| Summary: | Cross-cultural web design research in developing countries especially in Southeast Asia is
challenging due to its cross-cultural constraints and complexities. Drawn from analysis and
extensive literature review in cross-cultural studies, HCI and design theories, the paper
presents the current research trends and challenges faced by contemporary researchers in
this area. Myriad of definitions and understanding of culture; uncritical adoption of models
and culture theories; issues of etic, emic and the problems of pseudo-etic claims in research
findings; and the significant role of designer as primary decision-maker in design processes,
are the challenges delineated in this paper. It is crucial to examine these issues to secure the
best practice in cross-cultural web design study. The paper concludes by indicating a substantial misdirection in the current research trends and suggests that a redirection of research approach is essential to improve the web service in government websites in order to further enhance social and economic development. Five significant guidelines to conduct cross-cultural web design research in developing countries are thus proposed.
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