Page 61 - DMGT545_INTERNATIONAL_BUSINESS

International Business

notes 3.1.10 language and linguistic Groups

The domestic language policy of India is geared towards a progressive shrinking of the use
of English, a great beneficial legacy left by the British. In tandem with its religion and culture
postures, the Indian foreign policy tried to promote the study of Indian languages abroad. This
was a direct emulation of the British, French, German and Soviet policies. Once again there
was some success, but this success was limited to the fringes of Western societies. On the other
hand, the domestic language policy in support of a national language has been incorporated
as an element of India’s foreign policy in its attempt to include Hindi as one of the UN official
languages, and to strengthen the ethnic identity of the Indian diaspora.

Again and again, India exhibits a burning desire to seek acceptance and recognition as a great
power, but its claims are expressed through weak and misplaced instruments. The ancient
nature of a civilization, expressed through continuity in religion, culture and language, does not
bestow upon any nation great power. Past achievements are no guarantee for the future status
of preeminence. And yet India can still exploit the growing desire among ordinary Indians to
learn and master English to its advantage in the free market world. Thus the role of language in
its foreign policy is not diminished, but it needs to be carefully worked out, especially with the
changes towards a free market economy.

Linguistic Groups

Religion provides the best insight into a society’s behavior and helps answer the question why
people behave rather than how they behave.

A survey in the early 1980s revealed the following religious groupings (see Table 3.1).
table 3.1: religious Groupings

Groups million
Animism 300
Buddhism 280
Christianity 1500
Hinduism 600
Islam 800
Shinto 120

Religion can affect marketing in a number of ways:
1. Religious holidays - Ramadan cannot get access to consumers as shops are closed.

2. Consumption patterns - fish for Catholics on Friday;
3. Economic role of women – Islam;
4. Caste systems - difficulty in getting to different costs for segmentation/niche marketing;
5. Joint and extended families - Hinduism and organizational structures;

6. Institution of the church - Iran and its effect on advertising, “Western” images;
7. Market segments - Malaysia - Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures making market
segmentation;
8. Sensitivity is needed to be alert to religious differences.

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