Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - Leadership Training from MindTools Understanding Workplace Values Around the World Learn how to be more sensitive to the needs of people in different cultures. We know that we are living in a global age. This is exciting, but it can also be frustrating and fraught with uncertainty. Building connections with people from around the world is just one dimension of cultural diversity. How can we understand cultural differences? Fortunately, psychologist Dr Geert Hofstede asked himself this question in the 1970s. With access to people working for the same organization in over 40 countries of the world, he collected cultural data and analyzed his findings. He scored each country using a scale of roughly 0 to 100 for each dimension. The Five Dimensions of Culture Armed with a large database of cultural statistics, Hofstede analyzed the results and found clear patterns of similarity and difference amid the responses along these five dimensions. The five dimensions are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Note: Hofstede's analysis is done by country.
Leveraging Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory to Improve the Quality of Information Operations Hypothetical Scenario A new company commander has just taken ownership of battle space in a Middle Eastern country during an operation to enforce a peace treaty after a civil war. One of his first tasks is to explain his company’s presence and mission to the local population through local leaders. They are skeptical of the mass media messages they have received about the operation since the previous regime used the media only for propaganda. Furthermore, since the regime restricted the population’s access to basic information, they are ignorant about the world outside of their communities. The commander notices the local leaders appear dumbfounded and anxious after he makes his initial case. Hofstede’s Theory Successful information operations (IO) often require effective inter-cultural communications in order to inform and influence foreign audiences. Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory is an analytical tool at the disposal of the IO practitioner. Uncertainty Avoidance Conclusion
Dimensions Power Distance Index (PDI) This dimension expresses the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people. People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV) The high side of this dimension, called individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of only themselves and their immediate families. Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS) The masculinity side of this dimension represents a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material rewards for success. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) Pragmatic versus Normative (PRA) Indulgence versus Restraint (IND)
Cognizant Cultural Values Organisational Culture The research of Geert Hofstede has shown that cultural differences between nations are particularly found at the deepest level, the level of values. In comparison, cultural differences among organisations are principally identified at the level of practices. Practices are more tangible than values. Organisational Culture can be defined as "the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one organisation from others." The Organisational Cultural model, further developed by Bob Waisfisz in collaboration with Geert Hofstede, consists of six autonomous dimensions (variables) and two semi-autonomous dimensions. Please note that the model on Organisational Culture that we describe on this website is a derivative of Geert Hofstede's research findings, and therefore not identical to the descriptions of Organisational Culture that can be found in Hofstede's publications. More about Organisational Culture The Organisational Cultural research project
India Cultural Analysis Using Hofstede's Cultural Dimension Analysis & Schein Modelling by Mikael Thakur India Cultural Analysis Using Hofstede's Cultural Dimension Analysis & Schein Modelling by Mikael Thakur Due to rapid technology advancement, we now live in a small world with a globalmarketplace. Foreign ideals and culture are easily spread and adapted byindigenous people in all corners of the globe via radio, television and nowespecially, computers software and the Internet. This whole dilemma has beentermed as Globalization. The concept of globalization refers to increasing globalconnectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social,technological, cultural, political and ecological spheres. Industrial globalization hastaken its grip and businesses are going across the cultural boundaries. Worldwideproduction markets and broader access to a range of goods for consumers andcompanies is available. Page
Leading the Transformation in Global Outsourcing: Building the Right Executive Team The global outsourcing industry is beginning a new chapter in its relatively short history—one defined by increased opportunity, competition and client expectations. Market success in this winner-take-all environment will go to the firms with strong global leadership teams, agile cultures and a clear plan for transformation. In this issue, Pravesh Mehra, Puneet Kalra and the Business and Professional Services team at Russell Reynolds Associates outline the capabilities and organizational culture firms will need to succeed and provide a road map for the leaders who must guide the process. Few business sectors have evolved as quickly as the global outsourcing industry. was seen as a back-room commodity business, barely considered an industry in its own right. But much has changed over the last decade. Continued opportunity—and increased competition Client expectations are evolving as well. To complicate matters, there also will be competition among firms in emerging markets. Authors
Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory Overview[edit] Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory is a framework for cross-cultural communication. Hofstede developed his original model as a result of using factor analysis to examine the results of a world-wide survey of employee values by IBM in the 1960s and 1970s. The original theory proposed four dimensions along which cultural values could be analyzed: individualism-collectivism; uncertainty avoidance; power distance (strength of social hierarchy) and masculinity-femininity (task orientation versus person-orientation). Hofstede's work established a major research tradition in cross-cultural psychology and has also been drawn upon by researchers and consultants in many fields relating to international business and communication. History[edit] In 1965, Geert founded the personnel research department of IBM Europe (which he managed until 1971). Dimensions of national cultures[edit] Differences between cultures on the values dimensions[edit] Applications of the model[edit]
Stairway to T-SQL: Beyond The Basics Level 3: Building a Correlated Subquery In level 2 of this stairway I discussed how to use a subquery in a Transact-SQL statement. This stairway level will expand on the subquery topic by discussing a type of subquery known as a correlated subquery. I will be exploring what is a correlated subquery and how it is different from a normal subquery. Additionally I will provide you a number of examples of Transaction-SQL statements that go beyond the basics and use a correlated subquery to help identify the rows returned in the result set to meet complex business requirements. In level 2 of this stairway we learned that a normal subquery is just a SELECT statement within another Transact-SQL statement, where the subquery can return results if run independently of the outer query. The correlated subquery may be executed many times. In order to demonstrate how to use a correlated subquery I will need some test data. Listing 1: Correlated Subquery in WHERE clause When I run the code in Listing 1 I get the output in Report 1. Answers: