Cross Cultural Perspective of Product Design in Commercial Bank of Africa

Abstract

Cross cultural issues can no longer be ignored by businesses due to globalization. Commercial Bank of Africa serves a very wide and varied range of customers with very divergent cultures. This study focused on the extent to which Commercial Bank of Africa considers cross cultural issues in the design of its products and the necessity of considering such factors. In chapter one the objectives of the study were clearly defined after clearly stating the statement of the problem and the relevant research questions. The chapter then ended with the value of the study to research. Chapter two then went ahead to discuss the concept of culture and gave detailed explanation of the nature and importance of culture in product design. The chapter then probed deeper into how commercial banks and in particular CBA could use cross cultural issues on product design. The researcher then wound up with the challenges that are faced in trying to inculcate cross cultural issues in product design. In chapter three the researcher discussed the methodology to be used in the study. Since only one entity CBA was to be used a case study was the most appropriate method. An interview guide was thus designed to help in probing a selected number of senior managers involved in product design. Chapter four then gave the details of the findings that were generated from the interviews and in chapter five the researcher gave the recommendations and conclusions of the study. Generally the conclusions were to the effect that as much as CBA did not give so much consideration to cross cultural issues, there was indeed a lot of unconscious consideration into these factors. It was noted that the value of cross cultural issues in product design could no longer be given a by the way thought but should be taken seriously in coming up with the banks produ