Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture

Read the information below, including the three links to the references, and then answer
the question.
Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture
The most widely used framework for classifying types of cultures is Geert Hofstede’s
dimensions of culture. Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist, once worked with IBM
International to become interested in cross-cultural influences on work behavior. In 1980,
Hofstede published his groundbreaking work, Culture’s Consequences. In this work,
Hofstede proposed four cultural dimensions, each forming a bipolar continuum. He argued that cultures can be measured along these dimensions and that cultural differences and
customs can be explained by mapping these dimensions. The original dimensions were:
1) Individualism/collectivism
2) Power distance (high or low)
3) Uncertainty avoidance (high or low)
4) Masculinity/femininity
Although his work has been criticized on methodological grounds and that his dimensions
explain only a small part of the variation in behavior across cultures, it remains popular
due to its value in helping people anticipate, understand, and interpret cultural differences.
The following interactive website offers a quick overview of the original four dimensions.
Gill, C. (2017, March 23). Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and differences across cultures.
Oxford University Press Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.oup.com/2017/03/hofstedecultural-dimensions/
and Hofstede, G. (n.d). National culture. Geert Hofstede. Retrieved from https://hi.hofstedeinsights.com/national-culture
In the years since his first book, Hofstede has expanded his typology to include two
additional dimensions. Hear him discuss his recent work in the following Video:
Hofstede, G. (2013, January 19). Geert Hofstede—Recent discoveries about cultural
differences [Video]. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBv1wLuY3Ko
Contrast how the “Decision-making processes” function would most effectively be carried
out according to one of Hofstede’s dimensions. Then, examine the same leadership
function within a culture displaying another of Hofstede’s dimensions.