虛擬關係行銷之跨文化比較－－以臺、日、美三文化之電視購物為例

Virtual Relationship Marketing: A Cross-cultural Analysis among Television Home Shopping Channels in Taiwan, Japan and USA

隨著全球化趨勢的演變及跨文化相關議題的開展，行銷學界對全球化(Globalization)與當地化(Localization)之策略選擇一直相當關注。近年來廣告的跨國比較研究之蓬勃，即是此一潮流下產物。與廣告相較，關係行銷受制於文化差異的影響，也是不遑多讓，但相關研究卻非常有限。本研究標的為電視直效行銷方法，以探討台灣、日本及美國三國關係行銷策略之異同，除了可供網路購物等其他虛擬關係行銷之借鏡外，並藉以獲取全球化行銷與當地化行銷之間理論辯證的實證基礎。Hunt & Morgan曾洞燭先機提出關係作為行銷的隱喻，本研究經由內容分析法、卡方互動自動檢視法、卡方分析、對應分析及觀察法加以歸納、分析、比較結果，進一步指出台灣、美國、日本三地電視購物的關係行銷的隱喻分別為：熱鬧、兄弟情誼與日式服務(サービス)。因此全球產品流通未必促使各地消費者行為完全趨同(convergence)，資訊科技雖然普及但跨國企業仍有可能採取當地化策略貼近特定市場。

The current study explores cultural perspectives underlying fundamental retailing assumptions of consumers in the three countries of Japan, the United States, and Taiwan. Core cultural values are drawn out and contrasted by examining retailing customs transferred to television home shopping, where relationship marketing is emphasized but the one-way medium forces artificial simulations of relationships. By defining the uniquely local values of relationship marketing with easy to understand analogies and metaphors, results supply retailers with a head start on creating a meaningful localized exchange relationship. Relationship marketing is receiving increasing attention as marketers orient efforts to center on consumers and develop long-term exchange behaviors. Television home shopping (THS) has experienced success in a short time due to its ability to create a perception of a strong relationship with consumers. Little research has contrasted THS marketing messages in different cultural settings. Recent growth of THS in distant cultures now opens this opportunity. The basic research question examined here is what differs, if anything, in the THS marketing message within different cultural settings. The answer to this question is critical for remote and virtual relationship marketers in many different channels, such as radio, television, and the Web. We integrate Bitner (1994) and Baker’s (1987) servicescape categories as a research framework used in coding the component parts of the THS production as it is broadcast over live television. Special attention is paid to observable behaviors and communications that constitute a servicescape-exchange law-cultural analog/metaphor. This content analysis then acts as a framework for contextualizing the cultural differences among broadcasts in the three countries of the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. Data were collected for the current study through a preliminary observation of all three broadcasters, listing all details in both screen, set, camera, music, hosts, guests, speaking, etc. These artifacts and behaviors were then categorized for a coding form to be used for all three countries. Categories used in the coding forms were based on Bitner and Baker’s servicescape concept with the specific items coming from this preliminary analysis stage. Content analysis, Chi-Square Automated Interaction Detection (CHAID), Chi-Square test, and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) were employed in order to develop and test emergent grounded theory. In-depth observation of the THS programs, by the leading researchers, feed into and was influenced by the categorical statistical testing, combining together in a grounded theory resulting in analogies and metaphors that captured the differences in relationship marketing emphasis. The resulting three analogies found were built upon local preferences for shopping in the traditional physical shopping space. In Taiwan, we found THS employed an analogy to night market shopping through an emphasis on excitement, movement, high volume, numerous actors, and highly discounted products. Japan THS used an analogy to department store shopping through formal hosts, organized sets, avoidance of pressure sales tactics, and product explanation with historical and background information. American THS emphasized an analogy to garage sale shopping with friendly attitudes and interaction with hosts, guests, and audience along with abstract set design and much time spent on supplying viewers with exclusive opportunities just for friends. From the apparent shopping analogies, we next drew out the core cultural values being leveraged in the localized THS efforts. Within each of the three countries, the analogies enabled us to view what local consumers value within the marketing relationship, what we referred to as the marketing metaphor being used. The metaphor in Taiwan was found to be one related to the local concept of Renao, and ancient and highly valued positive concept of a situation involving many people, loud sounds, great bargains, all in the context of shopping. In Japan, the metaphor of Sabisu was suggested. Sabisu is a localized concept related to service quality, but involving many aspects of Japanese formalized service behaviors. In America, the metaphor suggested was fraternity, a value that places emphasis on friendship, sharing, and openness. The resulting metaphors are finally combined with the analogies and the specific servicscapes to create a servicescape constellation perceptual map that positions each of the three cultures relative to each other and the servicescape components. The resulting constellation perceptual map provides a starting point for further research as well as a basis for localization efforts.