'Viewpoints/ Concerns' on empirical methodologies for Socio/ cultural studies

Since the advent of man there has been a constant struggle to define social pattern, and understand ways of cultural thinking. Every culture has it's own limitations and freedoms, problems and expectations. For centuries now anthropologist, ethnographers have worked on mapping and defining these differences. These findings instigate the designers to formulate new design theories and research methodologies for drafting cultural specific solutions. The question arises 'in a cross cultural application how effective and applicable are the basic research methodologies'? Quoting one such example the 'Privacy' issue seems to be a very strong component in the Japanese culture but is often a deterring factor in allowing the 'home ethnographic study to take place effectively'. However in countries like India similar studies could have a more welcoming reaction owing to the adaptive social culture. Similarly, the high rate of 'Illiteracy' in rural India closes many doors for 'form filling' user surveys. This leads to the scope of research for understanding specific cultural traits that may effect adaptation and re-improvisation of these existing methodologies. Quite often the cultural traits of a country may lead in forming new research methodologies.