Mind the gap – bridging the cultural differences through ethnographic research
Ulrich von Hörmann and Bettina StaudenmaierGfK Automotive, Germany
INTRODUCTION
The course of globalization and the growth of new markets continues: the motto “think global – act local” in the meantime applies to almost every car maker.
The pace with which the markets change constitutes a special challenge for a business sector with perennial product cycles and does not allow inaccurate estimation of customer needs. This rapid change requires high social and cultural competencies across all functions of a car manufacturer whose work is determined by the...