Küng-Shankleman, L. (2000) What is Organisation Culture? In: Küng-Shankleman, L. (2000) Inside the BBC and CNN: Managing Media Organizations (London: Routledge)
Q: When envirionments develop or change, organizations need to apply new strategies to the new situation. As globalisation develops more and more, do strategies need to become more global?
A: When you look at the major companies, I think they already have been applying worldwide strategies in the last few decades. Companies like Coca Cola, Nike and Disney have been aiming at worldwide markets. But I can imagine that they use different strategies in different countries/cultures. If we'll ever reach such a thing as a "Global Village", only one strategy may already be sufficient. When looking at the blockbuster film market, it is noticable that film companies are trying to make their films as universal as possible, to reach as much worldcitizens as possible, knowing that revenues will be much higher when audiences in Europe and Asia will appreciate your film too. So when a global culture is forming, a more universal approach/strategy is necessary when you want to reach a broad audience.
De Mooij, M. (1998) Dimensions of Culture. In: De Mooij, M. (1998) Global Marketing and Advertising (London: Sage)
Q: De Mooij uses 'dimensions of culture' to classify cultures. Is that a usuable concept to define a culture?
A: As De Mooij explains, it is a comprehensive way to differentiate one culture from another. It helps to label differences and similarities in different cultures. However, it is a very broad way to define a culture. Often there are shifts in cultural values from one generation to the next, or one part of the country to an other part. So I don't think that you can market a product 'for the Dutch' or 'for the Japanese'. Of course you will be a bit successful, as you are reaching a big audience. But if you specify your target audience, I think advertising and marketing can be more to the point and therefore possibly more rewarding.
Nixon, S. (2003) Advertising and Commercial Culture. In: Nixon, S. (2003) Advertising Cultures (London: Sage)
Q: Nixon proposes to think of advertising as (a part of) 'commercial culture'. It brings together both cultural and economical practices and both are interdependent. Advertising plays a big role in the lives of those susceptible to it. It helps to build an identity. It can be used not only to sell goods, but to create a sphere, a (sub)culture. How can you link advertising to participatory culture?
A: When dealing with advertising, there has always been the notion of producer and consumer. When you look at advertising in the 20th century, a company used to bring a new line of let's say clothing on the market, and it was accompanied by an advertising strategy (for example on TV and in the newspaper). There was no way in which the consumers could participate in the advertising. But now we have the internet and that changed a lot. Now when a new clothing line is being marketed, people can visit the website, look at the clothing and maybe refer it to friends. So then the consumers are doing the advertising. But now that I think of it, this may not be a new thing. Mouth to mouth advertising has existed as long as advertising has existed and it may still be the best way to get more clients/customers. So in a way the internet only made it possible for mouth to mouth advertising to become 'graphical' or 'accessible', in the way that you can now direct your friends to the websites of the companies you wish to advertise. So you participate in finding new or unreached audiences for companies.
Q: Nixon proposes to think of advertising as (a part of) 'commercial culture'. It brings together both cultural and economical practices and both are interdependent. Advertising plays a big role in the lives of those susceptible to it. It helps to build an identity. It can be used not only to sell goods, but to create a sphere, a (sub)culture. How can you link advertising to participatory culture?
A: When dealing with advertising, there has always been the notion of producer and consumer. When you look at advertising in the 20th century, a company used to bring a new line of let's say clothing on the market, and it was accompanied by an advertising strategy (for example on TV and in the newspaper). There was no way in which the consumers could participate in the advertising. But now we have the internet and that changed a lot. Now when a new clothing line is being marketed, people can visit the website, look at the clothing and maybe refer it to friends. So then the consumers are doing the advertising. But now that I think of it, this may not be a new thing. Mouth to mouth advertising has existed as long as advertising has existed and it may still be the best way to get more clients/customers. So in a way the internet only made it possible for mouth to mouth advertising to become 'graphical' or 'accessible', in the way that you can now direct your friends to the websites of the companies you wish to advertise. So you participate in finding new or unreached audiences for companies.