1.INTRODUCTION
The internet has become the most important media in which business advertises their companies and products. Globalization has further improved the importance of websites as a critical communication media for multinational companies. However, customers from different cultures have various perceptions and preferences towards website design. Consequently, it is of great importance for companies to customize their websites to cater to consumers from different cultural backgrounds. By using McDonalds’ and KFC as examples of multinational companies, this essay examines how cultural differences influence websites design by comparing Taiwan’s websites with United States’ websites of the same companies. The comparison criteria will be …show more content…
Collectivism (IDV)
IDV reflects the level of independence in people. Cultures with a high IDV embraces people who are more independent and value their own thoughts. USA ranks higher than Taiwan in IDV and cultures with high IDV: uses images containing single individual and product which naturally relates to individualism; is more object oriented in use of images; use cultural icons less frequently.
Use of images in McDonalds’ USA is object oriented as Fig 6 shows various kinds of burgers that are provided. Taiwan, however, with a collective culture, uses image that is relation oriented. The portrayal of two French fries in Fig 7 resembles family relationship where the bigger fries is like the father of the smaller fries. Cultural icon of “阿里山”, which is the most famous mountain in Taiwan, is also shown in Fig 7 because the collectivist culture in Taiwan emphasizes tradition and history.
Fig 6. USA object oriented Fig 7. Taiwan relation oriented and use of cultural icon
3.3 Masculinity vs. Feminity (MAS)
MAS reflects the traditional male/female component of a culture. USA ranks higher in MAS than Taiwan and cultures with high MAS will use more images of male which relate to masculinity instead of images female or cartoon figures which relate to
The internet has become the most important media in which business advertises their companies and products. Globalization has further improved the importance of websites as a critical communication media for multinational companies. However, customers from different cultures have various perceptions and preferences towards website design. Consequently, it is of great importance for companies to customize their websites to cater to consumers from different cultural backgrounds. By using McDonalds’ and KFC as examples of multinational companies, this essay examines how cultural differences influence websites design by comparing Taiwan’s websites with United States’ websites of the same companies. The comparison criteria will be …show more content…
Collectivism (IDV)
IDV reflects the level of independence in people. Cultures with a high IDV embraces people who are more independent and value their own thoughts. USA ranks higher than Taiwan in IDV and cultures with high IDV: uses images containing single individual and product which naturally relates to individualism; is more object oriented in use of images; use cultural icons less frequently.
Use of images in McDonalds’ USA is object oriented as Fig 6 shows various kinds of burgers that are provided. Taiwan, however, with a collective culture, uses image that is relation oriented. The portrayal of two French fries in Fig 7 resembles family relationship where the bigger fries is like the father of the smaller fries. Cultural icon of “阿里山”, which is the most famous mountain in Taiwan, is also shown in Fig 7 because the collectivist culture in Taiwan emphasizes tradition and history.
Fig 6. USA object oriented Fig 7. Taiwan relation oriented and use of cultural icon
3.3 Masculinity vs. Feminity (MAS)
MAS reflects the traditional male/female component of a culture. USA ranks higher in MAS than Taiwan and cultures with high MAS will use more images of male which relate to masculinity instead of images female or cartoon figures which relate to