Cross-cultural research in international marketing: clearing up some of the confusion

Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the discussion of cross-cultural research, in particular the use of dimensions of national culture, for international marketing.Design/methodology/approach– Discuss definitions of values and culture, analyze cultural models as to purpose and design and applications of models to international marketing.Findings– International marketers benefit from applying dimensions of national culture, but researchers make mistakes in applying and interpreting such dimensions, thus discrediting useful means of research for international marketing.Practical implications– Researchers should understand the problems of multi-level research and interpret dimensions better when using them for research.Originality/value– The value of this paper is in clearing up some of the misunderstandings about dimensions of national culture.