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 Collectivism
High value on High value on group
autonomy Family, clan,
organization
Individual
achievement Loyalty
Privacy Devotion
Conformity
 Masculinity-Femininity
Describes Importance of
Achievement versus
Relationships
Success Equality of genders
Assertive acquisition Caring for
of money/power disadvantaged
achievement harmony
 Power Distance
Acceptance of differences in
power
High-Power Distance Low-Power Distance
Accept position Avoid concentration of
authority
Follow authority
Decentralized
Concentrated &
centralized authority Fewer layers of
management
Hierarchical
 Uncertainty Avoidance
Reaction to ambiguous events
Low Uncertainty High Uncertainty
Avoidance Avoidance
Embrace Threatened by
unpredictable ambiguity
Less adherence to Need stable &
rules, procedures, or predictable workplace
hierarchies
Reliance on rules
Risk taking desirable
 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