e of the most significantfactors in an international company. All nationalities possesunique characteristics, which are unknown to manyforeigners. Many of the top international businesses areunaware of these cultural differences. It is very important tounderstand these cultures in order to market a productsuccessfully. As an example, different nationalities havedifferent beliefs on how business matters should take place.Where some countries prefer to work with a deadline othercountries can take this as being offensive. Many countriesfeel it is an insult to be asked to work under a set timeperiod. A country may feel that a deadline is threateningand may feel backed into a corner. On the other hand,other countries try to expedite matters by setting deadlines.To be effective in a foreign market it is necessary tounderstand the local customs. Knowing what to do in aforeign country is as important as knowing what not to do.Failure to understand local customs can lead to seriousmisunderstandings between business people. The simplerejection of a cup of coffee can lead to total confusion. Thedecline of an invite is sometimes considered an affront. Toavoid making blunders, a person must be able to discernthe difference between what is acceptable behavior andwhat is not acceptable behavior. Violations of a localcustom can be insulting, and can cause uncomfortablesituations. To be a successful manager of internationalmarketing, one must be able to discern the differences as towhat must and must not be done. It is almost impossible toattain complete knowledge and understanding of a foreignculture.As established, culture plays an important role in the dramaof international marketing. Of all the cultural aspects,communication may be the most critical. It is certain thatcommunication has been involved in a number of culturalconfusion. Good communication linkages must be setbetween a company and its customers, suppliers, itsemployees, and the governmen...
