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Lost in translation: ethnocentric tendency in website communication

Reid, Stuart LU orcid (2014) In International Journal of Cultural and Digital Tourism 1(1). p.53-70
Abstract
This paper reports on an exploratory case study investigating the proposition that a locally-embedded organization may exhibit a natural tendency towards ethnocentric perspectives in website communication. Particularly, in multicultural audience environments, such as exist in international tourism, ethnocentric website communication may impede the consistent formation of desired organizational image and undermine the effective transmission of product information among those stakeholders holding different cultural frames. The research builds upon the results of another study using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in website analysis, by introducing the idea of ethnocentric tendency, and linking to the relevant theoretical arenas of... (More)
This paper reports on an exploratory case study investigating the proposition that a locally-embedded organization may exhibit a natural tendency towards ethnocentric perspectives in website communication. Particularly, in multicultural audience environments, such as exist in international tourism, ethnocentric website communication may impede the consistent formation of desired organizational image and undermine the effective transmission of product information among those stakeholders holding different cultural frames. The research builds upon the results of another study using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in website analysis, by introducing the idea of ethnocentric tendency, and linking to the relevant theoretical arenas of organizational identity, organizational image and strategic communication. Empirical material was collected via observation, key informant interviews, workshop/focus group, website content analysis, customer surveys, and email questioning. Ethnocentric tendency was found to be a possible source of website
miscommunication for the case organization. The results indicate scope for further investigation of ethnocentric tendency as a source of miscommunication in multicultural stakeholder environments. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ethnocentrism, tourism, strategic communication, websites, Denmark
in
International Journal of Cultural and Digital Tourism
volume
1
issue
1
pages
18 pages
ISSN
2241-9705
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Affiliation: Centre for Tourism, Innovation and Culture, University of Southern Denmark, Buen, Kolding, 6000, Denmark
id
b72757da-4751-44da-bf2c-2860ec476507
alternative location
http://iacudit.org/journal/volumes/v1n1/v1n1_5-7.pdf
date added to LUP
2017-10-27 15:40:26
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:35:39
@article{b72757da-4751-44da-bf2c-2860ec476507,
  abstract     = {{This paper reports on an exploratory case study investigating the proposition that a locally-embedded organization may exhibit a natural tendency towards ethnocentric perspectives in website communication. Particularly, in multicultural audience environments, such as exist in international tourism, ethnocentric website communication may impede the consistent formation of desired organizational image and undermine the effective transmission of product information among those stakeholders holding different cultural frames. The research builds upon the results of another study using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in website analysis, by introducing the idea of ethnocentric tendency, and linking to the relevant theoretical arenas of organizational identity, organizational image and strategic communication. Empirical material was collected via observation, key informant interviews, workshop/focus group, website content analysis, customer surveys, and email questioning. Ethnocentric tendency was found to be a possible source of website<br/>miscommunication for the case organization. The results indicate scope for further investigation of ethnocentric tendency as a source of miscommunication in multicultural stakeholder environments.}},
  author       = {{Reid, Stuart}},
  issn         = {{2241-9705}},
  keywords     = {{ethnocentrism; tourism; strategic communication; websites; Denmark}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{53--70}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Cultural and Digital Tourism}},
  title        = {{Lost in translation: ethnocentric tendency in website communication}},
  url          = {{http://iacudit.org/journal/volumes/v1n1/v1n1_5-7.pdf}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}