Integrating socio-cultural paradigms in nonprofit marketing—the case of blood donation among African communities in Australia

Abstract

This paper examines how nonprofit marketers need to integrate socio-cultural factors when targeting minorities, using blood donation issues among African communities in Australia as an example. We start with an overview of the significance of African communities to Australia. Then blood donation patterns among migrant populations are discussed as well as the cultural beliefs about blood in the African continent and the intergenerational complexities that can arise between older and younger migrant donors. Marketing intervention models that seek to increase blood donation need to consider two factors: (1) geographical and generational cultural differences, that is, in relation to home and host country beliefs; and (2) intergenerational (young people vs. parents) differences in and attitudes to blood donation, especially when young people adopt the values of the host country faster than older migrants. Accounting for these cultural differences will enable non-profit and social services to develop culturallycompetent marketing strategies to better meet the needs of different migrant communities.

Barriers to blood donation in African communities in Australia: the role of home and host country culture and experience

“…However, there may be limits in terms of the abilities of organizations to undertake microsegmentation examining subgroups within minority communities, especially if these subsegments are small. This is, unfortunately, one of the difficulties faced by governmental and private organizations dealing with minority groups who may in some cases be even further fragmented 37 . Although a challenging task, translating these findings into practice will, it is hoped, develop more inclusive and culturally appropriate interventions that tackle both blood donation and social inequities, the benefits of which will far outweigh the costs of not addressing these communities' needs.…”

“…Such beliefs around blood and witchcraft, kinship, and religion tend to manifest more frequently during times of rapid social transformation as people refer to traditional meaning systems to understand new uncertainties 35 . In some parts of Africa, giving blood is also seen as a form of colonialism and bodily appropriation, because blood is seen as a transactable fluid, to be bought, sold, and stolen with the intent of financially and medically benefiting the affluent and those in Western countries 36,37 …”

African culturally and linguistically diverse communities’ blood donation intentions in Australia: integrating knowledge into the theory of planned behavior

“…Internationally, there is clear recognition that dealing with health‐related issues for CALD communities, including migrants, needs to take an adaptive approach . This recognition does seem to have been adopted by blood services across countries . Appropriate adoption of activities requires an effective understanding of the complexities of the differences in views across CALD groups.…”

“…Australia is a multicultural nation and many of its migrant communities come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, with such communities having lower donation rates . Hence, there are some challenges in regard to meeting the blood needs of all Australians, especially for CALD communities, some of whom have unique blood needs . This is a particularly important point because 44% of the Australian population are either born overseas or have one parent who was born overseas .…”

“…These variations are important as they are likely to mean that models predicting blood donation behavior or intentions will vary between ethnic or CALD communities and the wider population. As a result, such differences require the Blood Service to develop alternative approaches to engaging CALD communities in the blood donation process …”