Internet and Traditional Communications, Thesis Paper Example

Generation X is a term that is used to refer to the generation that was born following the baby boom, between 1961 to 1981. Generation Y is a term that is used to refer to generation born after the Generation X, from the late 1970’s to today (Tovar, 2007). These two generations have witnessed the growth of the internet from its early use only by a small number of research institutions to being used by every person and institutions. It has become the medium of choice for communication due to its speed and accuracy replacing traditional mediums such as mail, telephones, print media, and television. Future marketing and communications strategies need to reflect this change and begin using the internet as a one of the major advertising medium so as to capture this big population of people.

How much of our knowledge is socially conditioned

Social conditioning refers to the practice of inheriting tradition behaviors and cultural transmutations that have been passed downward from the preceding generations. As such, most of the knowledge that we possess is usually a result of social conditioning as it has been passed down from our earlier generations. In addition, most of the social and cultural learning takes place within a cultural setting that includes one’s elders who usually control and guide the learning process; determine what is to be learned and what is not (Charmaz, 1995). The critical theory reinforces this position since it views human beings as self creators of their history by passing down basic information from one generation to another. As such, all social life situations controllable by people depend mainly on consensus (Blake & Christopher, 1994).

How that influences global marketing

With most of the knowledge that we posses being socially conditioned, there is a need for business organizations to reconsider their supply-chain and consumer-communications strategies as they interact with consumers from all types of cultures around the world. Since the internet has led to the creation of foreign markets in other countries, there is need that organizations become aware of the various cultures of their intended foreign market so as to communicate with them appropriately without crossing social boundaries (Firat, Dholakia & Venkatesh, 1995).

References

Blake, C., & Christopher, P. (1994). “History as social criticism: Conversations with Christopher Lasch”. Journal of American History80, No.4: p.1310-1332.

Charmaz, K. (1995). Between positivism and postmodernism: Implications for methods. Studies in Symbolic Interaction, Vol 17, 43–72.

Firat, A., Dholakia, N., Venkatesh, A. (1995)”Marketing in a Postmodern World. European” Journal of Marketing Vol 29 No. 1: pp 40-56.

Tovar, M. (2007). “Getting it Right: Graduate Schools Respond to the Millennial Challenge”. Communicator 40 (7): 1.