Influence of Religion on Consumer Behavior and the Effects on Marketing
National borders no longer restrict the consumer marketplace and markets are trending towards global unity through regional unification (e.g. The European Union [EU]) and international standards and trade agreements, the standardization of manufacturing and technology, global investment opportunities, rapid increases in education and literacy, the urbanization and infrastructural advancements in developing and emerging nations, expansion of world travel, free flow of information across borders, increases in consumer knowledge, sophistication and purchasing power, and easier access to and more widespread global media. Even if a firm chooses not to participate in globalization, they will feel the effects as firms from far reaching areas may choose to compete for and influence the purchasing decisions of the same customers.
In order for firms to compete in the hyper-competitive global market and address the ever increasing expectations of consumers, it often takes more than developing a broad global marketing strategy, firms must recognize the individual differences, cultural attitudes and preferences of consumers within a given region. The segmentation of markets based on cultural characteristics at the global level enables firms to market their product or service to consumers who share certain socio-demographic traits, values and beliefs, consumption patterns and media usage. Knowing the cultural variations within a region enables firms to tailor their marketing to match the attitudes and beliefs of the market. Within cultural bodies there exists a common set of values, beliefs and assumptions and perceptions about life that are transmitted from generation to generation through social and environmental interactions and the process of learning. These learned behaviors influence the way members of a society interact with one another and behave in ways that are considered socially acceptable. Furthermore, consumption patterns and consumer behaviors are based on
In order for firms to compete in the hyper-competitive global market and address the ever increasing expectations of consumers, it often takes more than developing a broad global marketing strategy, firms must recognize the individual differences, cultural attitudes and preferences of consumers within a given region. The segmentation of markets based on cultural characteristics at the global level enables firms to market their product or service to consumers who share certain socio-demographic traits, values and beliefs, consumption patterns and media usage. Knowing the cultural variations within a region enables firms to tailor their marketing to match the attitudes and beliefs of the market. Within cultural bodies there exists a common set of values, beliefs and assumptions and perceptions about life that are transmitted from generation to generation through social and environmental interactions and the process of learning. These learned behaviors influence the way members of a society interact with one another and behave in ways that are considered socially acceptable. Furthermore, consumption patterns and consumer behaviors are based on
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