ABSTRACT
This chapter evaluates to define and measure the outcomes of cultural distance for international marketing. It also explores the central role of attitudes and behaviors in understanding why cultural distance matters for marketing activities in an international context. The chapter focuses on culture at the level of countries or nations, which has received more empirical attention and is of particular interest for the purpose of marketing in a context of globalization. It explores the theme of cultural convergence, several points of contention in the literature about the conceptualization and measurement of cultural distance, and the extent to which this specific dimension of distance impacts marketing decisions. By contrast to social organization, the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication for cultural distance in general and for marketing purposes in particular is rather evident. Communication is a key aspect in business in general. The many activities involved in running a marketing department depend on successful communication.
