The effects of cultural barriers on market entry strategies

The increasing interests worldwide urge researchers to examine the strategies used specifically for tackling the Chinese market. This urgency is brought forward by the fact of a low success rate of international businesses operating in China in the past twenty years. This paper identifies the fundamental barrier - cultural difference and its impact on Australia China business practices. It identifies the differences which impinge on basic decision making processes. It raises the issue of where cultural factors should be placed in organizations. It stresses that consideration of cultural differences plays an important role in the success of entering the Chinese market. Through a single case study of an Australian organisations operation in China, it is demonstrated that cultural differences should be considered at a strategic level rather than an operational level. This will allow appropriate strategies to be implemented rather than constant acijustments to strategies.

Youth alcohol and other drug use in the United States and Australia: a cross-national comparison of three state-wide samples

Although youth drug and alcohol harm minimization policies in Australia are often contrasted with the abstinence and zero tolerance policies adopted in the United States, there has been little research directly comparing youth substance use behaviour in the two countries. Three state representative samples in Victoria, Australia (n = 7898) and in the US states of Oregon (n = 15 224) and Maine (n = 16 245) completed a common cross-sectional student survey. Rates of alcohol use (lifetime alcohol use, recent use in the past 30 days), alcohol use exceeding recommended consumption limits (binge drinking: five or more drinks in a session), other licit drug use (tobacco use), and norm-violating substance use (substance use at school, use in the past 30 days of marijuana or other illicit drug use) were compared for males and females at ages 12-17. Rates were lower (odds ratios 0.5-0.8) for youth in Maine and Oregon compared to Victoria for lifetime and recent alcohol use, binge drinking and daily cigarette smoking. However, rates of recent marijuana use and recent use of other illicit drugs were higher in Maine and Oregon, as were reports of being drunk or high at school. In contradiction of harm minimization objectives, Victoria, relative to the US states of Oregon and Maine, demonstrated higher rates of alcohol use exceeding recommended consumption limits and daily tobacco use. However, findings suggested that aspects of norm-violating substance use (substance use at school, marijuana use and other illicit drug use) were higher in the US states compared to Victoria.

The importance of overcoming cultural barriers in establishing brand names: an Australian company in China

Considering the importance of cross-cultural competencies in the context of rapid globalisation and the growth of China in the world economy, this paper uses case study methodology, to document the difficulties encountered by an Australian multinational beverage company, Foster’s, in attempting to establish its brand in China’s rapidly expanding market economy. Many of these related to culturally distinct attributes of the market, the consumer base and retail practices. The paper analyses these in terms of key concepts in marketing and cross-cultural business theory, in order to provide guidelines on how to overcome cultural barriers when establishing a foreign brand name in China. It also discusses the impact of cultural differences on brand loyalty after the establishment of the brand and on the sustainability of that brand. In attempting to assist foreign firms to succeed in the Chinese market, this paper offers suggestions that will help marketers to first understand the importance of cultural differences and then to succeed with further recommendations. Being a complex market and a market that is different from the Australian market, this is extremely valuable for those foreign brands entering China.

Social, cultural and environmental influences on child activity and eating in Australian migrant communities

Aim: This study set out to examine the socio-cultural, familial and environmental factors influencing health, eating habits and patterns of physical activity contributing to child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Methods: Semi-structured, community-based interviews were conducted with contrasting key informant three-generation families; and generation by generation focus groups of grandparents, parents and children from four cultural communities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Purposive sampling occurred from Turkish, Greek, Indian and Chinese communities that have migrated to Australia within the last three generations (n = 160, eight families, 47 children aged 5–15 years, 29 parents, 42 grandparents). Results: Evidence of two-way influences on eating and physical activity across three generations was evident, with children reporting the greatest cross-cultural diversity. A range of dietary restrictions was reported across all cultural groups. Efforts to foster healthy eating and lifestyle patterns within communities were evident. Parents, as a generation in particular, felt the need for more access to education and support regarding healthy limits for pre-puberty and puberty stages. Conclusion: There is a dynamic influence of culture on many aspects of family lifestyle across three generations. To achieve successful intervention design, childhood obesity researchers need to collaborate with diverse groups and communities. Considering the role and influence of extended family, a multigenerational, whole-of-community approach beyond that of parent and child populations ought to be considered.

Opening the doors to multiculturalism : Australian pre-service music teacher education students' understandings of cultural diversity

Educational reform in Australia has urged teachers and tertiary institutions to prepare students for multicultural classrooms. Engagement with multicultural music by teachers and students promotes understanding of difference and diversity as music has both global and cross-cultural manifestations. This article reports on a research project undertaken at both Deakin University and Monash University (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) with final year music specialist students (2005-2007). Students participated in an online, anonymous survey (2005) regarding their understandings of multiculturalism. By in-depth analysis of four semi-structured interviews undertaken with volunteers from the 2006 to 2007 cohort, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, emergent themes and construct understandings of participant experiences were identified. Two significant themes are discussed: representations of multicultural music in Victorian schools and cultural context. Music education can be an effective platform to 'opening the doors to multiculturalism and cultural understanding'. Pre-service teacher education courses should reflect the changing societies in which they are situated.

Cultural issues in commencing the supervision of Chinese research students

This paper discusses the impact Chinese students’ culturally-specific features might have on the processes by which they commence their higher degrees by research candidature. We explain how existing frameworks in cross-cultural studies and an appreciation of the different educational background might be used to create a better understanding of the Australian supervisor-Chinese PhD student relationship. We provide strategies to deal with features of Australian academic culture which the Chinese candidate might find confronting so as to maximise the chances of a successful start to candidature and a reduction in the possibility of problems arising.

Moving towards increased cultural competency in public health research

There has been a renewed focus in recent decades on collaborative approaches in community-based public health research and interventions. This is an important grounding for addressing the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. But how well do we as researchers prepare for the complexities of working with CALD communities? And what sort of support do we need to meet the challenges of the task? Cultural competence refers to the extent to which researchers, practitioners and organisations have the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes and policies to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. The shift towards cultural competence in public health is evidenced by the development of policies and guidelines by government bodies and leading research institutions in countries such as Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. This chapter will draw on these guidelines, on models of cultural competency used in welfare and health service delivery, and on collaborative research approaches. A framework for moving towards cultural competence in public health research and health promotion interventions will be discussed, drawing case study examples from the co-authors' community-based experiences. This will highlight the complexities but also the importance of adopting culturally competent strategies in public health research and health promotion interventions. The need for supporting government and funding structures will also be proposed .

Exploring positive cross-gender peer relations : Year 10 students' perspectives on cross-gender friendships

Much of the current academic and policy literature on gender and inclusive education calls for schools and teachers to move towards understanding gender as a multidimensional process of negotiated social relations that is informed by a range of discursive practicesbut how students themselves can conceptualize gender relations in these ways is under researched. This paper reports on an aspect of an exploratory study that had as its focus students' perceptions of cross-cultural and cross-gender friendships. This project, funded by a small Australian Research Council grant from La Trobe University, began with surveys of Year 10 students at two schools who have previously participated in gender reform projects. Those students who indicated they had cross-category friendships were then interviewed to elicit narratives that depict their perspectives on these friendships.

Challenges of international design chain integration and cultural diversity : organisational reflexive capability

Increasingly project teams on international mega projects are composed of multiple partners from different countries forming joint ventures to achieve a higher level of strategic flexibility. Establishing and maintaining local business networks are critical to ensure the success of exporting firms. Firms who achieve competitive advantage in international markets and long term economic sustainability constantly adapt their business practices to achieve client satisfaction by a combination of self, market and project needs assessment. Successful firms ultimately achieve this in local markets but in international market this is intensified with the complexity of barriers grounded in cross-cultural contexts. The need for flexibility, adaptability and continual reassessment is enhanced as the market evolves in various localities. Reflexivity theory was used to develop a conceptual model to explain the way in which firms develop awareness, responsiveness and adaptability for long term success in diverse international markets. This paper summarizes the initial Australian study which developed the model grounded in empirical observations of design construction firms working on projects in developing countries and a second study of Malaysian firms which validated the model. The aim of this study was to develop a performance measurement framework for capabilities assessment of international collaborative partnerships. The study explored the joint venture partnerships between Australian and Malaysian property and construction professionals. Four Malaysian organizations were examined as case studies and two key activities of design management and knowledge management were analyzed in relation to social, cultural and intellectual capital transformation within the Reflexivity Capability Maturity Assessment Framework.

Modelling dimensionality of cultural experience attitudes for international tourists

This empirical research of tourists’ cultural experiences aims to advance theory by developing a measurement model of attitudes towards attending cultural experiences for a sample of international tourists visiting Melbourne, Australia. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to cross-validate the underlying dimensionality structure of cultural experience attitudes in the model. A five-factor model was extracted from the EFA and some further modifications were required to establish discriminant validity. A four-factor model was retained in the CFA, which included three factors based on a liking for different types of cultural experiences and one factor indicating that social interaction was the most liked socio-psychological attitude towards attending cultural experiences. Although the sample were all English-speaking international tourists, cross-cultural validation of the model was also examined for factor configural and metric invariance of the measurement model as there were three different groups of international tourists within the sample: North Americans; New Zealanders; and tourists from United Kingdom and Ireland. This measurement structure was found to be relatively invariant for the factor loadings across the three groups of international tourists.

A cross-national study of teaching and learning in primary science classrooms

This presentation reports on the methodological issues confronting an Australian-German-Taiwanese team planning comparative video ethnographic research into primary science classrooms. The issues that will be canvassed include: the benefits of cross-cultural comparisons in providing perspectives on local practice, the theoretical justifications of such comparisons, selection of cases for comparison and possibilities for claiming cultural representativeness, the planning of appropriate data sets, the different comparative stories offered by different analytical frames, practical issues of communication and data sharing, and issues of entanglement of language and culture in the analysis.

Using the Rose Angina Questionnaire cross-culturally : the importance of consulting lay people when translating epidemiological questionnaires

Objectives. The Rose Angina Questionnaire (RAQ) is an important measure of coronary heart disease prevalence. It has been shown to perform inconsistently across some ethnic groups in Britain. This study investigates whether the best available versions of the RAQ in Punjabi and Cantonese were linguistically equivalent to the English version.

Design. Interviews were carried out with lay people from the Pakistani, Chinese and European-origin communities in Scotland to assess the versions of the RAQ used in the Newcastle Heart Project (the best available versions). For each questionnaire item, participants were asked to elaborate on their understanding of the question and the meaning of keywords or phrases.

Results. Problems were discovered with the Punjabi and Cantonese translations of the RAQ. For example, the translation for ‘chest’ was interpreted by some Pakistani and Chinese women to mean ‘breasts’. ‘Walking uphill’ was translated in Chinese as ‘walking the hill’, without stipulation of the direction, so that some Cantonese speakers interpreted the question as pertaining to walking downhill. Many Chinese interpreted RAQ items to be referring to breathlessness rather than chest pain due to ambiguous wording.

Conclusion. Existing versions of the RAQ are unlikely to be yielding data that are cross-culturally valid or comparable. For robust health survey research in languages other than that in which the questionnaire was developed, lay assessment of questionnaires prior to and after translation is a necessity rather than a luxury.

Cultural feelings and the making of meaning

Cultural feelings are an undertheorised area of the human experience which are recently gaining attention and which need to be understood in the context of museum visitor studies where they are largely ignored. Drawing on a long-term narrative study of global visitors to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa), this paper unearths the conditions of meaning-making or hermeneutic foundations that facilitate the subsequent processes of meaning-making or interpretations. It argues that the engagement with a museum space starts on a sensory, emotive and embodied level. Visitors’ narrations of their visit to the museum reveal that emotions and feelings are not separate stages of the museum experience but are continuously interwoven with intellectual and interpretive processes. Importantly, the empirical evidence shows that certain meanings remain on an embodied level as an ‘internal understanding’ and resist any verbal ‘expressibility’. The conditions flow into the processes of meaning-making during cross-cultural encounters within the material museum world. Here, feelings enter into the realm of culture and thus into the experience of heritage.