Cultural Differences and Similarities in Television Commercials in the Arab World and the United States

Understanding the nature and influences of cultural differences is central to international marketing. This article investigates cultural differences in television advertising between the United States and a select group of countries in the Arab world on the cultural dimensions of contextualization, individualism/collectivism, time orientation, and human perception of nature. The results indicate that while there are many differences between the United States and the Arab world, there are also similarities. The results indicate that there are also differences between the Arab countries, and the Arab countries should not be viewed as the same in certain situations.     

Character Portrayal: Examining Gender Roles in Television Commercials Targeted at Children in India and the United States

ABSTRACT

Children's market has been growing steadily not only in the United States but also globally. Advertisers have been targeting this segment heavily in recent years. Given the impact of this segment having increased rapidly in recent years, it is imperative for the advertisers to understand and develop effective advertising messages to reach this segment successfully. One of the essential components of advertisement content includes decisions regarding the gender portrayal of the characters. This study examines the depiction of self-presentation behaviors of the characters in commercials shown during the times and on the channels that children watch in India and the United States. The findings indicate interesting similarities and differences between the two countries. Managerial implications and future research directions are offered based on the findings.     

The Impact of Culture on the Efficacy and Fairness of Whistleblowing: A Contrast Between Brazil and the United States

The possibility of denouncing malpractice at corporations listed on the US stock exchange is a relatively recent requirement as promoted by the US Sarbanes‐Oxley 2002 Act. This organizational alert mechanism acts as a tool for fostering the exercise of control within a structured entity. However, a study in Brazil revealed that the anonymous whistleblowing mechanisms were occasionally utilized for maligning someone when use of the instruments was significantly restrained. This article examines the critical decisions made by the top‐level executives (headquarters) to effectively control subsidiaries and particularly with regard to hotlines that allow whistleblowing and its overall impact on organizational climate using Brazil as a case study. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

How Chinese Children's Commercials Differ from Those of the United States: A Content Analysis

Abstract

A content analysis was conducted of children's television commercials from China and the United States that were recorded over a period of eighteen months. We describe how the content of the two sets of commercials differs and the underlying reasons for the differences, including cultural, economic, and social conditions. The results suggest that, for the most part, Chinese children's commercials reflect China's traditional cultural values and its social and economic development level. However, the analysis was able to detect a shifting in power in Chinese society from the elderly to the young, resulting mainly from its one-child policy implemented during the past two decades. We also found some evidence of Western values creeping into Chinese children's commercials. Limitations are noted, and suggestions are offered for additional research that will corroborate these findings.     

Market Price of Risk: A Comparison among the United States,United Kingdom,Australia and Japan*

This study examines and compares the market price of risk of the S&P 500, FTSE 100, All Ordinaries, and Nikkei 225 markets from 1984 to 2009 in the framework of Intertemporal Capital Asset Pricing Model (ICAPM). We follow the Vector Autoregressive instrumental variable approach in identifying the risk and hedge components of market returns and argue that in the context of market integration, covariance with a world market portfolio is a better measure of market risk than conditional market variance. Evidence is documented in support of using covariance as a risk measure in explaining market risk premiums in the Australian and Japanese markets. CAY, the consumption wealth ratio from the US market is found to be a robust state variable that helps to explain both conditional variance and covariance processes in the four markets. The market prices of risk, after controlling for the hedging demands, are positive and significant with the United States having the highest price of risk. The results are confirmed using a series of robustness tests that include varying the sampling interval.     

A Content Analysis of Problem-Resolution Appeals in Television Commercials

The considerable power of the repeated message leads observational learning theoriests to maintain that television messages have significant impact upon viewers. Television advertisements typically present quick and easy solutions to problems, thus discouraging careful, step-by-step decision making. Consumers who come to expect easy solutions may suffer disillusionment if they extend those lessons to more complex problem solving. This study documents the pervasive problem-resolution format presented in television commercials and draws implications about consumer behavior.     

A Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Mature Individuals in Television Commercials

This inquiry analyzed the extent to which television commercials used mature models, relative to younger models. It also analyzed the extent to which commercials portrayed the elderly in a favorable or an unfavorable manner. The study used content analysis to test twelve hypotheses. The authors arrived at conclusions relating to the depiction of mature individuals in television commercials and set forth various recommendations to advertisers, based on the analysis.     

A Content Analysis of Animation and Animated Spokes-Characters in Television Commercials

Abstract

This study employed content analysis to examine animation and animated spokes-characters in television advertising. The majority of spokes-characters observed in this study were humans, animal personifications, or product personifications. Characters were more likely to speak for the product than provide visual demonstration although they did both in more than half the cases. There were far more non-celebrity than celebrity spokes-characters, and a large majority of them were male. Significant differences were found in the use of animation across dayparts, program types, product classes and product categories. Although no increase was evident in the use of animation since the last study was completed, there was evidence to suggest that the role of animation has been changing in the past decade. Findings indicate that animated spokes-characters are being used more often to present high involvement products to adult audiences.     

Consumer Decision-Making Styles: Comparison Between United States and Korean Young Consumers

The purpose is to identify decision-making styles of young consumers in Korea and to find if these styles are similar to those of U.S. young consumers. An instrument, based on previous research in the United States, was administered to 310 college students in Korea. Data are factor analyzed and alpha coefficients are computed for scale reliability. Findings indicate the generality of some consumer decision-making styles. Similarities and differences between cultures are discussed, and implications are provided.     

Women as Managers in the United States and China: A Cross-Cultural Study

This article investigated Chinese and U.S. attitudes toward women as managers with the goal of establishing an empirical basis for comparison and understanding of the glass ceiling potential in each culture. The authors used the Women as Managers Scale (WAMS) to measure perceptions of 919 U.S. and Chinese participants. Results indicated differences in perceptions by gender and nationality. Overall, women were perceived less favorably as managers by Chinese and U.S. males as compared to perceptions of Chinese and U.S. female participants. Findings are discussed in terms of existing research and areas for future research are suggested.     

The Impact of Program Environment on Recall of Humorous Television Commercials

This study investigated the possible effect of television program types on the recall performance of humorous television commercials. An experimental design was developed to test the relative performance of the same humorous and non-humorous ads in three different contextual environments—situation comedy, action/adventure, and documentary. The findings indicate that the recall performance of commercials and of the product or service promoted are both affected by the program environment within which the ads appear.     

The Depiction of African American Children's Activities in Television Commercials: An Assessment

This study involved a content analysis of the degree of portrayal and the favoribility of portrayal of African American children, as they were cast in various roles. It was hypothesized that these children would be less frequently and less positively portrayed in scholarly than in other roles and that scholarly depiction would vary among product classes. The research results did not support the first two but did support the third hypothesis. Various implications of the findings were drawn.     

Contextual Priming Effects of Television Programs on Commercials: The Moderating Effects of Age

This study investigated whether age and its associated implicit memory deficits influences responses to contextual television advertising. Prior exposure to the advertised product or brand during a program should improve recall and brand attitude for contextual commercials. The results of a lab experiment, with participants ranging in age from 19 to 78, revealed that unbranded product appearances significantly improved recall, compared to normal unprimed commercials, but only for younger consumers. Branded product appearances did not significantly improve recall, compared to unbranded appearances. Contextual commercials had no positive effects on brand attitude. However, a competitor-brand appearance had a negative effect on brand attitude, for both older and younger consumers. Implications of these results, and their limitations, are discussed.     

美国、日本、韩国科技预算管理模式比较

国家科技预算管理从预算各个环节对国家科技活动进行布局和调控,直接影响本国(地区)科技发展方向以及科技对本国(地区)经济社会发展的作用.如何按照科技活动规律,建立一套既符合本国政治体制和财政体系,又能更大程度促进国家(地区)科技和经济发展战略实现的科技预算管理模式,是世界各国高度重视的问题.伴随各国经济社会发展对科技进步的需求日益增大,国家科技预算管理模式得到越来越多的关注.本研究对美国、日本和韩国现行科技预算管理模式的形成、发展趋势及其核心特征进行比较和分析,以期为进一步完善我国科技预算管理模式提供借鉴.     

Minorities in Children's Television Commercials: New,Improved, and Stereotyped

Mass media is one means by which consumers learn how to behave as consumers. Consumers’ beliefs about minorities as consumers are also influenced by mass media, and the impact is likely highest among young children. A content analysis of 813 commercials in children's television programming reveals that while Caucasians continue to be the predominant models in terms of numbers and in the types of roles they play, the numerical representation of minorities, especially Blacks, has improved. However, the study found that minorities are more likely than Caucasians to have minor roles and to be portrayed in certain product categories, settings, and relationships. Societal impacts and implications for minority consumers are discussed.     

Linking JIT strategies and control systems: A comparison of the United States and Japan

Potential blows to US competitiveness by Japanese manufacturers have been instrumental in stimulating interest in the development of manufacturing strategy theory and its importance at the level of competitive strategy. Unfortunately, little substantial empirical research effort has attempted to measure manufacturing strategy and to explore its potential linkages with management control systems in the United States and Japan. This study expands the empirical data base available on this topic by exploring the adoption of just-in-time strategies, and the use of management control systems associated with the implementation of inventory reduction and flexibility initiatives in the United States and Japan.     

美国贸易逆差对世界流动性的影响

随着次贷危机的发展,世界流动性过剩转变为流动性紧缩.本文运用美国主要贸易伙伴国的面板数据进行分析,发现美国贸易逆差是其向全球输出流动性的一个主要渠道,是前一阶段全球货币流动性过剩形成的主要原因之一,并带来了全球资产价格上涨.而美国消费下降、贸易逆差减小,则进一步恶化了世界流动性紧缩程度.世界主要经济体必须从优化贸易结构、调整汇率制度、加强全球宏观政策协调等多方面入手,解决流动性过剩或紧缩问题产生的根源.