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