Hofstedes 5D Model of Cultural Dimensions

ProfessorHofstede'sframeworkwasdesignedtohelpunderstandhow,onaverage,peoplefromdifferentnationsviewandsolvebasic
problems.

Dimension

Largevs.Small
PowerDistance

Individualismvs.
Collectivism

Masculinityvs.
Femininity

Characteristics
Theextenttowhichmembersofasociety
acceptthatpowerininstitutionsand
organizationsisdistributed.

PeopleinLargePowerDistancesocieties
tendtoacceptahierarchicalorderinwhich
everybodyhasa"place."

PeopleinSmallPowerDistancesocieties
tendtostriveforpowerequalizationand
demandjustificationforinequalities.

Individualismstandsforapreferenceofa
looselyknitsocialframeworkinsociety
whereindividualsareonlysupposedtotake
careofthemselvesandtheirimmediate
families.

Collectivismstandsforapreferencefora
tightlyknitsocialframeworkinwhich
individualsmayexpecttheirrelativestolook
aftertheminexchangeforloyalty.

Fundamentalissue:people'sselfconceptof
"I"or"we".

Peopleinmasculinesocietiestendtoplace
morevalueonachievementandsuccess.
Malesgenerallydominateasignificant
portionofthesocietyandpowerstructure.
Ingeneral,thefemalepopulationislikelyto
bemoreassertiveandcompetitive,with
womenshiftingtowardthemalerolemodel
andawayfromtheirfemalerole.

Infemininesocieties,caringforothersand
qualityoflifeareconsideredmore
important.

Swedenisthemostfemininecountryinthis
research.

OnlineClassroom
Studentsinhighpowerdistancecultures
aretaughttohonorothersbecauseofthe
positionstheyhold.

Inschools,studentsaregenerally
taughttohaveagreatdealof
respectfortheirteachers.Students
maybelessinclinedtospeakupto
askquestionsforfearofappearing
challenging.

Studentsinlowpowerdistancecultures
mayconsiderpeopleonmoreequal
terms.

Studentsmaybemorelikelyto
questionteachersandchallenge
themiftheydonotunderstand
something.

Studentsinanindividualisticsociety
mayfeelmoreateaseworking
alone.

Studentsinacollectivistsocietymay
feelmoreateaseworkingingroups.

Studentsfromcountriesthatscore
highonthisindexmaybemore
likelytoparticipateinclass.

Intheonlinelearningenvironment
theymaybelikelysendmore
messagesthatareofgreaterlength,
andmakemoresocioemotional
contributions.

Studentsfromcountriesthatscore
highinthefeminineindexmaynot
contributeasmuch(Barrett&Lally,
1999).

USScorevs.World
Average

US:40

Worldaverage:55

US:91(World'shighest)

Worldaverage:43

US:62

Worldaverage:50

Thedegreetowhichmembersofasociety
feeluncomfortablewithuncertaintyand
ambiguity.

StrongUncertaintyAvoidancecountriestend
tomaintainrigidcodesofbeliefand
behaviorandaregenerallyintoleranttoward
deviantpersonsandideas.

WeakUncertaintyAvoidancesocieties
maintainamorerelaxedatmospherein
whichpracticecountsmorethanprinciples,
anddevianceismoreeasilytolerated.

Strongvs.Weak
Uncertainty
Avoidance

LongTerm
Orientationvs.
ShortTerm
Orientation

AfinaldimensionwasaddedtoHofstede's
originalframework.Thefifthwasfoundina
studyamongstudentsin23countriesaround
theworld,usingaquestionnairedesignedby
scholarsfromChina.

Itexplainstheextenttowhichasocietyexhibits
apragmaticfutureorientedperspectiverather
thanaconventionalhistoricorshorttermpoint
ofview.

Asiancountriesscoredthehighestonthis
dimension.Ingeneral,thesecountries
believeinmanytruths,havealongterm
orientation,easilyacceptchangeandhave
thriftforinvestment.

Culturesscoringlowonthisdimension(US
wasthelowest)believeinabsolutetruth,
areconventionalandtraditional,havea
shorttermorientationandaconcernfor
stability.

Studentsinastronguncertainty
avoidanceculturemayfeelmore
comfortablewithnumeroussetsof
guidelinesandclearinstructionsin
ordertoavoiduncertaintyinthe
designanddeliveryofonline
learning(Jaffe,2004).

Studentsinalowuncertainty
avoidanceculturemaytendtotreat
uncertaintywithinacourseasjust
anotherissuetoworkthrough.

Indiscussions,theymayalsohavea
greaterleveloftolerancefora
varietyofideas,thoughtsand
beliefs.

US:46

Worldaverage:64

Studentsfromcountriesthatscore
highinLongTermOrientation
generallysharevaluesassociated
withperseveranceandrelationships
bystatus.

ValuesassociatedwithShortTerm
Orientationaregenerallyarespect
fortradition,fulfillingsocial
obligationsandpersonalsteadiness
andstability.

US:29(World'slowest)

Worldaverage:45