Home > Geert Hofstede

Hofstede demostrated that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behaviour of organisations.

He has identified five dimensions of culture in his study of national influences including:

• power distance - The degree to which a society expects there to be differences in the levels of power. A high score suggests that there is an expectation that some individuals wield larger amounts of power than others. A low score reflects the view that all people should have equal rights.
• individualism vs collectivism - individualism is contrasted with collectivism, and refers to the extent to which people are expected to stand up for themselves, or alternatively act predominantly as a member of the group or organisation.
• masculinity vs femininity - refers to the value placed on traditionally male or famale values. Male values for example include competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth and material possessions.
• uncertainty avoidance - reflects the extent to which a society accepts uncertainty and risk.
• long vs short term orientation

1 See also

• cross-cultural communication
• culture shock

2 External links

• His homepage: http://www.geerthofstede.nl