The Culturally Customized Web Site: Customizing Web Sites for the Global Marketplace - Softcover

"Although Web globalization may be inevitable for most companies, successful Web globalization is not. Every culture and country is loaded with symbolism, slang and hidden meanings. It is critically important to fully understand the subtleties of each culture you are targeting before you launch your Web site. The Culturally Customized Website is a valuable tool for helping executives successfully localize their Web sites for countries and cultures around the world. It blends a wide array of anecdotal and research-based data to help executives be more effective in this increasingly global economy."
-- John Yunker, President, Byte Level Research;
Author of Beyond Borders: Web Globalization Strategies

"If the Web is to be truly World-wide, web sites cannot be designed with cookie-cutter templates with a "one style fits all" attitude. Rather, the web site must resonate with the cultural context it operates in and to do this what is needed is not cosmetic localization, but rather "cultural customization"--the topic of this book. Too often, one is confronted with web sites that are do not account for their intrinsic global access and potential appeal. Professors Singh and Pereira provide interested readers with a methodology to achieve cultural customization for their web site based on solid empirical research achieving that rare balance of rigor and relevance. Examples are used throughout the book to emphasize arguments and the book is accessible to readers at various levels. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to build brands in a global online marketplace."
-- Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Associate Professor of Marketing and E-Commerce, University of Washington, Bothell; author, Contemporary Research in E-marketing, and E-Commerce Management: Text and Cases
"This timely volume is clear and concise in writing and presentation. It is well organized and profusely illustrated with shots of various Web sites. This useful work is especially welcome as a harbinger of the future of e-commerce. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections."
- Choice

In The Culturally Customized Web Site, Nitish Singh and Arun Pereira focus on cultural aspects of international website design, honing in on three objectives:
* First, to present a review and survey results on standardization/localization issues on the web
* Second, to present a scientifically tested framework to design culturally adapted international websites, and provide marketers and web designers with practical web localization tools
* Third, to show readers the power and effectiveness of culturally customized websites

This is the first book to address the issue of website standardization, localization―or what the authors refer to as “cultural customization”. Little evidence has been accumulated to show whether international consumers prefer to browse and buy from standardized global websites or websites adapted to local cultures. The Culturally Customized Web Site provides insights into whether the web is a culturally neutral medium of communication or a medium impregnated with cultural values. Also presented is empirical evidence as to whether local consumers prefer standardized websites or websites adapted to their culture.

Visit www.theculturallycustomizedwebsite.com