Power distance reflects extent to which members of a society accept an unequal distribution of power as a de facto element of life. Wealth disparities, political agency or lack thereof, and social hierarchies are all facets of how power might be distributed and exercised in a given country.
Hofstede’s dimension of uncertainty avoidance refers to a society’s general tolerance of ambiguity or the unknown. This is reflected in the extent to which a given culture will utilize rules, societal norms and standardized procedures to reduce uncertainty with regard to future events, decisions or occurrences.
If one were to nominate a poster child for international marketing failures, one would be hard-pressed to identify a candidate more ideal than Walmart. In so many cases over the past several decades, Walmart consistently made the wrong choices when making an entrance into a new market. Walmart’s journeys abroad, whether to China, Germany, Brazil or elsewhere, seem to be met with stumbles at every step — though in many cases, the company has learned and adapted over time.
KFC has made wave after wave in the marketing community due to its resounding success in China. Far and away the country’s most popular American fast food chain, the company is seemingly bulletproof when it comes to its performance with Chinese consumers. KFC became the first American fast food chain to enter the Chinese market when it opened its first restaurant just a short walk from Beijing’s famous Tiananmen Square in 1987. At the time, the three-story branch was KFC’s largest in the world — an impressive start which set the tone for the chain’s continued triumphs in the country.
Adidas, Jägermeister and Volkswagen are only a few belonging to Germany’s long list of internationally famous brands. What does it take to enter Europe’s most successful economy? What is the average German customer like? We plunged into data research and spoke with business professionals who know the German market to answer these and many other questions – all in our SEO guide for Germany.