By Yuxuan Lai
Even when we have the awareness to perform cultural checks on the products we make, we need to be careful of the strategy we use. Currently, many localizers apply the “cultural dimensions theory” to their work. Developed by Geert Hofstede, the theory builds a framework for the analysis of differences across cultures and differences in business operations between different countries. He identified six dimensions: individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance (strength of social hierarchy), long-term orientation, indulgence-restraint, and masculinity-femininity (task-orientation versus person-orientation). In this piece, I will elaborate on how to translate the masculinity index into product design philosophies.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the Masculinity-Femininity dimension. A high masculinity score indicates that the society is driven by competition, achievement, and success, with success being defined as the “winner” or “the best in the field” – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout social life. A low masculinity score, however, means that the dominant values in society are equality, compassion for the vulnerable, and caring for others. Thus, a feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success, and standing out from the crowd is not as valued as that in a masculine society. The fundamental difference here is what motivates people: wanting to be the best (Masculine) vs. liking what you do (Feminine).1 In the bar chart comparison below, Japan scores a staggering 95 in the dimension and can thus be considered a highly masculine society, China and the US are relatively masculine with scores in the 60s, and South Korea is more feminine with a score of 39.
However, despite Japan’s high masculinity score, Japanese society displays a fair amount of collectivism, and you do not see the assertive and competitive individual behaviors that we often associate with masculine culture. Instead, what you see is heightened competition between groups. For example, in corporate Japan, employees tend to be most motivated when they are competing in a winning team against their competitors. The drive for excellence and perfection in material production (“monodukuri”), in material services (hotels and restaurants), and presentation (gift wrapping and food presentation) is present in every aspect of life. Japan is also notorious for its workaholic culture, and this can be considered another expression of its masculinity. It is thus hard for women to climb up the corporate ladder in Japan given the masculine norm of rough and long working hours.
Veterans in the industry will agree that localizers need to be cautious when entering the Japanese market, and many cannot emphasize enough the importance of finding a reliable local brand to partner with, as Japanese people have a high loyalty to local brands and have a strong tendency to protect their own products against external brands’ expansion. This powerful desire demonstrates the will of Japanese people to secure themselves in the global competition. Japanese companies are unwelcoming to new competitors and will develop strategies to compete against new entrants, so you must be prepared for such competition with very thorough market research and strategy development. In order to succeed in Japan, you must deeply understand marketing trends to have any chance of standing your ground against local competition.2
In China and the US, barriers for new entrants are lower. They rank relatively the same in masculinity, and we can see that in these two societies, there is overlap in encouraging people to climb the career ladder and moralize working in public sectors. At a score of 66, China is a masculine society – success-oriented and driven. The need to ensure success can be exemplified by the fact that many Chinese will sacrifice family and leisure for work. Service industry workers will provide services until very late at night, and migrant workers will leave their families behind in order to obtain better job opportunities and higher pay in faraway cities. Another example is that Chinese students care very much about their grades and how they rank among their peers, as these are the perceived parameters of their future success.
The masculinity score of the US is similarly high at 62, and this can be seen in the typical American behavioral patterns: the combination of a high masculinity drive together with one of the strongest individualist drives in the world. In other words, Americans, so to speak, show their masculinity drive individually. Behaviors in school, work, and other activities are based on the shared values that people should “strive to be the best they can be” and that “winner takes all”. As a result, Americans tend to display and talk freely about their “successes” and achievements in life. The great motivator in American society is not being successful per se, but rather being able to visualize one’s success. Many American assessment systems are based on precise target setting, by which American employees can show how well they perform on a job. There exists a “can-do” mentality which creates a lot of dynamism in the American society, as it is believed that there is always the possibility to do things in a better way. Typically, Americans “live to work” so that they can obtain monetary rewards and therefore achieve a higher social status, and many white-collar workers will move to a fancier neighborhood after every substantial promotion. It is believed that a certain degree of competition will bring out the best of people, as it is the goal to be “the winner”.1
Based on the analysis above, designers must highlight visible cost-effectiveness when promoting in the Chinese or US markets. These two markets share a mutual preference for pragmatism; therefore, your products are likely to reach a larger customer base if you clearly illustrate what practical benefits your products will bring.
The market in South Korea, however, may not buy into marketing with plainly-stated facts. In fact, South Korean customers are more open to products that convey a sense of warmth. South Korea scores 39 on masculinity and is thus considered a feminine society. In feminine countries, the focus is on “working in order to live”: managers strive for consensus, and people value equality, solidarity, and quality in their working life. Conflicts are resolved by compromise and negotiation. Incentives such as free time and flexibility are favored. The focus is on well-being; status is not shown. An effective manager is a supportive one, and decision making is achieved through involvement.1 Therefore, if designers wish to target the South Korean market, they should keep in mind that influencers and testers of known products are influential in consumer decision making, and Korean consumers are not necessarily loyal to brands. Consumers are increasingly less attracted to domestic products given increased purchases of foreign products;3 therefore, a foreign newcomer may have a better chance of succeeding in the South Korean market.
As we can see, looking at localization from the lens of the cultural dimensions theory can give us great insights when deciding how to approach breaking into new markets. Localization doesn’t just occur after the product has been finished; it starts from the very beginning, and integrating the cultural knowledge on our teams into the company’s global strategy is absolutely key to seeing success on an international level.
Works Cited
- Hofstede, G. (2021, June 21). Country comparison. Hofstede Insights. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/china,japan,the-usa/
- KK , E. J. (2022, June 27). Japan market entry, or third restart: Why can business in Japan be difficult? japanstrategy.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.japanstrategy.com/business-in-japan/
- Export Enterprises, S. A. (2022, November). South Korea: Reaching the consumer. Reaching the South Korean consumer – Santandertrade.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://santandertrade.com/en/portal/analyse-markets/south-korea/reaching-the-consumers