Many companies that expand their market to other countries have to familiarize themselves with the target culture, as the more they know about their new customers the better. These companies need to know the new culture's educational policies and the content of their training in order to accurately asses their needs.
A Reflection of a Culture's Values
By understanding the educational system of a given country, we get a glimpse into that culture's values. For example, there is a great emphasis on good education in Japan. Throughout their studies, Japanese children are taught that hard work and self-discipline are the highest values. An international company operating in Japan would have to incorporate those values into their marketing strategies.
A Reflection of People's Needs
Education and cultural values are, to a considerable extent, a reflection of people's needs. An international toy company in a strict and authoritative Japan would not concentrate on selling toys for random leisure activities, but rather on games, books and activities that teach a child a skill.
A Reflection of Business Etiquette
The emphasis on a certain type of training in a culture-specific educational system also reflects that culture's particular slant towards what is important in business relations. For example, a company operating in a fast-paced and business-oriented culture such as the U.S. would have to make adjustments to how they handle business. In the U.S., there is a great emphasis on customer service and business relations, which means mail is responded to quickly and phone calls are returned on the same business day. A international company unaccustomed to these practices would have to learn them if they intended to break into the American market.
