Hofstede´s Dimensions of Culture Applied to Forty Countries

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THEORETICAL MODELS HOFSTEDE’S DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE Greet Hofstede Cultural Dimensions was developed based on collecting the data drew from IBM and its subsidiaries which covered more than 70 countries during 1967 and 1973. Hofstede's Framework discusses the dimensions of national culture as a result of the findings of a survey involving 116,000 employees working in IBM selected from 40 countries around the world. The study was conducted in the year 1970 to find out the variations seen among the employees and managers (Stephen P. Robbins, James, 2003). The dimensions are useful to illustrate the different values and beliefs hide in different nations. However, the different values and beliefs lead to different behavior towards people’s daily life as well as their workplace. Power Distance Power distance refers to the degree of people expect or can accept the distribution of power unequally in the society or organization. The power distance is distributed un equally in the firms and organizations. Power distance measures this degree to which people are separated or accept power in a firm. A high power distance means domination of the senior management and the employees have to bear or obey the orders of the senior management. This type is characterized by dominant culture. In a low power culture, there will be more stress on opportunity and equality (Stephen P. Robbins, James, 2003). First world nations have low power distance and perceive everyone as equal. People in the country with lower power distance urge to seek for justification towards equalities of power. In United States, a First world nation, equal employment opportunity is stressed and followed to a great extent. Third world nations have high power distance and th... ... middle of paper ... ... 1 Country Clusters According to GLOBE Cluster Countries Cluster Countries Latin American Ecuador, El Salvador, Columbia, Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Argentina, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Mexico African Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa (Black sample) Nordic Denmark, Finland, Sweden Eastern European Greece, Hungary, Albania, Slovenia, Poland, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan Anglo Canada, U.S.A. Australia, Ireland, England, South Africa (white sample), New Zealand Middle Eastern Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Qatar Germanic Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland (German speaking), Germany Confucian Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Japan Latin European Israel, Italy, Switzerland (French speaking), Spain, Portugal, France Southeast Asian Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Thailand, Iran Source: (Hoppe, 2007) adapted from House et al., 2004

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