A Model for Culturally Informed Web Interfaces

Abstract

This chapter will challenge the accepted notions of cultural vanilla applications for e-Commerce and e-Business on the Web. The approach taken suggests that national culture exists at all levels from the visual to the implicit behaviors that frame interpretation of business process when undertaking e-Commerce. Studies done show quite clearly that culture distorts the relationships in any trading and business situation in ways that are not always obvious. We will explore the in-depth nature of the trading relationships and demonstrate the impact of cultural practice on the trading interface both on the Web and in the negotiations for business.