The focus in this paper shall lie on the business’ website. When planning a website, the development process includes the research and analysis of the target group in order to catch their attention. Colors and symbols for instance are relevant for many cultures and need to be taken into account when designing a website. Due to the increasing globalization of markets, websites have to be adapted to the customer’s needs. Therefore, an investigation on cultural preferences is needed. Based on the study of the IT University of Copenhagen of 2005, this paper aims to answer the question of whether the company Starbucks is adapting its websites to the cultures of their international markets. Furthermore, it shall examine what the main differences of the websites are. Before that, the contexting theory by Edward T. Hall will be explained, followed by an outline on intercultural web design. The analyzed low context country will be Germany, whereas the high context country will be South Korea. As a conclusion, this paper will summarize the findings and give an outlook on the future of Hall’s theory.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Intercultural communication approach by Edward Hall
2.1 High context cultures
2.2 Low context cultures
3 Cross-cultural communication in digital marketing
3.1 Particularities in intercultural marketing
3.2 Cultural adaptions in web design
4 Analysis of Starbucks’ websites of high and low context countries
4.1 Low context example: Germany
4.2 High context example: South Korea
4.3 Comparison and results
5 Conclusion
6 Reference list
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines how international companies adapt their web presence to different cultural settings by applying Edward T. Hall's theory of high and low context cultures. The primary research goal is to investigate whether Starbucks tailors its website design to the specific cultural communication styles of Germany (low context) and South Korea (high context).
- Theoretical foundations of intercultural communication by Edward T. Hall.
- Challenges and strategies for digital marketing in a cross-cultural context.
- Application of cultural dimensions to website design elements such as tonality, layout, and visual presentation.
- Comparative case study of Starbucks' German and Korean digital platforms.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 High context cultures
Speaking about context, it can also be seen as an information network. In those informal networks, relevant information is exchanged. In high context cultures, the well-informed informal network provides all relevant information that is needed to understand a message. Those relationships are built through family members, friends, colleagues and neighbors (Broszinsky-Schwabe 2011, pp. 83 – 84). It can therefore be assumed that in this kind of culture, communication is more open and relationships with one another play an important role.
In fact, the primary goal is to build and strengthen relationships and to avoid confrontation. Stories from one’s private live cover the biggest part of conversations. By knowing these kinds of information, the message being sent is understood within the known context of the personal background (Browaeys & Price 2015 pp. 331 – 339). Further characteristics of the interaction in high context cultures are indirect statements, feeling shame, revenge and avoiding denial (Brinker Dozier, Husted & McMahon 1998).
According to Hall (1989 pp. 111 – 113), people from high context cultures take much into account and put the focus on the person itself and its background. In extreme cases, such as in Japan, when talking to each other there is no need to be specific. As a matter of fact, it is expected that the interlocutor finds out what’s on one’s mind. The conversation partner shall therefore not come to the point.
To give a concrete example for a high culture’s mindset, the activity of planning shall be used. Companies in high context cultures tend to develop more implicit plans which do not include many details in terms of instructions. This is due to the fact that most of the information can be obtained via the before mentioned informal networks (Browaeys & Price 2015 p. 156).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical context of intercultural communication and defines the purpose of investigating Starbucks' websites in Germany and South Korea.
2 Intercultural communication approach by Edward Hall: This chapter outlines Hall's theory regarding high and low context cultures, explaining how communication and social interaction differ based on the context level.
3 Cross-cultural communication in digital marketing: This chapter discusses the practical challenges of adapting marketing strategies to foreign cultures and the importance of localized web design.
4 Analysis of Starbucks’ websites of high and low context countries: This chapter presents the comparative study of the German and Korean Starbucks websites, evaluating specific design elements and communication approaches.
5 Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that cultural adaptation plays a role in web design, though other factors also influence global marketing strategies.
6 Reference list: This section contains all cited literature and sources used for the analysis.
Keywords
Intercultural communication, Edward T. Hall, high context, low context, web design, Starbucks, digital marketing, cross-cultural, localization, consumer behavior, website analysis, marketing strategy, Germany, South Korea, communication theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this term paper?
The paper focuses on the intersection of web design and intercultural communication, specifically analyzing how a global brand like Starbucks tailors its digital presence for different cultural markets.
Which cultural theory serves as the foundation of the study?
The paper uses the context theory developed by Edward T. Hall, which distinguishes between high context and low context cultures based on how information is exchanged and understood.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to determine if Starbucks adapts its website design elements, such as layout and content tonality, to align with the cultural preferences of German (low context) and Korean (high context) consumers.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The research is a comparative analysis based on qualitative observations of the two specific Starbucks websites, evaluating them against pre-defined criteria derived from intercultural communication literature.
What does the main part of the paper cover?
The main part covers the theoretical background of Hall’s theory, the general implications for digital marketing, and a detailed step-by-step comparison of the selected websites.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Intercultural communication, High context, Low context, Web design, Digital marketing, and Cross-cultural analysis.
How do German and Korean web designs differ according to the study?
The study found that the German website tends to be more static and restrained, while the Korean website utilizes more dynamic elements like animations and bright colors to suit a high context preference.
Does the study confirm that Starbucks follows Hall's theory perfectly?
The study concludes that while there is a relation between culture and web design, it cannot be fully confirmed that Starbucks solely applies Hall's theory, as other global strategy factors and modern digital trends also play a significant role.
- Quote paper
- Martina Cimminiello (Author), 2020, Web design in high and low context cultures, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/989794
