The importance of culture in the differences in perceived effectiveness of advertisements between Surinamese and Dutch individuals in the Netherlands

A thesis submitted for the degree of Bachelor of European Studies

The importance of culture in the differences in perceived effectiveness of

advertisements between Surinamese and Dutch individuals in the Netherlands

Emy Kartomo, 15042197, ES4

Supervisor: Mr. van Weperen Date of completion: March 5, 2019 The Hague University of Applied Sciences Faculty of Management & Organisation European Studies

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to document research at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) on the topic of the importance of culture in the differences in perceived effectiveness of advertisements between Surinamese and Dutch individuals in the Netherlands.

The researcher came up with this topic, because of the experienced misunderstandings that occurred within the researcher’s environment. On top of that, the mix of marketing and culture has always been of the researcher’s personal interest. This research contains the main question ‘What is the role of culture in the differences of perceived effectiveness of advertisements between the Surinamese and Dutch individuals in the Netherlands?’ In order to come to a conclusion, the following sub questions proved to be useful:

1. What is effective advertising?

2. What are the cultural profiles of the Surinamese and the Dutch?

3. How do the responses of the Dutch and Surinamese on the showed advertisement differ?

To get an idea how both Surinamese and Dutch individuals within the Netherlands are influenced by their culture while viewing advertisements, the decision has been made to use the AIDA model as advertising theory, and Trompenaars cultural theory. After an extensive comparison and reflection, and with the help of a comparison table and an organizational table, these theories have been proven to be the most suitable for this research. In addition to the theories, the choice has been made to carry out a questionnaire as well. The questionnaire was published online and was handed out on paper. In total, 50 respondents filled in the questionnaire. Since the number of respondents was not equally divided, 70% of the respondents were born in the Netherlands, thus 30% were born in Surinam, and it is considered as a limitation to this research. However, despite this limitation, this report revealed valuable insights. The results of the questionnaire have been compared with both the advertisement as the cultural theory and showed that 6 out of the 7 dimensions of Trompenaars cultural theory matched with the Surinamese, and only 3 out of 7 with the Dutch respondents. Therefore, it can be concluded that culture does play a significant role in the perceived effectiveness of advertisements, especially among the Surinamese in the Netherlands.

Therefore, the recommendation is to execute a follow up research on how businesses can address a multicultural society more effectively through advertisements. Due to the fact that advertising is the main channel of businesses communicating towards their customers, and the number of

Table of content

PREFACE ... 4

1. INTRODUCTION ... 5

1.1.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ... 5

1.2.PROBLEM STATEMENT ... 7

2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ... 10

2.1INTRODUCTION ... 10

2.1.CULTURAL THEORIES... 10

2.1.1. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory ... 11

... 11

2.1.2. Hall’s Cultural Factors Theory ... 12

2.1.3. Trompenaars’ Seven Dimensions of Culture ... 13

... 13

2.2.CULTURAL THEORY COMPARISON TABLE ... 15

2.2.1. Selection and explanation cultural theory comparison table ... 16

2.3.OPERATIONALIZATION TABLE... 18

2.4.ADVERTISEMENT THEORIES ... 20

2.4.1. The AIDA Model by E.K. Strong ... 20

2.3.2. The Facets Model of Effects ... 21

2.4.3. The 7 Salient Features Model by Smriti Chand ... 25

2.5.ADVERTISEMENT THEORY COMPARISON TABLE ... 27

2.5.1. Selection and explanation advertisement comparison table ... 28

2.6.OPERATIONALIZATION TABLE AIDAMODEL ... 30

3. METHODOLOGY ... 31

4. RESULTS ... 34

4.1.INTRODUCTION ... 34

4.2.WHAT IS EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING? ... 34

4.3.WHAT ARE THE CULTURAL PROFILES OF THE SURINAMESE AND DUTCH? ... 36

4.4.HOW DO THE RESPONSES OF THE DUTCH AND SURINAMESE ON THE SHOWED ADVERTISEMENTS DIFFER? ... 39

5. ANALYSIS ... 45 5.1.INTRODUCTION ... 45 5.2.FINDINGS ... 45 5.3.RELIABILITY ... 46 5.4.CREDIBILITY ... 46 5.5.VALIDITY ... 46

6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ... 47

6.1.CONCLUSION ... 47 6.2.RECOMMENDATION ... 48 8. REFERENCES ... 49 8.1.INTERNET SOURCES ... 49 8.2.BOOKS ... 54 9. APPENDICES ... 56

9.1.APPENDIX 1:CULTURES &ADVERTISEMENTS QUESTIONNAIRE INCLUDING ADVERTISEMENT EXPLANATION ... 56

9.2.APPENDIX 2:PROCESSED RESULTS QUESTIONNAIRE ... 64

9.2.1. Sheet 1: Codebook ... 64

Preface

Before you lies the dissertation ‘The importance of culture in the differences in perceived

effectiveness of advertisements between Surinamese and Dutch individuals in the Netherlands’. It has been written to fulfil the graduation requirements of the European Studies program at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS). I was engaged in researching and writing this dissertation from September 2018 to March 2019.

During the writing of my dissertation, I found support and motivation with my supervisor Mr. van Weperen.

Finally, I wish to express my thanks to the great support I have received from my family and friends, who helped me staying positive and motivated during this entire period.

I hope you enjoy your reading.

Emy Kartomo

1. Introduction

1.1. Background of the study

One of the most well-known elements within marketing, are the 4 P’s in the marketing mix. It is the set of tactical marketing tools, product, price, place, and promotion that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market (Kotler & Armstrong, 2018, p.671). It refers to the set of actions, or tactics, that a company uses to promote its brand or product in the market (Economic times, n.d.).

Figure 1: the marketing mix One of the four P’s is ‘promotion’. The promotion mix is the specific blend of promotion tools that the company uses to persuasively communicate customer value and build customer relationships (Kotler & Armstrong, 2018, p.673).

Figure 2: the promotional mix

Next to personal selling, sales promotion and public relations, forms advertising one of the main elements of the promotion mix (Sai, n.d.). He also claims that, advertising is in general, the most known communication aspect of the promotional mix.

‘In marketing management, advertising is regarded as one element of the promotional mix, a management tool defined by its explicitly promotional, mediated and paid-for character, and differentiated from other marketing communications disciplines such as public relations, personal selling, sales promotion and so on.’ (Hackley, 2005, p.7). Also, the Economic Times presents a similar definition of advertising: ‘A means of communication with the users of a product or service. Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people who receive them.’ (The Economic Times, n.d.).

Advertising goes way back as it can be traced back in ancient Babylonia, Greece and Rome, in the form of simple images on walls and stores. Advertising changed during the Renaissance when images changed into literacy. Technological and social change speeded up in the late 1700s with the Industrial Revolution. Along with mechanization, came the new communication media, such as catalogues and magazines (Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009, p. 53).

Nowadays, it is even more compound since the channels for advertising available, such as social media, have increased. According to Grece, a European analyst, the expenses of online advertising for the European countries was 36.4 billion euros in 2015, an increase of 13% compared to the total of the Union’s 32.1 billion in 2014 (Grece, 2016, p. 9). The online statistics, market research and business intelligence portal, Statista, also provided an indication of the expenses of advertising in 2018 in the Netherlands of approximately 3662 million euros (Statista, 2018). Also, the amount of advertisements is increasing from approximately 500 advertisements a day in the 1970’s to as many as 5,000 a day today (Johnson, 2006). Despite these high expenses on advertisements, this is not a guarantee that all advertisements reach their customers and leave a good impression behind. Certainly not when a country consists out of multiple cultural groups with each its own values and vision, which is the case in the Netherlands. Culture is ‘the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time.’ Or ‘The way of life of a particular people, especially as shown in their ordinary behaviour and habits, their attitudes toward each other, and their moral and religious beliefs.’ Cambridge Dictionary (n.d.).

According to Wolfestone, a multicultural society has proven that it offers an abundance of benefits, such as in businesses, where globalization created a diverse culture on the workplace that helped businesses help understand how to reach wider markets (December, 2010). Not only in the field of the working place, but also different cuisines, forms of music and cultural celebrations have given other perspectives of looking at daily life, as FSGV, a non-profit community counselling organization, states (June, 2018). However, multicultural societies also come with its complexities. This can be seen in simple and daily situations, such as discussions in multiple newspapers (Valkenberg, 2011, Metro, 2018). This shows that this phenomenon is evident in simple and daily situations, let alone in less investigated areas, such as advertising.

1.2. Problem statement

One of the main limitations of advertising is that it is a challenge that it is not target segment specific (Moriairty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009, p.201). One advertisement that is broadcasted will reach a large culturally diverse audience. It could therefore happen that one segment might be attracted to a value proposition where another segment is not attracted at all. It is therefore interesting to investigate the effectiveness of advertisements in the Netherlands. The choice of including Surinamese individuals is because of the fact that the Surinamese form one of the largest ethnic group within the Netherlands (CBS, 2016). For this research, the researcher was interested which factors of an advertisement are effective on Surinamese and Dutch individuals to assess whether people’s origin creates a different opinion towards a good advertisement. The researcher has looked at individuals with a Surinamese origin and individuals with a Dutch origin. In order to provide new primary information, a questionnaire has been conducted.

The primary objective of advertising is to let people know that a business has something exciting to offer, says George Felton, author of ‘Advertising: Concept and Copy.’ It is the expansion of an existing platform of services for a business. Advertising also helps to raise awareness with which customers were unfamiliar with before. It is the main primary information channel that has to make a good impression towards its customers. Since an impression can only be made once, it is of high importance to execute this properly (Hamlett, 2018). Therefore, the focus is upon advertising, and not on other marketing channels such as catalogues or websites.

The aim is to determine whether the similar advertisements are regarded to be effective or not by potential customers with a different cultural background, namely Surinamese and Dutch.

There is currently ample research on advertising (Waart, P. van & Mulder, I.J., 2009; Vogel, Trudy de, 2007; Baaij, Fleur de, 2014). However, no research has been reported on the effect of culture on advertisements among Dutch and Surinamese inhabitants within the Netherlands. In this research, the choice has been made to focus on culture. Besides the personal interest in culture, businesses may have an advantage as well. According to Washington Post, communities vary greatly across countries and is rapidly changing (Keating & Karklis, 2016). Due to the fact that communities and its cultures is an always changing phenomena, businesses may feel the need to adapt on these changes as well. When a company does not go along with the changed demands of a community, the

community may lose its interest and the company may lose its customers. Therefore, culture is the most interesting element for this investigation. Other factors such as age, lifestyle, income, or other

these factors are regarded as less important. Cultures are becoming more multicultural and diverse. According to CBS, the Dutch population is increasing due to migration (CBS, 2017). Also, the amount of advertisements is increasing from approximately 500 advertisements a day in the 1970’s to as many as 5,000 a day today (Johnson, 2006). A market research firm, commissioned by the New York Times, investigated the amount of seen advertisements per day as well and came with a similar conclusion that ‘a person living in a city 30 years ago, saw up to 2,000 ad messages a day, compared with up to 5,000 today (Story, 2007).

Lastly, the choice has been made to focus on the Dutch and Surinamese inhabitants in the Netherlands, since the high number of Surinamese individuals vested in the Netherlands. According to CBS, this number has been increasing up to present.

As can be seen in the graphic, the number of Surinamese in the Netherlands accounted for 87.474 in 1975, as it was 348.662 in 2015 (CBS, 2015). Lastly, the fact that Surinam has been an important colony for the Netherlands, where the Dutch influence is still evident in Surinam, such as the official language, makes the Surinamese and Dutch communities of a personal interest as well.

Figure 3: population with Surinamese origin in the Netherlands Therefore, a research on effective advertising on a multicultural society is needed. Whereas there are more types of individuals with different views and opinions, all of these must be taken into account. The above-mentioned statements have led to the subject of this research. This has led to the following central question: ‘What is the role of culture in the differences of perceived effectiveness of advertisements between the Surinamese and Dutch individuals in the Netherlands?’

In order to come to a conclusion, the following sub-question will help answering the central question:

- What is effective advertising?

- What are the cultural profiles of the Surinamese and Dutch?

- How do the responses of the Dutch and Surinamese on the showed advertisements differ?

In chapter 2, the theoretical framework can be found. In this chapter, a comparison of the advertisement theories and cultural theories, together with the way of how the theories are being applied in practice by means of operationalization tables can be found.

This is followed up by the methodology that contains a critical evaluation and justification of the chosen methods and why the chosen method is the best option.

In the fourth chapter, the results of the questionnaire, in combination with the AIDA model and Trompenaars cultural theory will be covered.

Fifthly, the analysis discusses the quality of information of the previous chapter and discusses the reliability, credibility and validity.

The conclusion is the following and final chapter where an answer on the central question is being given. This chapter elaborates on the steps taken, that led to the conclusion. Also, the new insights are being shown.

2. Theoretical framework

2.1 Introduction

This chapter provides a structured overview of all the references used to form the primary data. ‘Theorizing allows one to use one’s imagination to move from the abstract to the concrete. One can compare and combine ideas and speculate on new ways of understanding advertisements.’ (Hackley, p. 32). Therefore, this theoretical framework will guide the research. The theoretical framework in this chapter is required to understand the decision made, through which scope the researcher takes cultural differences into account. Firstly, three cultural theories that are crucial for the analysis will be explained. Then, a comparison between the three advertisement theories are shown in order to find out which theory is the most suitable framework for the results in order to create interest of the readers.

The second part of this theoretical framework covers the advertisement theories. It shows through which scope the researcher investigates one’s perception on advertisements. Three advertising theories are displayed that are crucial for the analysis. This will also be followed up by a comparison between the three advertising theories in order to find out which theory is the most suitable framework for the results.

Based upon the chosen advertisement theory and the chosen cultural theory, the analysis will identify the aspects an advertisement needs in order to create interest of the readers.

2.1. Cultural theories

The following three cultural theories will be examined:

- Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory

- Hall’s Cultural Factors Theory

2.1.1. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory

Hofstede’s study led to five cultural dimensions:

Power distance, individualism/collectivism,

masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term/short-term orientation (Hofstede, n.d.).

Figure 4: Hofstede’s cultural dimension 1. PDI: Power distance is defined as ‘the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions

and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.’

(Hofstede, 2005, p. 46). Institutions are the basic elements of society, such as family and school. Organizations are the places where people work.

According to Hofstede, people in a high-power distance society, accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place, and which needs no further justification. People in low power distance societies, strive to equalise the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power. China is an example of a high-power distance society (Hofstede, 2017). 2. IDV: ‘Individualism pertains to societies in which the ties between individuals are loose:

everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family. Collectivism as it opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout people’s lifetimes continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.’ (Hofstede, 2005, p. 76). An example of an

individualistic country are the United States and Bulgaria (Ramamoorthy, 2010).

3. MAS: ‘A society is called masculine when emotional gender roles are clearly distinct: men are

supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success, whereas women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life.’ (Hofstede, 2005,

p. 120) And continues its definition with: ‘a society is called feminine when emotional gender

roles overlap: both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life.’

Japan is an example of a masculine country, whereas Scandinavian countries are considered feminine (Hofstede Insights, n.d.).

4. UAI: ‘The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown

situations.’ (Hofstede, 2005, p. 167). This feeling is, among other things, expressed through

nervous stress and in a need for predictability. Countries with a high uncertainty avoidance are for example Peru and Argentina. Countries with a low uncertainty avoidance maintain a

5. LTO: ‘The fostering of virtues oriented toward future rewards, in particular, perseverance and thrift.’ (Hofstede, 2005, p. 210). As it continues to define the opposite pole, short-term orientation as: ‘the fostering of virtues related to the past and present, in particular, respect

for tradition and fulfilling social obligations.’ Asian countries such as Japan and China are

known for their long-term orientation. Morocco is a short-term oriented country.

2.1.2. Hall’s Cultural Factors Theory

Edward hall was an anthropologist who worked on American-Indians and he noticed different ideas between cultures, about interpersonal relationships, attitudes about time and attitudes about personal space in particular (Lebauer, 2010).

1. High context versus low context

According to Hall, in high context cultures, non-verbal communication is key. The message implies in a more indirect method and much is taken for granted. Examples of high-context cultures are the cultures of Spain, Italy and Japan.

In low context cultures ideas are expected to be outspoken very straightforward. Most of the things require explanation and written instructions and documents are of a higher value in negotiations. Example of countries with low-context cultures are Germany, USA and Scandinavia.

2. Monochronic time versus polychronic time

Hall also claims that, individuals in a monochronous society, usually do one thing at a time. Careful planning and scheduling are often present and members of monochronous cultures often have difficulties with starting something new when they still have not finished another activity. Examples of monochronic countries are Germany, USA and Scandinavian countries. Polychronous cultures human interaction is valued over time and material things. Punctuality is not important in these cultures. More attention is paid to human relations. Such cultures are present in Latin America and the Middle East.

3.

Another claim of Hall is that in low territoriality individuals have less ownership of space and boundaries are less important to them. They are ready to share territory with little thought. Individuals from high territoriality cultures, tend to show more concern for ownership. They seek to mark up their possession (Hall, 2002).

2.1.3. Trompenaars’ Seven Dimensions of Culture

David Trompenaars’ model was published in his book ‘Riding the Waves of Cultures’ in 1997. It has 7 cultural dimensions that are created with the intention of working more effectively with people from different cultures (BBC, n.d.).

Figure 5: Trompenaars cultural dimensions 1. Universalism vs. Particularism: what is more important, the rules or exceptions based on

relationships?

Trompenaars starts with the first dimension ‘universalism and particularism’. Universalism is the belief that

Juxtaposes the value orientations which emphasize the importance people place on adhering to rules and regulations with that of allowing exceptions based on relationships (Trompenaars, p.212).

Cultures with high universalism see one reality and focus on formal rules. They are more precise when defining contracts and tend to define global standards for company policies and human resources practices (Binder, 2007). High universalism is found in countries such as USA, UK, and Germany. High particularism is found in countries such as Singapore and Indonesia. Trompenaars further states that, within more particularistic cultures, reality is seen as more subjective and people place a greater emphasis on relationships. In businesses, contracts can be adapted to satisfy new requirements in specific situations (Binder, 2007). Countries that have high particularism include Indonesia, China and South Korea.

2. Individualism vs. Communitarianism: do we function in a group or as individuals?

Individualism and communitarianism form the second dimension Trompenaars mentions, and refers to people regarding themselves as individuals, while communitarianism refers to people regarding themselves as part of a group. Generally, team members with individualist mind sets see the improvements to their groups as the means to achieve their own objectives. By contrast, the team members from communitarian cultures see the improvements to individual capacities as a step towards the group prosperity (Binder, 2007).

3. Neutral vs. Emotional: how do we express our emotions?

Trompenaars explains that a neutral culture is a culture in which emotions are held in check whereas an emotional culture is a culture in which emotions are expressed openly and naturally. Neutral cultures are Japan and the UK. High emotional cultures are the Netherlands, Mexico and Italy. In emotional cultures, people often smile, talk loudly when excited and greet each other with enthusiasm.

4. Specific vs. Diffuse: how separate do we keep our private and working lives?

According to Trompenaars, a specific culture is one in which individuals have a large public space they readily share with others and small private space guard closely and share with only close friends and associates. A diffuse culture is one in which public space and private space are similar in size and individuals guard their public space as well.

5. Achievement vs. Ascription: do we have to prove ourselves to receive status, or is it given to us?

Trompenaars follows with the explanation that, in an achievement culture, people are accorded status based on how well they perform their functions. In an ascription culture, status is based on who or what a person is. Achievement cultures include the US, Austria and the UK. Ascription cultures are Venezuela, Indonesia and China.

6. Sequential vs. Synchronic: do we focus on our heritage, the present day or what will come tomorrow?

A sequential time culture is the one in which the people like events to happen in a chronological order. The punctuality is very appreciated, and they base their lives in schedules and clear deadlines. In this kind of cultures time is very important and they do not tolerate the waste of time. In synchronic cultures, people are more flexible with the distribution of time and commitments (Trompenaars, 1997). Binder adds that people from synchronic cultures can do work in parallel, and follow schedules and agendas loosely, taking the priorities of the individual tasks being performed as a major rule (Binder, 2007).

7. Internal vs. External control: do we control our environment, or are we controlled by it? The last dimension of Trompenaars’s model, can be summarized by asking ‘do we control our environment or are we controlled by it?’ In an internal direction culture, people believe that they can control their environment to achieve their goals. Examples of such countries include the USA, the UK and Australia.

People living in an external direction culture, people believe that they must work with their environment to achieve their goals. Examples of external direction cultures include China and Saudi Arabia.

2.2. Cultural theory comparison table

DIMENSIONS THEORIES

KEY FEATURES

HOFSTEDE HALL TROMPENAAR

Power distance The extent to which the lower ranking

individuals of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.

Individualism/collectivism Individualism: favouring freedom of action

for individuals over the collective.

Collectivism: Favouring the interest of the group over the interest of the individual.

Masculinity/femininity Masculinity: possession of the qualities

traditionally associated with men;

assertive, tough, material success.

Femininity: possession of the qualities traditionally associated with women: modest, tender quality of life.

Uncertainty avoidance The extent to which the members of a

culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations.

Short/long-term orientated

Short-term orientation: Focused on the present.

Long-term orientation: Focused on the future.

Territoriality The extent to which individuals find space

and boundaries important.

Neutrality/emotionality The extent to which a culture holds in or

expresses openly their emotions.

Controllability The extent to which a society beliefs

whether the environment controls them or they are in control.

Total green points 5 3 7

Most suitable theory outcome

2.2.1. Selection and explanation cultural theory comparison table

The evident coherence between the seven dimensions has been playing a major role in opting for this theory. The dimensions are connected with each other, so that there is no ‘gap’ or missing aspect during analyzing culture. However, Trompenaars’s model has been chosen mainly because of its comprehensiveness. Compared with Hall’s and Hofstede’s theories, Trompenaars’s theory contains the most extensive range of useful information. His theory covers seven great aspects of cultures, where five dimensions cover the ways in which individuals deal with each other, one which deals with the environment and one which deals with time. In contradiction to Hofstede’s theory that covers five dimensions, and Hall’s theory only three dimensions.

Power distance, which is the extent to which less powerful members accept unequally distributed power, is the first dimension in the comparison table. This dimension is only included in Hofstede’s theory. The fact that this dimension is only covered in one of the three theories, makes this

dimension seem less important in analyzing cultures.

Individualism versus collectivism is the second dimension in the comparison table and are covered in Hofstede’s and Trompenaars’s theories. Both theories refer to the different views of cultures that view themselves as individuals or as a part of a greater group. However, in Trompenaars’s theory, it is called ‘Individualism versus Communitarianism’. The content of these two dimensions is, despite the different names, the same.

Masculinity versus femininity is also covered only by Hofstede and Trompenaars. However, this dimension is called ‘achievement versus ascription’ in the theory of Trompenaars. Trompenaars sees a masculine culture as an achievement culture and a feminine culture as an ascription culture.

Uncertainty avoidance is a dimension that all three theories cover. The fact that this dimension is covered in all three theories, is notable and makes the uncertainty avoidance an important dimension within a culture. Hall named this dimension ‘high context versus low context’, with the main characteristics of verbal and non-verbal communication. According to Hall, high context cultures value non-verbal communication while low-context cultures find straightforwardness important. Trompenaars also covers a comparable dimension, but with a different name, namely ‘universalism versus particularism’, where high universal cultures focus on formal rules and high

Short-term orientation versus long-term orientation is a dimension that is covered in all the three theories as well. It is the last dimension in Hofstede’s theory where he explains that long-term orientated cultures are oriented toward the future and short-term orientated culture feel more related to the present and even the past. Hall calls this dimension ‘monochronic time versus

polychronic time with the focus on individuals executing tasks simultaneously or one thing at a time. He claims that monochronous societies, value careful planning and scheduling, while polychronic cultures value human interaction over time and material things. Lastly, Trompenaars’s theory calls this dimension ‘sequential versus synchronic.’, where a sequential time culture value punctuality and deadlines and that in synchronic cultures, people are flexible with the distribution of time.

Territoriality is a dimension that is called in every theory, except in Hofstede’s theory. It is the third and last dimension in Hall’s theory with the name ‘high territoriality versus low territoriality.’ As the name already says, high territoriality individuals show a lot of concern for ownerships, while low territoriality individuals do not find a lot of ownership important. Trompenaars’s comparable dimension is called ‘specific versus diffuse’ and explains that a specific culture prefers having a large public space, they are willing to share with others. In a diffuse culture, the public and private space are similar in size but the willingness to share with others is minimal.

The dimension ‘Neutral versus emotional’ is the third dimension in Trompenaars’s theory and the only theory that covers this dimension. Trompenaars explains that this dimension is mostly about the extent to which a culture expresses its emotions in public (emotional), or rather keeps the emotions for itself (neutral).

‘Internal control versus external control’ is the last dimension in the cultural theory comparison table as well as the last one in Trompenaars’s theory. The main question Trompenaars asks in this

dimension is if the society controls the environment or if the society is controlled by it. The internal culture believes that the have the ability to control their surroundings in order to achieve their desired goal. In contrary to the external culture, that believe that hard work is the only way to achieve their goals.

2.3. Operationalization table

2.4. Advertisement theories

The following three advertisement theories will be examined:

- The AIDA Model by E.K. Strong

- The Facets Model of Effects

- The 7 Salient Features of a Good Advertisement Copy Model by Smriti Chand

2.4.1. The AIDA Model by E.K. Strong

According to Hackley, the Awareness Interest Desire Action model assumes that consumers will go through a linear, sequential process before purchasing the product (Hackley, 2005, p.219). This model claims that the consumer is moved along a linear continuum from

unawareness to awareness. After that, interest is obtained and desire for the brand aroused. Finally, the consumer is stirred into action in the form of a purchase. Each step in the process

is necessary for the following step.

Figure 6: The AIDA model

Step 1: Awareness: Firstly, the attention of the potential consumer must be gathered. Attention or awareness is created when the consumer recognizes a need for a product. Therefore, the goal of the advertisements at this stage is to activate or stimulate this need. This can be done through a notable typography or by using bright colours on the advertisement.

Step 2: Interest: In this second stage, interest must be aroused. The goal is to create interest with the consumer. Interest is created when the consumer starts looking up information about the product, they think they need. The aim is to point out the positive aspects of the advertised product or brand. Therefore, the goal of the advertisements at this stage is to help the search process by providing information and making it easy to find and remember.

Step 3: Desire: The third step transfers interest into a desire or preference for the advertised product. The advertisement focuses on convincing the consumer of the product being valuable. Advertisements are important in this process, because it helps sort out products on the basis of tangible and intangible features.

Step 4: Action: The last step in the AIDA model is Action. The goal of this step is for the consumer to purchase the product. The consumer must have the opportunity or the occasion to come into action and buy the product. The goal of the advertisement is to provide information for the consumer, where the consumer can purchase the product (Strong, 1925).

However, this model has received a major criticism that it only represents high-involvement purchases. Many purchases are done spontaneously and do not engage consumers in this process (Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009, P.196).

2.3.2. The Facets Model of Effects

The Facets Model of Effect explains how and why consumers react to advertising. According to the facets model of effects, an effective advertisement

creates six types of consumer responses: see/hear, feel, think/understand, believe, connect, and lastly act/do. This model calls these effects ‘facets’, which are in fact ‘polished surfaces’ and makes a comparison with the facets of a diamond that come together to make up a unique customer response to an advertising message Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009, p. 154).

Figure 7: The facets model of effects An effective message has a diamond like quality that represents how the message effects work together to create the desired consumer response. Also, the effects can vary in importance, with certain advertising campaigns focused on one facet more and less on another facet.

Facet 1: See/Hear: the perception facet

Consumers all have selective perception and therefore choose on what they want to pay attention to. Perception is the process by which we receive information through the five senses and assign meaning to it (Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009). An advertisement is effective when it gets noticed, even if the perception is below the level of awareness. Consumers are nowadays exposed to a great amount of advertisements which makes it harder to stand out from another. To maximize interest, advertisements implement various tactics from comedy to sex appeal to draw viewers.

According to this model, perception is driven by the following drivers:

- Selection and attention: the process by which a receiver of a message chooses to attend to a message;

- Interest and relevance: which means the receiver of the message has become mentally

engaged with the advertisement and the product;

- Awareness: awareness results when an advertisement makes an impression;

- Recognition: means that people remember seeing the advertisement and therefore recall

what the advertisement said, which is mostly done and relies on simple visuals such as logos and colours.

Facet 2: Feel: the affective or emotional facet

Affective responses mirror one’s feelings about something and is driven by emotion. ‘Our emotional responses to a message determine whether or now we pay attention.’ (Plessis, 2008, p.157). The key task of an advertisement is initially to evoke an emotional response or connection at the consumer with the advertised product or brand.

Also, affective responses are driven by certain drivers, which are the following:

- Wants: wants implies desire and are driven by emotion and based on wishes, longings and

cravings. An example of this is impulse buying;

- Feelings: Advertisements that rely on feelings are referred to as using emotional appeals.

One’s passion and feelings are addressed in a number of ways in advertising, such as fear or love;

- Liking: Liking reflects the personality of the brand or the entertainment power of the

advertisement’s execution. When one likes the advertisement, a positive feeling will be linked to the brand. On the opposite of liking is aversion, which means people avoid buying from a brand because they dislike the advertisements;

- Resonate: Resonance is the feeling that the message is true. Resonance is therefore stronger

than liking because it involves an element of self-identification. These sympathetic vibes increase the emotional impact by engaging a personal connection with a brand.

Facet 3: Understand: the cognitive facet

Cognition refers to how consumers search for and respond to information, as well as how one learns and understand something.

The model explains that cognitive responses are driven by the following drivers:

- Need: Needs refers to the cognitive impact of a message that describes something lacking in

- Cognitive learning: occurs when a presentation of facts, information and explanation leads to understanding. For example, a consumer who is trying to find information about a product before they buy it;

- Differentiation: the consumer’s ability to separate one brand from another in the same

product category. Distinguishing competing brands is what happens when consumers understand the explanation of a competitive advantage;

- Recall: When one recalls the advertisement message, one does not solely remember seeing

the advertisements and the brand. The information provided about the brand is being remembered as well.

Facet 4: Connect: the association facet

Association is the technique of communicating through symbolism and is the primary tool used in brand communication. It is the process of learning to make symbolic connections between a brand and the desired characteristics and qualities that cue the brand’s image. This is a three- way process: The brand relates (1) to a quality (2) that customers value (3) (Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009, p.162). According to this model, association is driven by the following drivers:

- Symbolism: A brand takes through association a symbolic meaning, which means the brand

stands for certain qualities;

- Conditioned learning: Conditioned learning is a group of thoughts and feelings become linked

to the brand through repetition of the message;

- Transformation: Means a product takes on meaning when it is transformed from a mere

product into something special. It becomes differentiated from other products because of its brand image symbolism.

Facet 5: Believe: the persuasion facet

Consumer will only be persuaded to undertake action when they believe in the message of the given content. Persuasion is the conscious intent on the part of the source to influence or motivate the receiver of a message to believe or do something (Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009, p.163).

According to this model, persuasion is driven by the following drivers:

- Motivation: Motivation is the idea that something, such as the desire to be beautiful, makes a

person act in a certain way. This sets up a state of tension, and the product becomes a tool in achieving that goal and thus reduces the tension;

- Involvement: Involvement refers to the degree to which you are engaged in attending to an advertisement and the process you go through in responding to a message and making a decision about a product. High involvement products are considered purchases that generate a more intense level of engagement, such as computers. An example of a low involvement products is an aspirin or milk;

- Conviction: Effective persuasion results in conviction, which means consumers agree with a

persuasive message and achieve a state of certainty or belief about a brand;

- Preference and intention: When a consumer has the preference or intention to buy a product

from a certain brand, they are motivated by conviction. Intention can be increased with reward strategies such as sale pricing or gifts;

- Loyalty: Brand loyalty is a response to brand communication that crosses over between

thinking, feeling, and doing. It is a response that is built on customer satisfaction.

Facet 6: Act: the behaviour facet

According to Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, behaviour can involve different types of action in addition to trying or buying the product. The goal is to get people to behave in various ways. For example, trying a brand or visit the store.

Behavioural responses are driven by the following drivers:

- Try: Trial is important for new products and expensive products because it lets a customer use

the product without committing initially to a purchase which decreases the ‘risk’. An example of a trial is a sample. When the consumer is satisfied with how the trial is going, the chance is evident, that they want to purchase the full version;

- Buy: Buying is in the most cases the main objective of an advertisement. It is the call to action

at the end of the advertisement;

- Contact: Responding by contacting the advertiser can be an important sign of effectiveness.

Initiating contact is also valuable to maintain brand relationships by creating opportunities for customer-initiated dialog, such as suggesting contacting the company;

-

someone asks for a recommendation. The impact of referrals can be even more persuasive than advertising itself.

2.4.3. The 7 Salient Features Model by Smriti Chand

The advertisement copy refers to the written contents of the advertisement including its text and head line. It can be referred to as the heart of advertising. Advertisement copy means the total structure relating to the message which the advertiser wants to convey by using any medium of advertisement. The advertisement copy should be prepared in such a way that will leave an everlasting impression on the reader. The reader should not only read but understand and believe the content given in the advertisement. The 7 features of an effective advertisement, according to Smriti Chand’s model are:

1. Simple: The text needs to be written in simple language. The capability of proper understanding should be present and ornamental or though words cannot be used;

2. Capable of holding the reader’s attention: The advertised must be presented in such a manner which immediately attracts the consumer immediately;

- Headlines should be properly worded an attractive. It should be short and easy for the reader to remember;

- Use of pictures and sketches should be in direct relation to the product to be advertised;

- Attractive borders may be inserted around the key words and leaving blank space at the bottom of the copy are also helpful in drawing the reader’s attention;

- Quoting the price of the product in the advertisement copy is also supportive in holding the attention. This would be even more supportive when the price of the product or service is low;

The insertion of reply coupons in the advertisement copy can be favourable in attracting consumers; 3. Suggestive: The advertisement copy should be capable of suggesting the reader about the use

and the utility of the product. Effective slogans can be used to provide suggestions to the consumer;

4. Conviction value: The advertisement copy must be able to have ever lasting impression on the potential consumer, if the suggestions are backed by convincing arguments. The reader’s doubt on the quality of the product needs to be decreased and should be fully convinced and satisfied;

5. Educate: The advertisement copy should tell consumers about the use and operation of the advertised product. It should inform about the new uses of a product with which the consumer is not familiar yet. An advertisement copy containing information with regard to use, sources from where the product can be obtained, price and services available along with the product is helpful in enhancing the demand and enlarging the sales;

6. Memorizing: The advertisement copy should be prepared in such a manner that the consumers receives ever lasting impression about the product. It can be successfully created by repeating

7. Truthful: An advertisement copy should contain information that is true. It should not conceal or misrepresent the truth about the advertised product. Rather should it lay down in advance, the limitations of the product. If these limitations are not brought to light, the buyer eventually will find out after using the product which will decrease the confidence of the buyer in the product and the main aim of the advertisement is defeated.

2.5. Advertisement theory comparison table

DIMENSIONS

THEORIES KEY FEATURES

AIDA Model Facets Model

of Effects

7 Salient Features Model

Image The picture that aims to

associate the advertised product with the firm or certain lifestyles or values.

Typography The selection of size, line

length, line spacing etc.

Colour The pigment and shades

used in the advertisement.

Border The outer lines of the

advertisement.

Place The position where the

advertisement is being shown.

Sound The music, speech or

sound effects during an advertisement.

Information The written data given in

the advertisement.

Total green points 4 3

3

Most suitable theory outcome

2.5.1. Selection and explanation advertisement comparison table

The AIDA model proves to be the most suitable advertisement theory for this research. As can be read in the previous paragraph, this theory consists out of four steps which explain the process that customers go through by seeing advertisements, before purchasing the product (Hackley, 2005, p.219). For this theory, the book ‘Advertising and promotion.’ from Hackley has been used, wherein Hackley explains the theory. The information given, is compact and straightforward, without too much details and stories around the theory. Because of that, there is sufficient space to apply the theory in multiple and different situations.

Image: The first dimension of the comparison table is ‘image’. The picture that aims to associate the advertised product with the firm or a certain lifestyle or value. This dimension is only covered in the AIDA model. The theory mentions in the third step ‘desire’, that visuals arouse desires and makes the features of the advertised product more tangible.

Typography: The second dimension of the comparison table ‘typography’, is covered in the AIDA as well as in the 7 Salient Features Model. Strong starts with this dimension in his first step ‘awareness’. A consumer’s attention or awareness is created by recognizing the need for a product and this need, needs to be activated. He claims that the best way to do this, is through a notable typography. The 7 Salient Features Model covers this dimension in its second step ‘capable of holding the reader’s attention’. Selecting the size and lining space unconsciously help attract a consumer’s attention.

Colour: The used pigment and shades used in the advertisement, are mentioned in the AIDA and Facets of Effects model. Strong explains that awareness must be created at first, by activate or stimulate the consumers need and that the best way to execute this, is by using bright colours on advertisements.

Followed by the explanation of the Facets of Effects model, that explains in their first facet, that the colour on advertisements help recognize seeing the advertisement and therefore recall what the advertisement said.

Border: The dimension ‘border’ is only mentioned in the 7 Salient Features Model. The theory claims that leaving blank space at the top of bottom of the advertisement would be helpful in drawing the reader’s attention. However, no further explanation on, for example, what for effects it would

Place: None of the three theories mention the position where the advertisement is being shown.

Sound: This dimension is only covered in the first facet in the Facets Model of Effects. This theory claims that certain sound effects during an advertisement can catch a consumer’s interest and eventually create recognition when one hears the sound again. This dimension is thus not covered by the AIDA nor the 7 Salient features model, since these theories focus on advertisements copies. Therefore, this dimension is not regarded as fundamental.

Information: The last dimension of the advertising comparison table concerns all the written data given in the advertisement. This is the only dimension that is covered by all three advertising theories, which denotes that information on advertisements is of high importance. The AIDA model covers this dimension in the fourth and final step ‘action’. Strong claims that the main goal of the advertisement is to provide information for the consumer in order to make the consumer purchase the product.

The Facets Model of Effects covers the information dimension in their third facet, ‘the cognitive facet’. The model refers to how consumers search for information that describes their lifestyle or compare their product with another product from a different brand.

Lastly, the 7 Salient Features model, claims that the most important element of this dimension, is that the text must be simple in order to be understood by as many people as possible.

2.6. Operationalization Table AIDA Model

3. Methodology

The methodology chapter starts with discussing what issue is present and how this report addresses that. Followed up by an explanation of what advertisement- and cultural theories this report

includes. Thirdly, the questionnaire is being addressed, with the characteristics of the participants included. Then there is an explanation of what method was used during each sub question and why the chosen method was seen as the most suitable option. Lastly, the limitations of the research are being addressed.

This report tackles the issue of not addressing a target group in the right manner. The Netherlands has a multicultural society, where individuals with all kinds of different backgrounds are present. These individuals can all have a different point of view with different views and values. Therefore, one group of individuals can feel addressed by an advertisement, while the other does not feel addressed at all. It even can result in worse consequences, such as a group feeling attacked or insulted. Currently, there is ample research on advertising in general. However, there is a lack of research on the effects of culture on advertisements among Dutch and Surinamese individuals within the Netherlands and that is how the ethical issue was addressed in this report.

This report has combined desk research with field research as it contains multiple advertising- and cultural theories. On top of that, this report includes a questionnaire as well. For the advertising theory, there have been three theories examined. The AIDA model, the facets Model of Effects, and the 7 salient Features of a Good Advertisement Copy Model, where the AIDA model has been chosen to be the most suitable advertising theory for this report. The cultural theories have been examined in the same manner. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory, Hall’s Cultural factors Theory, and Trompenaars’ model of National Culture Differences have been examined, where Trompenaars’ cultural theory has been chosen to be the most suitable cultural theory for this report. Concerning the questionnaire, there have been 50 respondents that have filled in their answers. All of these respondents were anonymous in order to remain objective.

The AIDA model has been proven to be the most suitable advertising theory, since this theory is compact and straightforward. Because of its compactness, there is sufficient space to apply the theory in multiple situations. Trompenaars’ cultural theory has been proven to be the most suitable cultural theory for this report, because of its comprehensiveness. Trompenaars’ model of National Culture Differences contained the most extensive range of information and covered the large half of characteristics of a culture. Concerning the questionnaire, the participants have been selected only, on their ethnicity. The ethnicity was of importance, since this report has compared the difference

fact that factors such as age or gender has been asked during the questionnaire, these factors have not played a role.

In the first sub question, ‘what is effective advertising?’ desk research has been done. Secondary desk research was needed in order to obtain more knowledge about effective advertising. According to Babbie, this is also the one of the main purposes of desk research. To familiarize the readers, as well as, the researcher with the topic (Babbie, 2010, p.90).

Desk research has been done by looking at academic sources, particularly theories, such as the AIDA model, Facets model and the 7 Salient Features Model. These models have formed a stable basis for this research. Prior to discussing the second and third sub question, the term ‘effective advertising’ had to be explained, down to the last detail in order to prevent any misunderstandings. Lastly, the use of tertiary information has been proven to be useful as well. The portals and databases such as Google scholar, HBO Knowledge bank and the THUAS library have been helpful to find reliable information by offering scientific articles and other theses for comparison.

In the second sub question, ‘What are the cultural profiles of the Surinamese and Dutch?’ desk research was needed in order to obtain knowledge about cultural dimensions. This desk research included mostly secondary sources. According to Rumsey, secondary sources interprets or analyses an event or phenomenon. It often attempts to describe or explain primary sources (Rumsey, 2009, p.25).

The advantage of secondary research was that it provided information that was easy to access, and it provided information from sources that were not available in the researcher’s environment. The secondary information retrieved, also showed information from different aspects, such as Hofstede’s view towards culture compared to Trompenaars’s view towards culture. However, secondary

information has a general disadvantage. Namely, the credibility of the source. While searching for cultural theories, it took a lot of time to check whether the source was liable enough to use for this research. Analyzing the liability of the used sources, has been done extensively by consulting multiple sources for one single theory. An example of this, is the use of Hofstede’s Insights, which is the main source of Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory. Besides Hofstede’s Insights, theses found through the HBO Knowledge bank have been used to analyse the credibility as well.

In the third sub question, ‘How do the responses of the Dutch and Surinamese on the showed advertisements differ?’ primary information was of a great value. In order to obtain primary information, a questionnaire was designed in order to create new, primary information, as well as measuring opinions from Dutch and Surinamese individuals living in the Netherlands. This

The questionnaire provided quantitative results. The main advantage of primary information is that the data has been collected personally. Therefore, it related directly to this study. The main

disadvantage experienced, is that it took a lot of time to set up the questionnaire and to process the results. As Collis & Hussey also state, that the main difficulty of collecting qualitative data by yourself, involves an entire process of taking notes and other documentation and making initial drafts before writing a working. (Collis & Hussy, 2009, p.306). Setting up the questionnaire had a duration of an entire week. Consequently, searching for 50 participants with a Dutch and Surinamese origin, took 2 weeks’ time as well. The first initiative was to set up a focus group, whereby selected participants could discuss their reactions and feelings about the showed advertisements. Focus groups are used to gather data relating to the feelings and opinions (Collis & Hussey, 2009, p.155). Collis and Hussey state that the main advantages are that, setting up a focus group is inexpensive and fresh data is allowed to be generated through the interaction of the group. However, due to the limited time of this research, the choice has been made to perform a questionnaire. During a questionnaire, no member can be influenced by one dominant member during a discussion that could happen in a focus group. On top of that, the extra result of a focus group is just the opinions of a small group (Collis & Hussey, 2009, p.156).

Because of the fact that there was a lack of previous, relatable research on the topic of influences of cultures on advertisements, starting up the research took more time than expected and adaptations needed to be made. Also, the time available to investigate the topic of influences of cultures on advertisements, can be regarded as a limitation. The given amount of time to investigate this phenomenon was approximately 6 months. Because of the limited research time, less preliminary investigation has been done and less respondents on the questionnaire has been gathered.

4. Results

4.1. Introduction

The results chapter shows whether there is a difference in the perception of advertisements

between Dutch and Surinamese individuals. All the findings are results of individuals, whose findings on the research are based on the results of the questionnaire. This chapter is divided into 3 chapters. All of the chapters are believed to be important since each chapter connects the questionnaire results with either the advertising theory and the cultural theory. In the first subchapter, the focus lays on the advertising. In the second subchapter, the focus lays on the cultural profiles. In the third and last subchapter, the focus lays on the differences of the respondents. Moreover, the complete questionnaire can be found in the appendices.

4.2. What is effective advertising?

According to E.K. Strong’s AIDA model, an advertisement must move its consumer along a linear continuum starting from unawareness to awareness. Awareness or attention is created when the consumer recognizes his or her need for a product or service.

Floor and van Raaij add in their ‘Marketing Communication strategy’ that, drawing attention can be done by, for example, using humour. However, transferring the attention to the advertising message after this might become difficult, especially if the humour has nothing to do with the message. Attention is always necessary, but it is crucial in advertising a product or brand with low consumers involvement or when the advertising pressure by competitors is high (Floor & van Raaij, p.292). One of the questions in the survey entailed whether the respondent preferred as much as information as possible on an advertisement,

or if the respondents’ attention was already triggered by seeing a product on an

advertisement. There is no distinction made between the answers of the Suriname or the Dutch respondents. As can be seen in the graphic, 54% of the respondents prefers an advertisement with as much as information possible on advertisements.

Figure 8: Results of survey: preferred amount of information on advertisements

54,00% 46,00% 42,00% 44,00% 46,00% 48,00% 50,00% 52,00% 54,00% 56,00%

I prefer to see as much as information possible

Only a picture of the product already seeks

my attention

Secondly, the AIDA model states that the second goal of an advertisement is to arouse the interest of the consumer. Positive aspects of the advertised product need to be pointed out that can help remember the product better. Smriti Chand agrees with this statement as well, as he states that by ‘educating’ the consumers about the product or service is helpful in enhancing the demand.

The third step transfers interest into a desire or preference for the advertised product or service. Advertising is an excellent way of influencing the knowledge and attitudes of large groups of consumers (Floor & van Raaij, p.550). However, influencing the consumer’s knowledge may not be done through misleading or confusing information. The information must be complete and objective. Downgrading language about a competitive product or brand or leaving out unfavourable features are not allowed (Floor & van Raaij, p.70). As reported by the Facets Model of Effects theory, wants implies desire and are driven by emotion and based on cravings, longings and wishes.

The last goal for an advertisement is, according to the AIDA model, to get the consumer to purchase the product or service. According to the AIDA model, the most convenient way to get this done is to provide information for the consumer concerning where the product can be bought, what price is asked for the product or until which date it can be bought. Smriti Chand also highlights this and mentions this aspect in his theory as well. He explains that a consumer can be activated to a

purchase, by suggesting the consumers about the use and utility of the product. This is all in line with the statements of Floor & van Raaij in their ‘Marketing Communication strategy’, where is explained that ‘advertisers use advertising to try to make people do something or to try to maintain or

strengthen an existing relationship.’ (Floor & van Raaij, p.45). The buying intention has to be transformed into action, which can be achieved with the help of other communication methods.’ However, advertising lays the foundation (Floor & van Raaij, p.550).

4.3. What are the cultural profiles of the Surinamese and Dutch?

According to Trompenaars, the Netherlands would have a high level of universalism. The main characteristics of a universalist culture is that they value rules more than relationships,

In contradiction with particularistic cultures, among others Surinam, that put a greater emphasis on relationships, Trompenaars states.

Kroesen, from the University of Technology in Delft, adds that universalist cultures treat everybody according to the same rules, while in particularistic cultures, some people are more important than others (Kroesen, 2016). A concrete example of an extreme particularistic culture is in a country where you need connections in the government in order to get your license extended or imports cleared. In a universalist culture, this phenomenon would be less likely to occur, and every individual would have to follow the same process.

Secondly, Trompenaars states that the individualist culture is linked to the ideas of the Western world, whereas the communitarian culture is linked to non-western countries. According to his theory, The Netherlands would therefore have an individualist culture, that for example, see human beings as individuals (Vliet van, V., 2015). Hofstede adds that in this dimension, individuals are expected to take care of only themselves and the immediate families, personal achievements and individual rights (Hofstede, n.d.).

The Surinamese are being seen as one of the opposites of the Dutch culture, a communitarian culture, that refers to people regarding themselves as part of a group. According to Trompenaars, members from communitarian cultures see personal improvements as a step towards the prosperity of the group (Binder, 2007). Hofstede adds several other characteristics from the communitarian Surinamese culture, such as, unquestioning loyalty towards relatives and people’s self-image which is defined in terms of ‘we’ (Hofstede, n.d.).

Thirdly, Trompenaars states that The Netherlands has a neutral culture, where emotions must be managed effectively, interactions are very ‘stick to the point’ and individuals are reluctant to show their emotions (Mindtools, n.d.). In contradiction to Surinam, which has an emotional culture, where emotion and body language is being used to communicate one’s objectives (Mindtools, n.d.). Trompenaars continues with other characteristics from an emotional culture, that can be recognized in Surinam are among other things, raised voices when one is meeting another and, physical contact (Trompenaars & Hamden, p.79)

According to Trompenaars, The Dutch culture is a specific culture. It is a culture that is direct and to the point and prefer clear instruction and procedures (Mindtools, n.d.). This is justified with Hall’s cultural factors theory, that classifies this dimension under the name of ‘high territoriality’ and ‘low territoriality’. Hall classifies The Netherlands as a high territoriality culture that has a great concern for ownership. The opposite of this, is the Surinamese diffusive culture that lays, among other things, it emphasizes on building a good relationship (Mindtools, n.d.).

Hall classifies Surinam as a low territoriality culture that find, along with, personal space less important. Also, they are more willing to share territory and ownership (Hall, 2002).

Another statement of Trompenaars, is that, The Netherlands has an achievement culture, where titles only are being used when relevant and rewards are being handed out appropriately (Mindtools, n.d.). In other words, there is only hierarchy for convenience only, superiors are approachable, and power is decentralized. This can be compared with Hofstede’s ‘power distance’ dimensions, where these characteristics from n achievement culture which can be related to a culture with a lower level of power distance (Hofstede Insights, n.d.).

The opposite of this dimension can be found in the Surinamese culture, who has a merely ascription culture, where title, position, and power can have a great influence on one’s behaviour, Trompenaars states. Hofstede completes this information, by using his comparable dimension and would label Surinam with a high level of power distance. Individuals in this society are not equal and the hierarchical order in which everybody has a place is being accepted (Hofstede Insights, n.d.).

According to Trompenaars, The Netherlands has a sequential culture, where deadlines are being clear and kept, individuals are punctual and the focus is on one project at a time (Mindtools, n.d.). These statements suit with the findings of Hall’s cultural theory, where he names sequential cultures, ‘monochronic timed cultures. The term ‘monochronic’ described individuals and cultures who tend to handle projects sequentially, or, one at the time.

Trompenaars also states that, Surinam has a synchronic time culture, where individuals are mostly flexible on projects, the past, present and future can be seen as interwoven periods and commitments are easy to be rescheduled (Mindtools, n.d.). Also, these statements match with the anthropologist Hall, who called these type of cultures ‘polychronic’, which he described as ‘the ability to attend multiple projects simultaneously.’ (Hall, 1959).

The opposite of this internal control belief is the external control which includes Surinam. Within this culture, the individuals believe that one must work with their environment to achieve their goals (Binder, 2007).