Sino-japanese Cross-cultural Marketing Environment, Customer Loyalty Model

The rapid and continuous development of international trade and opening of market provides incomparable chances than ever before, but at the same time, brings forwards tremendous challenges as well. To obtain and keep competitive advantages in such a worldwide market, all enterprises need to fit in with the new cross-cultural market, and to understand corresponding marketing strategies for different specific cultures. So far, however, the relevant studies about customer loyalty, the ultimate marketing goal of enterprises with profound significance, are still fairly deficient when taking cultural factors into consideration.To begin with, the mathematical model about relations among customer loyalty, trust and value etc. in service industry is drawn forth (Deepak Sirdeshmukh, Jagdip Singh and Barry Sabol, 2002). Based on dimensions in customer loyalty model, in the light of SERVUQAL, one service quality measurement scale (Parasuraman etc.) as well as other relevant studies, and by analytical methods of in-depth interview together with group discussion, the initial measurement items are concluded. Then after pivot test, the final questionnaire for further research comes into being, and is translated into Japanese under strict requirement.As the pivot test, formal test also picks university students in China and Japan as samples. By data and regression analysis of recalled valid questionnaires, the applicability and reliability of customer loyalty model in both countries are verified. Furthermore, the similarities and differences in the model and in customers' tendentiousness to service measurement scales are also obtained.By reviewing existing literatures about cultural differences, combined with practical experience, the paper explains the discovered similarities and differences with individualism/collectivism, power distance, hierarchy of needs, attitudes towards time, high/low context cultures etc., and puts forwards customer-loyalty fostering strategies for every above-mentioned cultural dimension. In addition, the paper elaborates other significant cultural differences between China and Japan, which might influence marketing strategies even though unfounded in the study. In the end, the paper points out the achievements and limitations of the study, expecting to provide realistic support for actual marketing practices and to set an example for further research.