Hofstede s Five Cultural Dimensions - 1331 Words

A review of Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions,this model looks at the effect of cultures, value of its members, and how they relate to behavior within that culture. The model has been successfully used for effective intercultural, interpersonal communications around the world. There are five values that Hofstede’s has identified: Power Distance; Individualism or Collectivism; Masculinity and Femininity; Uncertainty Avoidance and Short or Long Term Orientation. Each value aids in developing a model to understand an approach and the preparation that should be taken to be effective and successful in its dealings with that particular culture. I have selected two countries using Hofstede cultural dimensions model.China who has the second†¦show more content†¦These settings become formal,and status symbols become very important. Decisions are made by the few individuals that are in charge. On the other hand in a low power distance cultural, the authority iscooperative and the chain of command is readily accessible. In business settings managers utilize the individual employees or teams for their expertise. Usually in these settings the business decisions are made by a team or group environment. Canada is considered a low power distance culture with a score of 39. Short or Long Term Orientation: Short or Long term orientation is the second Hofstede value, and Russia and China have similar scores; Russia scored 81 and China 87. In a long term orientation culture that score high are usually more inclined to take a practical approach. There is usually more problem solving and looking at various options to improvethe culturein modern education,recognition and motivation which will encourage thriftiness and prepare for long term results. Cultures with short term orientation have low scores. These cultures are inclined to follow old traditions, and norms. Usually suspicious of change and look more at the present thenthe long term future values. Argentina is considered a short term orientation with a score of 20. Individualism or Collectivism The third value that Russia and China have similar scores is Individualism. Russia scored a 39, where China had a score of 20. These are both considered to be low scores. This reflects