A cross-cultural analysis of the organisational buying behaviour in selecting a car transhipment terminal : an organisational emphasis

Abstract

This study focuses on the effects of 'national cultural differences' on the 'organisational buying behaviour' in the car transhipment industry - the latter 'buying behaviour' being taken to imply the organisational buying behaviour, which is generally undertaken by global car carrier companies and operators of different nationalities, when selecting a 'new' car transhipment terminal/ site (location). Indeed, while strategic, technical and practical problems are implicit considerations in the 'subject buying behaviour', the main premise here is that national psychology and characteristics frequently shape behaviour and interfere at the executive level. Accordingly decisions taken tend to be more complex than the practical accords reached between technical and operational people. Organizational or corporate cultures in their own right vary widely inside one country, yet business styles are markedly more diverse. Within this context, the primary questions and issues in the research study thereby focus on the manner in which and the extent or degree to which national cultural characteristics as opposed to corporate culture, are reflected and manifested in 'organisational' buying.