Hofstede Part 2

Hofstede and Cultural
Dimensions
Class Objectives
• Who is Geert Hofstede??
• Development of Hofstede’s Study
• What seems to be off? Potential
Critiques
• Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture
Geert Hofstede
• Social Psychologist and Employee for IBM
• Came of age during WWII
• Post WWII, had the opportunity to work and travel
• Allowed him the ability to experience management at
multiple levels
• Astonished by differences in management between
England and Netherlands
IBM Study
• Dimensions were initially developed by research at
IBM in the 1960s and 1970s
• During initial time at IBM, he collected over
100,000 surveys
• Also collected data from a college course that led in
the early 1970s
• Similar outcomes were found. Not just an IBM thing
• With what you have read, and from my little history
lesson, what are some critiques of this approach?
• Utilization of IBM and college students. Why?
Critiques • At the national level. What about the individual

• Culture is not a simple thing
• Good then, but has it dated well?
• Written by someone with a particular orientation
Some General Dimension Stuff
• There are actually six dimensions…we will look at the original four
• Dimensions are measured on a scale of 0-100
• In reality, no country culture is 0 or 100
• As mentioned earlier, these rankings are based on national scores. Individuals may
differ
Power Distance
• Level of comfort that a culture has with the inequal
distribution of power
• Always from the perspective of the non-
authority
• What would you say about a country that has a
power distance of 75?
• Latin and Asian countries tend to be higher on this.
Why?
Power Distance in the World
Low Power Distance High Power Distance

• Use for legitimate reasons • Power is fact; legitimacy not important
• Children are equal • Obedience to parents
• Subordinates should be consulted • Hierarchy is real
• Majority vote • Income equality not really present
• Hierarchy for convenience • Hierarchy in religion
• Teacher centered learning
Individualism and Collectivism
• Does society favor the individual or collective as the main unit?

• What would a score of 32 say about a country’s orientation?
• Developing nations tend to be more collective why?
• As countries develop, should become more individual. Is this true?
Individualism and Collectivism in the World
Individualism Collectivism
• Immediate family and I most important • Extended family important, loyalty
• Privacy • Belongingness most important
• Speak your mind • Harmony
• Personal opinion important • In and out group
• Do not violate norms; guilt • Opinion dictated by in-group
• Task most important • Relationships more important

• Norm violation leads to shame
Masculinity vs.
Feminity
• Not about a culture’s view on men and woman
• Looks at a general perspective on the values of a culture
• Masculine values – power, prestige, assertiveness, competition
• Feminine values – caring, social safety net, sympathy, empathy
• Also takes into account social role differentiation

• Scandinavian countries more feminine
Masculinity vs. Femininity in the world
Masculine Feminine
• Strong gender role differentiation • Little gender role differentiation
• Assertive and ambitious • Compassion and care by both sexes
• Work more important than family • Work/life balance
• Parents deal with different things • Sympathy
• Sex is moral thing • Parents deal with things equally
• Boys don’t cry • All can cry; fighting never good
• Lack of women in politics • Sex is about relationship
Uncertainty Avoidance
• How well and how comfortable is a culture with not knowing the future and
ambiguity
• Some cultures are extremely uncomfortable with this. Others not so much
• Harder to find distinguishable patterns here
Uncertainty Avoidance in the real World
Weak Strong
• Uncertainty a part of life • Uncertainty is threatening
• Take life as it comes • High anxiety and stress
• Better subjective health • Different is dangerous
• Different is interesting • Clarity and structure
• Easy to change jobs • Trust in experts; they have the answers
• Less rules • Need for rules
• Alright with not knowing - authorities • Stay in job, even if you dislike
The Two Others
• Long term and Short-term orientation
• Linked to Confucian values
• Perseverance, thrift, relations based on status – LTO
• Social obligation, tradition, stability and steadiness - STO
• Indulgence vs restraint
• Does society allow for more free gratification
• Free speech, importance of leisure, obese people, lenient
sexual norms, control over life
United States

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Hofstede and Cultural

Critiques • At the national level. What about the individual

Low Power Distance High Power Distance

• Does society favor the individual or collective as the main unit?

• Do not violate norms; guilt • Opinion dictated by in-group

• Task most important • Relationships more important

• Also takes into account social role differentiation

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