
Full Answer
How did Hofstede define culture?
Geert Hofstede has defined “culture” as: The collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others.In 1980 he published his book “Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values.
What is Hofstede's 6 dimensions of culture?
Geert Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions are Power Distance Index (PDI), Individualism Vs Collectivism, Masculinity Vs Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), Long Vs Short Term Orientation, and Indulgence Vs Restraint.
What are Hofstede's 5 cultural dimensions?
He identified five dimensions or 'problem areas' which represent differences among national cultures (Hofstede, 1997): power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity and long-term orientation.
What is Geert Hofstede's cultural onion theory?
Hofstede's Cultural Onion Theory: a system that can be peeled, layer by layer, in order to reveal the content. The whole onion is 'culture' and as you peel it, you see different levels which work on and influence culture.
Why is Hofstede Theory important?
Hofstede developed this cultural model primarily on the basis of differences in values and beliefs regarding work goals. Hofstede's framework is especially useful because it provides important information about differences between countries and how to manage such differences.
What is Hofstede's cultural dimensions PDF?
The six dimensions that currently make up Hofstede's framework are power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism, masculinity, long-term orientation, and indulgence.
What are the 4 types of culture?
4 Types of Corporate CultureClan Culture.Adhocracy Culture.Market Culture.Hierarchy Culture.
How do you pronounce Hofstedes?
0:020:43How To Pronounce Geert Hofstede - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHurt hope steady.MoreHurt hope steady.
What are Hofstede's value dimensions for assessing cultures?
According to Hofstede, the five main dimensions are identity, power, gender, uncertainty, and time. You can think about cultural value dimensions on a scale or a continuum, where one aspect of the value lies on one side of the scale and the other extreme lies at the other end of the scale.
What are Hofstede's 4 cultural dimensions?
The four original dimensions of cultural difference identified by Hofstede were: power distance index, individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity and the uncertainty avoidance index. You will look at each of these in turn next.
When did Hofstede create cultural dimensions?
1980Hofstede's National Cultural Dimensions and the Critique of His Framework. Hofstede (1980) was the first researcher to reduce cross-national cultural diversity to country scores on a limited number of dimensions.
Why is Hofstede's theory important?
The Hofstede theory asserts that, because of intrinsic cultural differences between nations, no universal management method exists which can be considered globally valid.
Who defined culture as the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from
Geert Hofstede , a widely known Dutch researcher of culture, has defined culture as "the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another.". (1991, p. 5). Click to see full answer.
What is the definition of culture?
Definition of Culture by Hofstede. “Culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.”-. Geert Hofstede (Hofstede, 1991)
What is cultural shock?
Living abroad and experiencing all the newness of the society combined with absence of people who can support might cause a degree of anxiety. This type of anxiety is called cultural shock and everyone deals with some degree of it during this stage. Basically it can be divided into four phases. Once familiar with these stages one will be better able to combat it and the willingness to adapt will increase. However, not everybody goes through all these stages or sometimes it is possible to experience these in different order. These stages are:
How does the environment affect the adaptation of a culture?
If a community is not open to new comers, that could hinder a person’s ability to adapt in such host culture.
What is attachment between people in individualistic societies?
The attachment between people in individualistic societies is very insecurely defined. Society may have a tendency to be materialistic. Individual work is greatly appreciated rather than team work in collectivist societies. Extended families influenced by religion are a peculiar feature of collectivism.
What is Hofstede's work?
Hofstede’s work is a major resource in fields like cross-cultural psychology, international management, and cross-cultural communication.
What is individualistic society?
Individualistic societies stress personal achievement and individual rights, focus on personal needs and those of immediate family. In individualistic societies, people choose their own affiliations and groups and move between different groups.
Power Distance
This dimension expresses the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally: beliefs about the appropriate distribution of power in society. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people.
Individualism
The Individualism/Collectivism dimension is about the relative importance of individual versus group interests. The high side of this dimension, called individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of only themselves and their immediate families.
Masculinity
The Masculinity/Femininity dimension is about what values are considered more important in a society. The Masculine side of this dimension represents a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material rewards for success. Society at large is more competitive.
Uncertainty Avoidance
The Uncertainty Avoidance dimension expresses the degree to which the members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. In addition its impact on rule making is taken into account.
Time Orientation
Every society has to maintain some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and the future. Societies prioritize these two existential goals differently. Countries that score low on this dimension, for example, prefer to maintain time-honoured traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion.
Indulgence
The Indulgence dimension is a relatively new dimension to the model. This dimension is defined as the extent to which people try to control their desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised. Relatively weak control is called Indulgence and relatively strong control is called Restraint.
What is Hofstede's third cultural dimension?
Hofstede’s third cultural dimension is uncertainty avoidance, the degree to which people in a society are comfortable with risk, uncertainty, and unpredictable situations. People in high uncertainty avoidance societies tend to want to avoid uncertainty and unpredictability.
Why is Hofstede's framework important?
Hofstede’s framework is especially useful because it provides important information about differences between countries and how to manage such differences.
What is the second cultural dimension?
The second cultural dimension we consider here is individualism/collectivism. Individualism refers to the degree to which a society focuses on the relationship of the individual to the group. Collectivism refers to the degree to which a society focuses on the relationship of the group as a whole.
What is culture in psychology?
a Dutch social psychologist, culture is “the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the member of one group or category of people from another.”. It tells people who they are, which behaviors are appropriate, and which are not acceptable in any society.
Why is it important to understand culture in international management?
All of these trends mean that during your career you are likely to encounter someone from a different culture and that the potential for cross-cultural tension s is high. It is therefore important for any international management student to understand culture to better prepare for dealing with such tensions.
Who developed the Hofstede model?
The most popular cultural framework, the Hofstede scheme, was developed by Geert Hofstede, a Dutch social scientist who surveyed over 88,000 employees in 72 countries in which IBM had subsidiaries. He developed this cultural model primarily on the basis of differences in values and beliefs regarding work goals.
What is the cultural dimension of power?
The first cultural dimension is power distance, the degree to which members of a society accept differences in power and authority. In societies with high power distance, people are more likely to accept that power inequality is good and acceptable.

Power Distance Index
Uncertainty Avoidance Index
- The uncertainty avoidance index considers the extent to which uncertainty and ambiguity are tolerated. This dimension considers how unknown situations and unexpected events are dealt with. 1. A high uncertainty avoidance index indicates a low tolerance for uncertainty, ambiguity, and risk-taking. The unknown is minimized through strict rules, regulations, etc. 2. A low uncerta…
Masculinity vs. Femininity
- The masculinity vs. femininity dimension is also referred to as “tough vs. tender,” and considers the preference of society for achievement, attitude towards sexuality equality, behavior, etc. 1. Masculinity comes with the following characteristics: distinct gender roles, assertive, and concentrated on material achievements and wealth-building. 2. Femininity comes with the follo…
Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation
- The long-term orientation vs. short-term orientation dimension considers the extent to which society views its time horizon. 1. Long-term orientation shows focus on the future and involves delaying short-term success or gratification in order to achieve long-term success. Long-term orientation emphasizes persistence, perseverance, and long-term growth. 2. Short-term orientati…
Indulgence vs. Restraint
- The indulgence vs. restraint dimension considers the extent and tendency for a society to fulfill its desires. In other words, this dimension revolves around how societies can control their impulses and desires. 1. Indulgence indicates that a society allows relatively free gratification related to enjoying life and having fun. 2. Restraint indicates that a society suppresses gratification of nee…
Country Comparisons: Hofstede Insights
- Hofstede Insights is a great resource to understand the impact of culture on work and life. It can be accessed hereto understand how the different dimensions differ among countries under the Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory.
Related Readings
- Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory. To keep learning and advancing your career, the following CFI resources will be helpful: 1. Demographics 2. Emotional Intelligence 3. Interpersonal Skills 4. Supportive Leadership
Introduction
- Globalization of a company’s hiring process becomes quite critical when it has to deal with external barriers; especially the ones relating to culture. It becomes equally challenging for an employee coming from a different cultural background to adjust in the new country and simultaneously adapt to their culture. However, in this world of instantaneous communication a…
Definition of Culture by Hofstede
- “Culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.”- Geert Hofstede (Hofstede, 1991)
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
- Power Distance: it is the degree of inequality that is expected and accepted in a given society by subordinates. It relates to power, status, authority that you command from individuals in a given context. For the most part, often the less powerful members are dominated by more powerful members and that dimension is accepted by the less powerful and expected by the most powerf…
Differences Between Japanese and Indian Culture According to Hofstede
- (Hofstede, 2003) Both these cultures instil collectivistic traits. In such cultures the actions of the individual are influenced by various concepts such as the opinion of one’s family, extended family, neighbours, work group and other such wider social networks that one has some affiliation toward. The Power Distance Index of India in comparison with Japan is comparatively higher. In…
Dealing with Cultural Shock
- Living abroad and experiencing all the newness of the society combined with absence of people who can support might cause a degree of anxiety. This type of anxiety is called cultural shock and everyone deals with some degree of it during this stage. Basically it can be divided into four phases. Once familiar with these stages one will be better able to combat it and the willingness t…
Adapting to The Japanese Culture
- Having being transferred to a new country can be very challenging yet fun filled task since one has to start to adjust to a new environment that has never been experienced before. All the more, experiencing a new culture has its own set of problems like cultural shock, communication issues, etc. According to me, the only way to overcome a situation like this is to adapt to the place as so…