Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Long-term
vs short-term
orientation
stands for the fostering of virtues oriented
towards future rewards, in particular,perseverance and thrift
Short-term
orientation
Long-term orientation
Comparison
perseverance
focused on the future
thrift
respect for tradition
personal stability
focused on the past
Long-term orientation
Short-term
orientation
Develop and maintain lifelong personal networks
Large social and economic differences should not be tolerated
Need for accountability, self-discipline
Stress is on future market position
Loyalty towards others can vary according to
the needs of the business
People should be rewarded according to their abilities
Need for achievement, self- determinations
Stress is on short-term profits
Owner-managers and workers share the same aspirations
Managers and employees are in different camps
Indulgence/Restraint
Expresses the differences between the
gratifications’ perspective versus control of essential human needs related to obtaining pleasure from life
Restraint: A conviction that such
gratification needs to be curbed
and regulated by strict social norms
Indulgence: A tendency to allow to allow
relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires related to enjoying life and having fun
Comparison
Indulgence (high indulgence versus restraint index)
Freely satisfy basic needs and behaviour
Cannot easily be motivated with material reward
Enjoys moment rather than uses time to
compare with others
Objects need to fulfil purpose not status
Expects (material) reward for job done well
Easily feels treated unfair
Gratification suppressed and regulated
Status objects important, e.g. phone,
laptop, watch, car
Indulgent Society
Restrained Society
Saving is not very important
Less moral discipline
High importance of having friends
Equal sharing of household tasks (between partners)
High importance of leisure
Loosely prescribed gender roles
A perception of personal life control
In wealthy countries, less strict sexual norms
Higher percentage of happy people
Smiling as a norm
Freedom
Maintaining
Low importance of having friends.
Saving is important
Low importance of leisure.
Moral Discipline
A perception of helplessness; what happens
to me is not my own business.
Unequal sharing of household tasks (between partners)
Lower percentage of happy people
Strictly prescribed gender roles
In wealthy countries, stricter sexual norms
Smiling as suspect
Freedom of speech is not a primary concern
Maintaining order in the nation is important
Integrating
Hofstede’s research has extended beyond this focus and shown how countries can be described in terms of pairs and clusters of dimensions
Eg, a pair of power distance index and individualism index
A description of the six dimensions of culture is useful in helping to explain the differences between various countries
Importance
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It can provide an overall view and a rough
understanding of different cultures.
The six-dimension model is valuable for global marketing as it studies country-wide values and not just business values.
It is implemented in cross-cultural communication, cross-cultural psychology, and international management.
Firms modify their services and products based on
local preferences and customs.
Criticisms of Hofstede’s Model
Reliability and validity
Surveys in one company – IBM
Separation of organizational and
occupational/professional cultures
Culture is linked to early socialization and
may differ between and within countries
Inappropriateness of surveys
Temporal specific
Rooted in a positivist paradigm