Japanese cross-cultural marketing in Indian B2B situations: the potency of cultural values congruence and confluence
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Abstract
Purpose: Extensive research has been conducted on cross-cultural comparisons between Eastern and Western organizational cultures in major trading domains. However, there is a lack of examination of intra-comparative management nuances within Asian regions. This re-search paper focuses on the under-explored topic of the values, beliefs, and attitudes (VBAs) that influence the outcomes of East Asian (e.g., Japan) marketing strategies and operations when implemented in South Asian (e.g., India) markets and organizational contexts. The study aims to analyze the impact of VBAs on marketing effectiveness and provide insights for marketers in cross-cultural settings. The article analyzes the customer satisfaction orienta-tion (CSO) of Japanese business executives and draws insights that offer lessons related to cultural VBAs for overall marketing strategy and foreign investors.
Methodology/ approach: The paper employs a social constructivist paradigm and gathers empirical research through multiple interviews. These facilitate novel and normally rare ac-cess and insights into Japanese business leaders’ lived experience of CSO in B2B Indian inter-cultural situations.
Findings: Interpretivist data analysis reveals several push-pull factors that influence CSO practice. The research identifies shared values such as long-termism and harmony that have the potential to boost CSO as a marketing strategy in India.
Research implications: The paper develops a conceptualization of cultural VBAs that lead to successful CSO practice in India and is of relevance to foreign investors.
Practical implications: This study suggests that East Asian marketers should carefully consid-er the impact of VBAs on their marketing strategies. Our research sheds light on the ongoing discussion on static versus evolving nature of culture and highlights the need to pay atten-tion to cultural change, particularly congruence and confluence in workplace values.
Originality: The intercultural study contributes to the literature on international marketing strategy by highlighting the nature and importance of understanding traditional and evolv-ing cultural VBAs for appreciating receptivity to adoption and thereby efficacy of home coun-try marketing strategy.