Culture and Motivation

Hofstede’s (2002) descriptions of expected behaviors

as a function of cultural value scores and
environment.

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 Culture and Motivation

We are motivated to obtain what we value.

Hofstede’s theory and model relates to cultural
value dimensions that differ between societies.

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How does Power Distance affect opinions,
attitudes, beliefs and behaviours at work,
at home, and at school?
 Small Power Large Power
Distance Societies Distance Societies

In the family:

1. Children encouraged to have a will of their 1. Children educated towards obedience to

own parents
2. Parents treated as equals 2. Parents treated as superiors

At school:

1. Student-centered education (student 1. Teacher-centered education (order)

initiative) 2. Learning represents personal
2. Learning represents impersonal “truth” “wisdom” from teacher (expert, guru)

At work place:

1. Hierarchy means an inequality of roles, 1. Hierarchy means existential

established for convenience inequality
2. Subordinates expect to be consulted 2. Subordinates expect to be told
3. Ideal boss is resourceful democrat what to do
3. Ideal boss is benevolent autocrat
(good father)
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How does Individualism/Collectivism
affect opinions, attitudes, beliefs and
behaviours at work, at home, and at
school?
 Collectivist Individualist
Societies Societies

In the family:

1. Education towards “we” consciousness 1. Education towards “I”

2. Opinions pre-determined by group consciousness
3. Obligations to family or in-group: 2. Private, personal opinions
- Harmony expected
- Respect 3. Obligations to self:
- Shame - Self-interest
- Self actualization
- Guilt
At school:

1. Formal learning is for the young only 1. Education can be lifelong

2. Learn how to do 2. Learn how to learn

At work place:

1. Value standards different for in-group 1. Same value standards apply to

and out-groups: particularism all: universalism
2. Other people are seen as members of 2. Other people seen as potential
their group resources
3. Relationship prevails over task 3. Task prevails over relationship
4. Moral model of employer-employee 4. Calculative model of
relationship employer-employee relationship

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• How does Masculinity/Feminity affect opinions,
attitudes, beliefs and behaviours at work, at
home, and at school?
 Feminine Societies Masculine Societies

In the family:

1. Stress on relationships 1. Stress on achievement

2. Solidarity 2. Competition
3. Resolution of conflicts by compromise and 3. Resolution of conflicts by
negotiation fighting them out

At school:

1. Average student is norm 1. Best students are norm

2. System rewards student’s social adaptation 2. System rewards student’s academic
3. Student’s failure at school is relatively performance
minor accident 3. Student’s failure at school
is disaster, may lead to
suicide

At work place:

1. Assertiveness ridiculed 1. Assertiveness appreciated

2. Undersell yourself 2. Oversell yourself
3. Stress on life quality 3. Stress on careers
4. Intuition 4. Decisiveness

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• How does Uncertainty/Avoidance affect opinions,
attitudes, beliefs and behaviours at work, at
home, and at school?
 Weak Uncertainty Strong Uncertainty
Avoidance Societies Avoidance Societies

In the family:

1. What is different is ridiculous or curious 1. What is different is dangerous

2. Ease, indolence, low stress 2. Higher anxiety and stress
3. Aggression and emotions not shown 3. Showing of aggression and
emotions accepted

At school:

1. Students comfortable with: 1. Students comfortable with:

2. Unstructured learning situations 2. Structured learning situations
3. Vague objectives 3. Precise objectives
4. Broad assignments 4. Detailed assignments
5. No time tables 5. Strict time tables
6. Teachers may say “I don’t know” 6. Teachers should have all the
answers

At work place:

1. Dislike of rules, written or unwritten 1. Emotional need for rules, written or

2. Less formalization and standardization unwritten
2. More formalization and
standardization 10
How does Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation affect
opinions, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours at work, at
home, and at school?
• Research by Michael Bond and colleagues among students
in 23 countries led him in 1991 to adding a fifth dimension
called Long- versus Short-Term Orientation.
• In 2010, research by Michael Minkov allowed to extend the
number of country scores for this dimension to 93, using
recent World Values Survey data from representative
samples of national populations.
• Long- term oriented societies foster pragmatic virtues
oriented towards future rewards, in particular saving,
persistence, and adapting to changing circumstances.
• Short-term oriented societies foster virtues related to the
past and present such as national pride, respect for
tradition, preservation of "face", and fulfilling social
obligations.
How does Indulgence vs. Restraint affect opinions,
attitudes, beliefs and behaviours at work, at home, and
at school?
• Minkov also identified a sixth dimension, also
based on the World Values Survey data analysis for
93 countries, called Indulgence versus Restraint.
• Indulgence stands for a society that allows
relatively free gratification of basic and natural
human drives related to enjoying life and having
fun.
• Restraint stands for a society that suppresses
gratification of needs and regulates it by means of
strict social norms.
How does Monumentalism vs. Flexumility affect
opinions, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours at work, at
home, and at school?
• Monumentalism stands for a society which rewards
people who are, metaphorically speaking, like
monuments: proud and unchangeable.
• Its opposite pole, Self-Effacement, stands for a
society which rewards humility and flexibility.
• The Monumentalism Index will probably be
negatively correlated with the Long Term
Orientation Index, but it includes aspects not
covered by the latter.
 In Hofstede (2002), the five dimensions of national
cultures were related to expectations of behavior

1. Expectations of Inequality can lead to

reticence of students to interact with
lecturer:
Less interaction: Large Power Distance
More interaction: Small Power Distance

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In Hofstede (2002), the five dimensions of national
cultures were related to expectations of behavior

2. Reaction to the unfamiliar can influence

openness to new ideas and new ways of
doing things:
Fight: Strong Uncertainty Avoidance
Tolerate: Weak Uncertainty Avoidance

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In Hofstede (2002), the five dimensions of national
cultures were related to expectations of behavior

3.Relation with in-group can affect the

perception of the lecturer as an insider or
outsider, and determine attitudes toward
assisting other students:
Loose relationship: Individualism
Tight relationship: Collectivism

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In Hofstede (2002), the five dimensions of national
cultures were related to expectations of behavior

4.Emotional gender roles might affect

attitudes toward male and female lecturers
and fellow students:
Different: Masculinity
Same: Femininity

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In Hofstede (2002), the five dimensions of national
cultures were related to expectations of behavior

5.Need gratification:
Later: Long Term Orientation
Now: Short Term Orientation

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 Geert Hofstede’s 7-Dimension theory in 2008

• Indulgence vs. Restraint: Indulgence defines a

society that allows relatively free gratification of
some desires and feelings, especially those that
have to do with leisure, merrymaking with friends,
spending, consumption, and sex. Its opposite pole,

• Restraint, defines a society which restricts such

gratification, and where people feel less free and
able to enjoy their lives.

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• Indulgence vs. Restraint. Minkov (2007:
114) specifies that at the societal level,
happiness is associated with a perception of
life control, with life control being a source
of freedom and of leisure.

• Societies with high means for Indulgence

tend to co-mingle work and social
activities, and generally have a less
“serious” attitude toward work than
societies with high means for Restraint.

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 Geert Hofstede’s 7-Dimension theory in 2008

• Monumentalism vs. Flexumility (a created word,

with the dimension name changed to Self
Effacement by the theorists):

• Monumentalism is related to pride in self,

national pride, making parents proud, and
believing religion to be important, similar to
McClelland’s (1961) concept of need for
achievement

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 Geert Hofstede’s 7-Dimension theory in 2008

• Monumentalism vs. Flexumility (a created

word, with the dimension name changed to
Self Effacement by the theorists):

• The Flexumility pole identifies societies valuing

humility, with members seeing themselves as
not having a stable, invariant self-concept, and a
flexible attitude toward Truth.

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Hofstede Related to
Business Practice

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 Hofstede - Individualism
•High • Low

•emphasis on person •emphasis on group

•creative person valued •creative person is

disruptive

•initiative valued •conformity valued

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 Hofstede – Suggested Limitations
 Hofstede's methodology:
• First study based on 64 national subsidiaries of IBM, 116,000
workers (not just managers), three world regions
• may not fit exact individual situations
• Is valid for broader groups not individuals

 IBM values may overwhelm national values

• Yet, if IBM culture so overwhelming, differences across
countries may be attributable to “national” culture...

 IBM employees a privileged group in most countries

 Researcher bias? Western stereotypes and culturally biased

conclusions?

 HOWEVER, many recent studies validate Hofstede’s dimensions

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 Applying Cultural Analysis

•Must a company adapt to local cultures or can

corporate -- often home-country dominated -- culture
prevail?

•1. Describe culture using a Model

•2. Estimate cultural impact on management

•“Cultural Distance”

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 Applying Cultural Analysis

• 2. Estimate cultural impact on management

Strategic planning: Futile? How much information needed?

Employee motivation: Security or money reward? Immediate
or long-term rewards?
Employee monitoring and control: Rules or trust?
Decision making: overcoming problems or seizing
opportunities?

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