Final answer:
The social-cultural environment is a critical aspect of buyer behaviour research as it examines how societal values, cultural norms, and social influences impact consumer decision-making. In collectivistic cultures, group preferences are prioritized over individual preferences when making purchase decisions. Cultural differences can also affect product preferences, communication styles, and brand perceptions in different markets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The social-cultural environment is a crucial factor that buyer behaviour research must focus on in order to understand how it influences consumer decision-making processes. The social-cultural environment refers to the impact of societal values, cultural norms, and social influences on consumer behavior. For example, in collectivistic cultures, individuals are more likely to make purchase decisions based on what is best for the group rather than individual preferences. Additionally, cultural differences can lead to variations in product preferences, communication styles, and brand perceptions, which businesses need to consider when developing marketing strategies.