Selected Market Cultural Report Paper

When planning to do business anywhere in the world, one of the factors that cannot be ignored is the culture of the host locality. Some businesses cannot be established in some places due to their cultural values while some other businesses can be affected negatively by the cultural values. For instance, a business that can do well in Hong Kong may not do well in the United States. This report will attempt to advise anyone who intends to start a business in the United States. It will explain why the host country is an excellent choice and some of the cultural factors that need to be considered before starting the business. The report will also check on some unique cultural components in the United States that may affect enterprises to either positively or negatively. The report will also compare some cultural values of Hong Kong with those of the United States.

Why Choose the United States

All over the world, there are very many countries where one would wish to start a business. However, nobody would like to select a country with a poor business environment or a country with cultural beliefs that would not favor the business. The United States of America is a country with so many reasons that would make an investor chooses it out of many for investment. For instance, there is a business-friendly environment. The quality of life is also a factor that can influence an individual or a company to invest in the United States among other reasons that will be discussed in this section (why invest in the United States, n.d.).

For businesses to thrive cultural diversity and openness in a host country are factors that play a vital role, the United States is a country with people from all over the world which makes it a very diverse nation. The technological advancement, better supply chains, and infrastructure are also factors that prompt the choice of United States. United States has a GDP of more than $18 trillion and considering the number of people; it represents the largest consumer market on earth (Why Invest in the United States, n.d.). Nearly a third of the worlds household consumption also comes from the United States. When people have much disposable income, then it means they spend much money on consumable goods, increasing the possibility of having many successful businesses.

For many years now, United States is known for providing a better environment for doing business. This is proved by its consistent rank among the best globally when it comes to ease of doing business (Why Invest in the United States, n.d.). Healthy business competition is also encouraged regardless of the businesses country of origin, and this is a factor that has encouraged investors to choose it. The United States is also a country that has many resources. For instance, considering that it is among the largest countries in the world, it has lot natural resources such as petroleum and natural gas. Combining the availability of petroleum and a good infrastructure network, moving products to the markets is made easier enhancing the ease to do business.

One of the factors that determine the possibility of having a successful business is the workforce. The United States offers innovative, skilled and diverse workforce which makes them among the most productive workforce on earth (why invest in the United States, n.d.). The US has also put in place measures to ensure that the workforce meets the needs of a 21st-century economy. The United States has also set aside much revenue to enhance research and development making the workforce even better compared to other countries which do not prioritize research and development. For a foreigner to start a business in the United States, the person is required to be from a country that forms a treaty with the United States (Allison, 2013). Considering that the United States has a treaty with China and that Hong Kong is part of China then a Hong Kong citizen is allowed to invest in the United States. The list of factors that led to the choice of United States is endless, but the above have a larger effect and make the nation an easy target.

Cultural Analysis of the United States

According to Christina De Rossi who is an anthropologist based in London, the culture is composed of so many things. Among them is religion, type of clothes worn by a community, how the clothes are worn, how visitors are welcomed, how people sit at tables, the type of marriages, the kind of food people consume, the type of music they listen and so many other things (Zimmermann, 2017). The culture of the Americans, therefore, encompasses the things mentioned above among many others. The US has a large population with an estimated 326 million people as of November, 2017. This large population has been contributed greatly by the number of immigrants along the way. Due to a large number of immigrants, people from all over the world have brought with them all manner of cultures making the United States the country with the most diverse culture in the world (Zimmermann, 2017).

American culture is largely influenced by the British culture that colonized them. It is also influenced by the Native Americans culture which is the indigenous Americans. African Americans, Europeans, and Asia Americans also influence the American culture to some extent ("A Cultural Analysis of the United States," 2012). Almost all the cultures on earth have some contribution to the American culture. Due to this diversity, the culture has gained recognition all over the world to the extent that the American culture influences the world (Zimmermann, 2017).

The American culture is so broad such that if all the components were to be discussed in a single report, the report would have so many pages. However, some components cannot be left out while discussing the American culture. Some of them are language, religion, American styles, American foods, arts, American sports, and holidays among others. The following section will briefly check on each of these and how they influence businesses.

Language

Unlike many other countries, in the US, the language that is largely used is English but its not used as an official language. However, more than ninety percent of United States residents can speak some English. Most of the businesses here are conducted in English. Despite there being no official language in the US, some states in the country have got their official languages most of them being English (Zimmermann, 2017). According to the US census bureau, there are hundrends of languages which are spoken in the United States. These languages are then further divided into other subcategories based on origin. English is the most spoken language in the country and considering that it is one the most spoken language on earth it makes it easier to conduct business in the US

Religion

In America, more than 70% of the population is Christians. 23% percent of the population is pagans while the rest is made up of non-Christian religions (Religious Landscape Study, 2017). Presence of a large number of Christians means that some businesses which might be affected negatively by the presence of non-Christians may do well in the United States. For instance, if a person wanted to start a business whose main product is pork, it would not have a large negative impact in the United States because the Muslims do not form the larger population. This is because Muslims have religious beliefs that prohibit pork consumption (Saloom, 2012). It is therefore important to do a little research about religion when deciding where to start a business.

American Style

In many parts of the world, the clothing style is greatly influenced by many factors such as religion, climate, religion and social status. Due to advancement in technology and use of social media, the American celebrities have greatly influenced the American fashion. Technological advancement and availability of mobile internet devices have also changed the phase of American style. According to the census bureau, most Americans have changed their mode of buying things with more and more opting to purchase commodities online (Zimmermann, 2017). This has greatly changed the American style because more people can get new fashions faster. An individual or a company planning to do business that involves style must consider these factors before deciding to invest in the United States.

American Food

In America, there are many types of food which are consumed considering the many cultures that have contributed to the American culture. However, some foods are commonly referred to as American foods. Examples include hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, meatloaf, and macaroni and cheese (Zimmermann, 2107). The mentioned type of food is found almost in all parts of the United States. A person intending to start a business that offers different foods apart from the most consumed in the United States must, therefore, do a thorough research to determine whether the market will accept the offer. There are also types of foods that are consumed more in some parts of the United States than others. For instance, the common food consumed in the southern part and is popularly known as American comfort food is fried chicken and cornbread (Zimmermann, 2017).

American Art

When discussing the American culture, the American art is a field that should not be omitted. Regarding mass media production, United States is a world leader. According to statistical data, one-third of media and entertainment industry of the world is from the United States. The United States film industry makes billions of dollars in revenue, and the revenue is projected to be much more by 2019 according to the United States Department of Commerce. Investing in this filed by foreigners can, therefore, be encouraged as the market could increase by 2019. However, thorough research must be done before a total financial commitment is done.

Business Culture and Practices in the United States

Business culture is an organizations values that guide how work is done in the organization, the beliefs of the organization, and the companys vision. It is related to ethics, and etiquette among other things (Business Culture, n.d.). Before investing in a foreign country, an individual or an organization should be aware of the business culture of the host country. Having knowledge about the business culture in a foreign country is encouraged in case a country is large and has a diverse culture. Some values that influence behavior in the workplace and etiquette will be discussed in this section of the report.

Greetings

Like in many parts of the world, when you meet people in the United States for the first time, you start by introductions. The norm is usually a firm handshake which is accompanied by a smile in case of a corporate setting (US Business Culture, n.d.). This is regardless of gender, seniority or age. However, a space of two to three feet should always be maintained between the individuals not forgetting to maintain a firm handshake. If an individual happens to be in a new workplace and he/she is not officially introduced, it is often advisable to stand up and do some introduction to the full names and job position. Important to note, if an individual is to introduce several other people on a business setting, the less important people are introduced to the senior first. Some other details like job title and their hometown may also be included (US Business Culture, n.d.).

Having a Small Talk

Some of the topics that are considered in a friendly way during small talks are talking about hobbies, leisure, and entertainment, talking about sports teams, or dining and nightlife. However, this is usually between people who know each other to some extent. Topics such as religion and politics should be avo...