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MA/PhD Theses Abstracts of Current Students & Alumni |
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Nisolle, Joelle E. 2000 Comparison of Single-Family House Marketing in France and in the U.S.A.: An Anthropological Approach.
Abstract: Anthropological concern with the
built environment is at least as old as the first formalization of theories
of cultural evolution during the 19th century. Yet, few anthropological
studies of the built environment, if any, had an applied concern, especially
in economics or business.Today, the business world is under the pressures
of the globalization of markets and needs acquiring refined knowledge
of foreign consumers and producers.The research is based on fieldwork
done in France and in the United States, with builders and with buyers
of single-family houses. Cross-cultural comparisons are elaborated between
these two countries, using participant-observation ethnographic interviews
and complementary library resources and national statistics. Cross-cultural
analysis models of value orientation are used to identify the cultural
differences as well as Rapoport’s model of the built environment
as a non-verbal communication system.This research proceeds in two steps.
First, from the existing built environment of a given country to the
culture of this country, to better understand. Second, from the culture
of each country, back to their built environment, with the applied purpose
of improving the adaptation of the new buildings and of facilitating
their sale to the local home buyers. We review the three main areas,
location, core product and financing, identified in the marketing definition
of the house as a bundle of services are analyzed. In conclusion, we
confirm that the built environment is a non verbal communication system
which gives access to the deeper layers of culture to who knows how to
decipher its messages. We demonstrate that anthropology and its qualitative
research methods contribute to the better understanding of consumers
on foreign markets. In the global village, the business world needs anthropologists.Although
built environment studies are many, an applied approach is still very
original; the forte of this study and it significance are to demonstrate
that applied anthropology can be very relevant to the professional world
and that anthropological research can concretely help international business
perform better, and be more profitable. Anthropology because of its holistic
approach is well adapted to the study of complex fields such as real
estate.
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