Jameson (2007) has defined geography as one of the possible components Essay

Jameson (2007) has defined geography as one of the possible components of cultural identity needed for cross cultural communicat - Essay Example The operations of a multinational corporation are often performed in a multicultural environment and their successes require the managers to have deeper insights about these forces. The managers of such organization cannot succeed in the global market if they only have an understanding of their domestic cultures (Becker, 2000, p.2). One of the components that constitute the culture of a group is the geographical location. This paper focuses on geography as determinant of culture as well as how managers can utilize it in corporate management. Thesis Geography is an important component culture that has to be considered when planning operational strategies like products/ services promotion, setting prices, advertising or market segmentation. The Culture of a Group of Individuals The culture of a particular group of people defines the way of life that is practiced by these people. It entails the social laws, values, beliefs, and practices that are considered appropriate for life among a given group of people. It has been termed as the ‘coherent, learned, shared view of a group of people about life’s concern that ranks what is important, furnishes attitudes about what things are appropriate, and dictates behavior’ (Jameson, 2007, p.210). The individuals in a given geographical location will tend to share beliefs and values that define their culture. The culture will define what the group of individuals consider right or wrong and it provides a check to the acceptable behavior of the individuals within the group. The culture of a particular group of people can emerge from different dimensions. It can be defined biologically, geographically, by the language, at places of work (vocation), through a social class, or based on some philosophical principles (Jameson, 2007, p.210). The culture of a given community also affects the consumer behavior in the community (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2008, p.185). The language as another important component of culture i s very influential in the ability of individuals to interact in a multicultural environment. As one traverses across cultures, he will experience tone variations in different language, ethnic or racial groups. An individual that is to operate in such diverse cultural settings is required to be conversant with the language perceptions in these distinct groups. Geography as a key Component of Culture Geography is an important component of culture that has to be considered by businesses that operate on the global scene. It has been noted that the culture of a given group of individuals can be defined by different factors. The geographical location of a group of people is one important component of their culture that creates distinct cultural groups. Individuals can develop a given culture because they are of the same nationality (Jameson, 2007, p.213). Similarly, within the national boundaries are further differences that may reflect on the culture. The way of life of individuals in a given region within a country can be significantly different from the way of life in another part of the country. The life style in the cities and other urban regions in a given country may not be the same as the life style in the rural areas. The attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors of these groups of individuals often differ. Such