IndexIntroductionCountry of studyValues ​​and normsValuesRegulationsSanctionsConsumption patternsNational values ​​and normsIndividual versus collectivismYouth and ageExtended versus limited familyCompetitive versus cooperativeDiversity versus uniformityEnvironmentally oriented values ​​and normsCleanlinessPerformance and statusTradition versus changeNatureSelf-orientationValues ​​and normsActive versus passiveSensual gratificationMaterial versus non-materialHard work and leisureReligionConsumer behaviorsANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONIntroductionIn this vast world values, culture, norms, consumption patterns and purchasing behavior are different. It's true, in the internet age the worlds are very close to each other. However; many differences are still alive. The differences between the United States of America and Kuwait in the field of marketing must be on the research table. A Western country must be compared to an Arab country in the Middle East which is Kuwait. The study of values, norms and culture will provide an understanding of the nation and consumer purchasing behavior. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Country of Study To compare USA and Kuwait from different points of view like consumer behavior, culture and consumer decisions, etc., some facts about the countries need to be listed. In the beginning, knowing the differences between the two countries is an important factor for a fair comparison. It would be unfair to make a comparison between the two countries without listing the differences such as populations and culture, these differences make the judgment understandable and fair. Furthermore, knowing the economic situation of each country under its many aspects is important to obtain a fair comparison. One of the big differences is the size of the population. According to World Meters, the population of the United States in 2018 reached 326,766,748 people and the area is 3,797 million square miles. For the economy The United States has a free economy and is considered one of the largest and richest economies in the world. Besides that, it is developed in most fields such as manufactured goods, military industries, and pharmaceutical industries. It is well known that; The United States is a world leader in technology industries. In trade, from a general perspective, America has an open market. According to the US Economy website “Imports and exports account for 28% of GDP.” Furthermore, financial regulations in the United States continue to be subject to corrective measures, and the number of banks in which the government participates has decreased. Furthermore, the government does not interfere in foreign investment, and the average tariff rate it imposes is 1.6 for some non-tariff trade. The United States combines multiple races of people and this makes it a distinctive country and a good example of diversity. The majority of the population is made up of non-Hispanic whites who represent approximately 61.72 of the residents of the United States. In addition to this, Hispanics reach 17.66%, African Americans 12.38, Asians 5.28 and other races approximately 2.05% of the US population. The lowest percentage of the population is American Indian and Alaska Native at 0.73% and Native Hawaiian at 0.17, this statistic confirmed on the website "The Statistics Portal". On the other hand, Kuwait, which is smaller than the United States in terms of population with 4,199,768 people equal to 0.05 of the world's population and a total land size of 17,820 square kilometers “World Meters”. Kuwait's economy is somewhat similar to the United States economy. They have a free economy which places it among the 81stfreer economies around the world. The tax is imposed only in companies owned by foreigners but no tax on individuals. Kuwait has a progressing financial system. However, there are difficulties that a new business with a long-term process faces. The market in Kuwait is considered an open market and export and import up to 100% of GDP “Economic Freedom”. Kuwait has many races According to the “Index Mundi” website, the proportion of Kuwaiti citizens does not exceed 31.3 of the population, or about 1.4 million people. The second largest population is Asian with 37.8%, Arab 28.9, African 1.9 and other races 1.1%. The political system in Kuwait is hereditary constitutional, with a parliamentary system of government. Values ​​and Norms Values ​​Life in Kuwait is mostly culturally related with tribes and ancient traditions. The family is strongly connected to each other. Most families live in a large house with married children. Men in Kuwait consider that living with their parents after getting married is a kind of honoring their parents. If that's impossible, they live in the same neighborhood, so they can visit their parents every day. Furthermore, another factor that contributes to forming the values ​​of the people of Kuwait is religion. Kuwait, from a religious point of view, has two major holidays called Eid. These days, people dress up in new clothes and visit each other, which can create a great demand in shops and markets, which is quite different in American society, where they live with their small family and children leave home to age of 18. Religiously they have the freedom to choose any religion and it does not have to be the same religion as their parents. Norms Not only Kuwaitis who follow the norms of society also non-citizens because they are always in contact with them, and they are influenced by the way people treat them. The norms are influenced by the Islamic religion that is prevalent there, so men gather with men and women with women. Also, when they get together they shake hands and kiss each other on the cheek and always start with the elders. For women they cover their body and hair they say it is their home and they don't meet people not related to them. During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, working hours are reduced to six hours and they must fast until sunset, and non-Muslim foreigners must respect this and not eat or drink in public. Norms in the United States are quite different, so there are no rules about what men or women wear in public places. Additionally, they may have dogs, cats, or other pets in the home. Sanctions Kuwaitis respect their norms and values ​​as it is related to their religion and it is not common for anyone to contravene it. The harshest sanctions are for people who do not respect their family, especially parents, and this could escalate to become a family matter and reach the justice system. For women, wearing indecent clothing in public places represents a serious legal problem and can be reported for violating community values. During Ramadan the government has the task of raising public awareness of the tightening of sanctions against anyone who smokes, eats, drinks or opens restaurants on the day of Ramadan. They also close shops on the first day of Eid and are limited to restaurants, grocery stores and parks only. While in the United States they close for the 4th of July, for thanksgiving and for Christmas. Consumption Patterns Kuwait contains a large number of emporiums carrying most of the global brands while maintaining its pop markets, these markets thrive during the national holidays before Eid and Ramadan. Most Kuwaitis keep up with fashion.Many factors contribute to this phenomenon, one of them is social media. Most people in Kuwait have been using social media to follow celebrities and fashion news. Most fashionistas in Kuwait advertise on their social media with high follower accounts, which creates a huge demand for fashion and cosmetic products in Kuwait. Only in the United States, people from rich and high-class families follow fashion. Life in USA is more serious and most of the people are related to work which makes it a productive nation. National values ​​and norms Individual versus collectivism Society in Kuwait is a society of collectivism According to “Hofstede insights” scored25 of the collectives in the Hofstede model. A country less than 100 years old still tied to ancient traditions. It is true that in the capital of the country life is modern and individualism is present, but a high percentage of the people are collective. On the other hand, the US company is considered a one-man company which reverses the situation of Kuwait. It scored 91 points in the Hofstede model that makes the United States the most individual society in the world. They also scored high on masculinity with a low score on femininity. Youth and age In the Kuwaiti population, 25.32% are under 15 years old. Furthermore, 15.21% are between 15 and 21 years old, and 52.32% of the population is between 25 and 54 years old, and 4.82% are between 55 and 65 years old, while the rest is 66 years and older and represents 2.23% of the population according to the World Population Review website. The average age of Kuwaitis is 29 years old. There is an imbalance in the population pyramid due to the high level of immigrants and labor. Extended family versus limited family Kuwaitis prefer an extended family and are associated with their large families even if they are married or live in another country. Parents are responsible for raising and educating their children until they get married and get a job. Thereafter, the children will be responsible for caring for their parents, most of whom will live with them after marriage. People in the United States prefer limited family and take care of themselves and their small families. Competitiveness versus Cooperation Cooperation is dominated in Kuwaiti society with some countries being competitive in business. The strong bond between the population makes them always ready to help especially people in family or travelling. Diversity versus uniformity Kuwaiti society is divided into multiple levels or groups. Bedouins and civilized are the two main groups in Kuwait. To avoid misunderstandings, the Bedouins do not mean that they live in the desert. However; anyone who has their roots from a well-known tribe is considered a Bedouin. On the other hand, it is not known what its civilized root is. Indeed, Kuwait has high diversity due to the large number of immigrants and workers. Environmentally oriented values ​​and normsCleanlinessCleanliness comes from the religion of Islam among Kuwaitis. Showering every day, especially on Fridays, and cleaning your clothes and neighborhood is part of Islam and faith. Furthermore, personal cleanliness in Kuwait is of a high standard due to the country's wealth. Most people in Kuwait can afford to buy new clothes and clean them regularly. Performance and Status Focus in Kuwait on the quality of their products and services and the same for the United States. They choose high quality and high quality brands even if they are more expensive. These countries are always looking for high living standards. Tradition vs. Change People in Kuwait love to change and accept all new innovations and technologies. They process with all thetrends in technology, fashion, services and new techniques. Nature. There is a lack of community awareness of recycling and no government-imposed rules for recycling. Self-oriented values ​​and norms Active versus passive Kuwaitis are not as active as Americans. Kuwaitis are tied to their government career or the company they work for. In most cases they do not have a second job or a part-time job. On the other hand, most middle-class Americans have two jobs. One of them is permanent job and the other is part-time job. Sensual Gratification Kuwaitis love to enjoy their time especially on weekends and holidays, which is clearly reflected in their lifestyle. There are many international restaurants opening in Kuwait and many international restaurants are competing to enter the Kuwaiti market. Furthermore, they follow fashion which explains why most global brands open in Kuwait. Material versus Non-material people in Kuwait are considered material. They used most of their income for luxury and entertainment. Furthermore, many of them apply for a loan to buy a new car or travel in the summer. Hard Work and Free Time Kuwaitis work hard at their job, but at the same time they work to achieve well-being in their daily life. Almost all Kuwaitis have domestic workers, be they incubators, drivers or cooks. Religion The religion of Kuwaitis and most of its population is Islam, the key ingredient of their life. Furthermore, the law and legislation in the Constitution are all derived from the Quran, while the religions in the United States are mainly Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam with different rates for each. Consumer BehaviorsThere are many events where the consumption of different products will increase and decrease. Starting from Kuwait, the Kuwaiti people are non-productive consumers in most sectors, except oil and petroleum. One of the big events in Kuwait is Ramadan, during which all Kuwaitis consume more food and nutritional goods. Additionally, there are two public holidays, Eid Alfitr and Aladha, when Kuwaitis consume a larger amount of clothing and jewelry. Subject to availability, most people in Kuwait will travel to purchase clothes and jewelry. Not only the availability that pushes Kuwaitis to travel, but also the price difference is an important factor that could push Kuwaitis to travel to buy what they need. Kuwait has large shopping centers and markets where they buy most of their products. One of the largest shopping malls in Kuwait is Avenues Mall located in the country's capital. Also, rich middle class people shop in pop markets like Mubarkeya market which is a very old market and people still shop there. In the field of nutrition, people shop in supermarkets. However, Kuwait is located on the Arabian Gulf, which makes the fish brand in high demand. Kuwait has a large fish market where you can find all kinds of marine food. On the other hand, the United States of America has supermarkets that include all types of food, such as Walmart, which have great aspirations of visible food. However, Kuwait has a separate fish market and most people visit it on Fridays. Additionally, online shopping is common in Kuwait. Kuwaitis use social media to advertise their products and usually advertise with high-follower accounts on Instagram and Twitter. Most of the products sold online in Kuwait are cosmetic products. While in the United States people use.