G. HOFSTEDE

Cultural Dimensions Theory (68-72)

AGENDA INTRODUCTION/ RECAP OF HOSTEDES CULTURAL DIMENSIONS THEORY

Overview Background Application Methodology 4 Dimensions UK examples

OVERVIEW

Social action (mental programs)- 40 Nations

childhood learnt- reinforced in schools & organisations (culture)

Express different values- different countries

4 main dimensions- dominate values (predictability)

BACKGROUND Empirical data, survey 1968 & 72

116,000 questionnaires Four main dimensions (theoretical

reasoning & statistical analysis empirical) incl. additional studies

Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Individualism Masculinity

APPLICATION Significant meaningful correlations-

geographic, economic, & political indicators Divided into cultural areas e.g. southern

Europe Some case point to historical reasons

e.g. cold war Profound consequences for the validity of

theories & working methods Collaboration issues

VALUES AND CULTURE

Measurement of “mental programs”- values & culture

indicate universal, collective & individual levels

values defined- desired & desirable values Culture: collective programming of the

mind Human behaviour- not random!!

METHODOLOGY- MENTAL PROGRAMMING Accuracy & predictions (mental

programming) Social science vs. natural science

MENTAL PROGRAMS- INTANGIBLES E.G. FORCES IN PHYSICS

Unable to be touched; not having physical presence:

the moonlight made things seem intangible

CONSTRUCTS- WE DEFINE THEM

For example, the concepts of intelligence and motivation are used to explain phenomena in psychology, but neither is directly observable

Level of subjectivity

OBJECTIVE SUBJECTIVE (Of a person or their

judgement) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts:

historians try to be objective and impartial

Based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions:

his views are highly subjective there is always the danger of making a subjective judgement

HOFSTEDES JOINING FORCES USING MODELS TO CREATE INTERSUBJECTIVITY

Mental Programming origins

UNIVERSAL (BIOLOGICAL OPERATING SYSTEM)

Shared by most of mankind- most basic Includes expressive behaviour

COLLECTIVE MENTAL PROGRAMMING Shared with some not all- specific to

certain groups Language- we express ourselves Respect we show to elders Physical distance we maintain to feel

comfortable Perception of human activity e.g.

eating, making love, defecating, etc

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL (UNIQUE PART) Everyone's programmed differently individual personality within collective culture

Passing on mental programs from generation to generation with an obstinacy which people tend to underestimate

Most likely entirely inherited

Partly inherited- personality

Mental programming origins- Hofstede

Majority MP learned e.g. America mixed gene pool common depicts a collective mental programming

POWER DISTANCE

degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally

fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people

POWER DISTANCE People in societies exhibiting a large degree of

power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification

 In societies with low power distance, people strive to equalise the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZqX0z3g5bE

POWER DISTANCE

Interestingly is that research shows PD index lower amongst the higher class in Britain than amongst the working classes.

luxury brands as status symbols in high power distance cultures

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen?

This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways.

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

At 35 the UK has a low score on UA

as a nation they are quite happy to wake up not knowing what the day brings and they are happy to ‘make it up as they go along’  

the term ‘muddling through’ is a very British way of expressing this

INDIVIDUALISM

The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members.

 It has to do with whether people´s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “We”.

INDIVIDUALISM score of 89 the UK is amongst the

highest of the individualistic scores, beaten only by some of the commonwealth countries it spawned i.e. Australia and the USA. 

The British are a highly individualistic and private people.

Children are taught from an early age to think for themselves and to find out what their unique purpose in life is and how they uniquely can contribute to society.

MASCULINITY

A high score (masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner/best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational behaviour.

MASCULINITY

At 66, Britain is a masculine society – highly success oriented and driven.

A key point of confusion for the foreigner lies in the apparent contradiction between the British culture of modesty and understatement which is at odds with the underlying success driven value system in the culture

Critical to understanding the British is being able to ‘’read between the lines’’ What is said is not always what is meant.

In comparison to feminine cultures such as the Scandinavian countries, people in the UK live in order to work and have a clear performance ambition

MASCULINITY & INDIVIDUALISM

CONCEPTUAL DRAWBACKS Conditioned by western perceptions

How can a national score be used to explain cultural influence on individual behaviour

FONS TROMPENAARS (1993)

Sought to extend Hofstedes work Expand on individualist/ collectivist

culture dimension

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS1K_rl8PrQExample

SUMMARY Overview Background Application Methodology 4 Dimensions UK examples