The Effect of Culture on Marketing Strategies of Multinational Firms: A Survey of Selected Multinational Corporations in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines the extent to which cultural elements affect the operations of multinational firms investigate how these problems are tackled. Also it identifies major cultural groupings, and examines marketing strategies that could achieve organizational objectives of these firms. Twenty multinational firms that have subsidiary offices in Nigeria and involved in the manufacturing and or marketing of food, beer, soft drink, soap, health and cosmetics were selected for the study. Personal interviews, and structured and unstructured questionnaires were used to obtain data and analysed using simple percentages and statistical tools. It was found that culture had an effect on product offering, pricing, promotion and distribution. The most influential cultural elements are language, religion beliefs and ethnic values. It was therefore recommended that multinational corporation should embrace the marketing concept in their operation, their promotion and products adapted to the environment The consumer should be receptive to other people's ways of life which leads to inter-cultural socialisation while the government should promote mass literacy programme.