elements of culture are varied, they include:
Artistic productions
Intellectual productions
Physical productions
Service productions
They serve as output and also input into our culture. However, the quantity and
quality of productions should not be confused with civilization. Material
consumption and wealth do not necessarily equate with cultural sophistication,
and cultural attitudes toward material goods vary enormously.
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, Symbolic productions
Symbolic and sacred elements of culture determine the relationship between the
physical and the metaphysical world. It's of interest how moral and religious
assumptions in various cultures impact on individual and group behavior.
Culture as a collective fingerprint and cultural superiority
Culture is a collective fingerprint of our identity. It is made up of a coherent set of
elements that complement rather than contradict each other. Such individual
elements of culture do not exist in isolation and cannot easily be taken out of
their context.
1.3 Culture and nationality
Nationality is a relatively easy way to divide individuals into larger groups.
However, the relationship between nationality and culture is unclear. Businesses
must be especially wary of equating culture directly with nation-sate, as effective
communication is crucial to the marketing process. Three reasons to avoid this:
1. A county's culture can only be defined by reference to other countries'
cultures.
2. Many nation-states are explicitly multicultural.
3. Political decisions have imposed the formation of new nation-states.
Sources of culture
Language(s)
Nationality
Education
Profession
Group (ethnicity)
Religion
Family
Sex
Social class
Corporate or organizational culture
Cross-border cultures = areas around the border of two countries share a culture
which offers continuity between the two countries
The sense of belonging to an important ethnic group, may override the feeling of
belonging to a particular nation-state.
North / South difference
Cultural homogeneity and relevant segmentation
Few countries are truly homogeneous, especially when different types of
homogeneity are considered, such as:
Linguistic homogeneity
Page 2 of 34
1.2 Elements of culture
1. Language
2. Institutions
3. Material productions
4. Symbolic productions
Language
The primary mechanism for sharing and transmitting information between
members of a particular society.
It is also claimed that the language we learn in our native community shapes and
structures our world view and our social behavior, as is influences how we select
issues, solve problems and act.
Whorf-Sapir hypothesis = the structure of language has a significant influence on
perception and categorization
Institutions
The spine of the cultural process that links the individual to the group.
Malinowski's list of seven universal principles around which institutions are
formed across cultures:
1. Reproduction (blood relationships and marriage)
2. Territoriality (common interests dictated by neighborhood and vicinity)
3. Physiology (sex, age, physical traits, also includes sexual division of
labor, sex roles, the relationship patterns between age groups, way
minority members of the community are treated)
4. Spontaneous tendency to join together (common goals)
5. Occupational and professional activities (labor divisions)
6. Hierarchy (rank and status)
7. Totality
Material productions
Primary productions that are elements of culture are varied, they include:
Artistic productions
Intellectual productions
Physical productions
Service productions
They serve as output and also input into our culture. However, the quantity and
quality of productions should not be confused with civilization. Material
consumption and wealth do not necessarily equate with cultural sophistication,
and cultural attitudes toward material goods vary enormously.
Page 1 of 34
, Symbolic productions
Symbolic and sacred elements of culture determine the relationship between the
physical and the metaphysical world. It's of interest how moral and religious
assumptions in various cultures impact on individual and group behavior.
Culture as a collective fingerprint and cultural superiority
Culture is a collective fingerprint of our identity. It is made up of a coherent set of
elements that complement rather than contradict each other. Such individual
elements of culture do not exist in isolation and cannot easily be taken out of
their context.
1.3 Culture and nationality
Nationality is a relatively easy way to divide individuals into larger groups.
However, the relationship between nationality and culture is unclear. Businesses
must be especially wary of equating culture directly with nation-sate, as effective
communication is crucial to the marketing process. Three reasons to avoid this:
1. A county's culture can only be defined by reference to other countries'
cultures.
2. Many nation-states are explicitly multicultural.
3. Political decisions have imposed the formation of new nation-states.
Sources of culture
Language(s)
Nationality
Education
Profession
Group (ethnicity)
Religion
Family
Sex
Social class
Corporate or organizational culture
Cross-border cultures = areas around the border of two countries share a culture
which offers continuity between the two countries
The sense of belonging to an important ethnic group, may override the feeling of
belonging to a particular nation-state.
North / South difference
Cultural homogeneity and relevant segmentation
Few countries are truly homogeneous, especially when different types of
homogeneity are considered, such as:
Linguistic homogeneity
Page 2 of 34
