Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory is a framework

for cross-cultural communication, developed by Geert
Hofstede.
It describes the effects of a society's culture on the
values of its members, and how these values relate to
behavior, using a structure derived from factor analysis.
The theory has been widely used in several fields as
a paradigm for research, particularly in cross-cultural
psychology, international management, and cross-
cultural communication.
Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions
Individualism-collectivism
Masculinity-femininity
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance
Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions
(contd)
Work-related value dimensions
Most influential effort to group by cultural
values
Surveyed over 116,000 employees in
more than 70 countries
Created maps of pairs of dimensions
Individualism-Collectivism
Self-perception as individual or part of a
group
Most widely studied
Most complex
Dimensions different across cultures
i.e., Asian vs Latin American collectivism
Individualism-Collectivism
(contd)
Individualism
High value on
autonomy
Individual
achievement
Privacy
Collectivism
High value on group
Family, clan,
organization
Loyalty
Devotion
Conformity
Masculinity-Femininity
Describes Importance of
Achievement versus
Relationships
Success
Assertive acquisition
of money/power
achievement
Equality of genders
Caring for
disadvantaged
harmony
Power Distance
Acceptance of differences in
power
High-Power Distance
Accept position
Follow authority
Concentrated &
centralized authority
Hierarchical
Low-Power Distance
Avoid concentration of
authority
Decentralized
Fewer layers of
management
Low Uncertainty
Avoidance
Embrace
unpredictable
Less adherence to
rules, procedures, or
hierarchies
Risk taking desirable
High Uncertainty
Avoidance
Threatened by
ambiguity
Need stable &
predictable workplace
Reliance on rules
Uncertainty Avoidance
Reaction to ambiguous events
Cultural Maps
Individualism-Collectivism & Power
Distance
Uncertainty Avoidance & Masculinity-
Femininity
Uncertainty Avoidance & Power Distance
Individualism-Collectivism &
Power Distance
Large power distance and collectivism
Asia and Latin America
Small power distance and individualism
Northern Europe and Anglo countries
Culture
Map for
Power
Distance
and
Individualis
m
Uncertainty Avoidance &
Masculinity-Femininity
Achievement oriented-weak uncertainty
avoidance & masculine values
Security Motivation-high uncertainty avoidance &
masculinity
Social Motivation-feminine values & high
uncertainty avoidance
Culture
Map for
Uncertainty
Avoidance
and
Masculinity-
Femininity
Uncertainty Avoidance & Power
Distance
Family-large power distance & weak uncertainty
avoidance
Pyramid of People-large power distance &
strong uncertainty avoidance
Well-Oiled Machine-small power distance &
strong uncertainty avoidance
Village Market-small power distance & low
uncertainty avoidance
Culture
Map for
Power
Distance
and
Uncertaint
y
Orientatio
n
Limitation of Hofstedes
Dimensions
Missing countries
Estimates values
Ignores differences within clusters
Trompenaarss Alternative
Dimensions
Focus on values and relationships
Survey of
15,000 managers
Over 10-year period
From 28 countries
Bipolar cultural dimensions
Trompenaarss Alternative
Dimensions (contd)
Outer-directedInner-directed
UniversalismParticularism
NeutralEmotional
SpecificDiffuse
AchievementAscription
IndividualismCommunitarianism