The video portrays American and Sudanese cultures as highly different from each other. The fundamental societal structure in America almost appears as the inverse of that of Sudan. The Sudanese are used to bathing in rivers and or using water drawn from the rivers to clean themselves, whereas Americans clean their bodies using modern shower systems. The American people practice monogamy while the Sudanese uphold a polygamous lifestyle. Sudanese live in tiny mud houses while the Americans dwell in apartments (Fsali89, 2009). There is a vast difference between the food consumed in Sudan and America in their appearance and taste. The Sudanese seem offended by the ignorant misconceptions occasionally posed by Americans on whether they live in forests.
Generally, Americans elicit high Individualism Verus Collectivism (IDV), characterized by poor relationships between community members as they individually stress over personal concerns. From the video, it is evident that Sudanese value loyalty and other people’s interests. The application of a collective IDV ensures they can freely visit or randomly involve strangers in discussions without legal implications. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) describes how a society copes with anxiety (HILL & Hult, 2021). High UAI characterizes Americans as they strive to exert maximum predictability and control over factors affecting their lives, as illustrated by the merchants calling the police on Sudanese entering their stores in large numbers. In contrast, Sudanese follow a low UAI by living a relaxed and inclusive lifestyle.
Example of how Marketing Could Teach Consumers how to use a New Product
Marketing segmentation can prove great importance in enlightening the Sudanese about American food. American food manufacturers should adopt a marketing mix to make their food similar in looks and tastes to those from Sudan to suit the immigrants and customers from Sudan. The Sudanese seemed upset with the food offered in America when due to its differences from that in their country but upon introduction and comparison to similar food from Sudan, they readily loved and ate the potato crips (Fsali89, 2009). Food manufacturers may apply International Marketing Research to enhance marketing segmentation by systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting the data to establish global preferences (HILL & Hult, 2021). In addition, the manufacturers may apply questionnaires and online surveys to account for the diverse cultures around the world to supply personalized foods regarding tastes and looks.
Evidence of Ethnocentrism from the Video
Merchants in Pittsburg calling the police on Sudanese boys walking to their stores in large numbers is an avid example of ethnocentrism. American merchants prejudged and determined that the Sudanese were likely to vandalize their stores or cause harm (Fsali89, 2009). Therefore, they urged the authorities to compel Sudanese to walk in groups of two’s to their stores. This action indicates the ethnocentric nature of most Americans who are close-minded to embracing new cultures and races.
Example of Culture Shock
Traveling to a new country can be cumbersome and challenging when the languages and alphabet are different. For example, moving to Japan can be hectic for American citizens due to the language barrier and the different alphabet letters (Phillips & Susannne, 2018). the inability to speak to other people in the streets, ask for directions, or order food from stores may hamper all aspects of enjoying life for the native Americans in Japan. The language barrier may leave the visiting person frustrated and stranded on the streets and frantically attempting to decipher food names from menus in restaurants. Additionally, Americans may experience changes in their dressing and the types of foods prepared in restaurants.
References
HILL, C. H., & Hult, G. T. (2021). International Business: Competing in the global marketplace (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Fsali89. (2009). Cultural Differences National Geographic [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Phillips, & Susannne, K. (2018). Successful practices for avoiding culture shock and assimilating into Japanese culture. Arizona State University. Web.