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Geert's Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Culture

Samuel Palacio López, Santiago Cardona Higuita, Maria Fernanda Carreira

• Click on red eyes for information, and tables on images

Define Culture and the differences between national culture and organizational culture

1. Culture can be defined as the collective programming of a particular group of people distinguished by certain particular characteristics. It is a multilevel construct that encompasses symbols, such as colors, logos, heroes, as public figures that embody desired values, rituals, which show people's unconscious attitudes, and at the deepest level are values, which show the preferences that this selects group of people choose over other things. These elements are acquired from being shared with others and they themselves influence each other's behavior, especially in difficult situations Understanding these cultural values helps to align with the different environments that are present in society, thus improving the dynamics of groups and their relationships with each other. Differences between national culture and organizational culture: (TABLE, MAKE A CLICK ON IMAGE).

2. Define Intercultural Management. Provide a practical example of a company that has a successful Intercultural Management.

Intercultural management is the ability of each individual team to effectively and efficiently manage different divisions of a group by understanding and respecting different cultures around the world, improving collaboration and productivity through organizational strategies and practices. Lay's, a brand of potato chips known worldwide, is the perfect example of a company with good cross-cultural management. Lay's, by operating in different countries, changes its product effectively to be more accepted in certain regions, either with a more attractive name or with preferred flavors within different populations, in addition to its marketing strategy is equally adapted to the activities of the region, demonstrating an excellent adaptive capacity that led them to success as a company at an international level.

Use the link 'Country Comparison tool" to provide a practical "country example" representing each dimension.

4. KAZAKHSTAN Power distance: This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal, the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power Distance is defined as when people in a group or country are fine with some having more power while others do not have a lot or none power. In other word is when people accept unequal distribution of power. Kazakhstan has a very high score of 88, is a nation where power holders are very distant in society. People accept that there’s a clear hierarchical order in which everybody has a place, and it’s why those whit power have more privileges. This disjunction between the powerful and less powerful impact on the status symbols asking them is very important. IRELAND INDIVIDUALISM The elemental concern explained by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It pertains to whether an individual’s self-concepts is established based onI "I" or "We". In Individualist, community’s are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies, people belong to 'in groups' that provide support in exchange for loyalty. ROMANIA MASCULINITY A high rating (Masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society prioritizes competition,achievement and success, with success being defined by being in the first place and the best in a particular field. This value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational life. On the other part, A low score (Feminine) on the dimension means that the values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A Feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The central concern is to the real motivation of people, wanting to be the best (Masculine) or liking what you do (Feminine). SOUTH AFRICA UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance relates to how society handles the fact that we can’t predict the future. This uncertainty brings some mental issues such as anxiety. Different cultures have learnt to handle this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel concerned or uncertain by ambiguous or unknown situations and have established beliefs and systems that try to avoid these is reflected in the score on Uncertainty Avoidance. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO LONG TERM ORIENTATION This dimension describes how all societies must balance their connections to each one’s history, while facing present and future changes, and different societies prioritise these two existential goals differently. Normative societies, which score low on this dimension, tend to uphold long-standing traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion. Those with a culture which scores high, on the other hand, take a more practical approach: they promote thrift and efforts in modern education as a way to prepare for the future. DENMARK INDULGENCE A determined challenge that humanity has faced, in the present and in the past, is the degree to which small children are socialized. Without socialization we do not become "human". 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". Cultures can be categorized as either, Indulgent or Restrained.

Define Geert Hofstede's model of the Six Dimensions of Culture.

Geert Hofstede created this model principally to acquire knowledge (system for guiding in international relations and understanding), a tool that has been given to know how to interact and embrace differences understanding. basically, this model proposes the acquisition of fundamentals in the international business, that will get you understanding of who you are dealing to, his pros and his cons in terms of how to negotiate and propose ideals in a persuasive and respectful way. So, this 6-Dimension model is crucial for international negotiation, where all experts will have signs of their brand, representing what they are to each of the international clients by different presentations and faces in a tolerant- respectful way.

• THE 6 DIMENSIONS ARE:

Uncertainty avoidance: when high, it tends to a formality-shy status, where their society presents in a good manner but distant, and low where all ideas are accepted, and this willing society search for diversity and prove new innovations and things. long term orientation: with a high punctuation it refers to have a pragmatic mindset, where truth depends on the situation, with a low point, it orientates to be normative in thinking, that focus more on present with respect and decision. indulgence: with a high score you are more indicative to achieve your goals, desires and act upon your beliefs, that will make you go on your path aside of fun, and with low point, society is pessimist, without the flame of working and their desires, they don’t have motivation and are decayed and restrained by the government management.

power distance: at a high qualification of the countries' PD, says that inequality is something natural in life, and at the lowest is a hierarchy solution, where the superiors have lots of access and control. individualism: at a high point is an individualist culture, each of the citizens providing for themselves and family, at a low point is an interdependence, where citizens must act over the good common. masculinity: in high point there will be a competitive management of the community, and at its lowest is a symbol of modesty and calm society. Uncertainty avoidance: when high, it tends to a formality-shy status, where their society presents in a good manner but distant, and low where all ideas are accepted, and this willing society search for diversity and prove new innovations and things.