Hofstede 's theory of cultural dimensions

Attitudes behaviors Self and Individualism Collectivism Each person is separate Each person is part of a group; from each other; children children learn to think in terms of learn to think in terms of “I” “we” Identity is based on the Identity is based on the social individual network Low-context High-context Speak your mind and tell Maintain harmony and avoid the truth confrontations
伴君如伴虎 To be in the king's company is tantamount to living with a tiger
一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮州路八千
官大一级压死人 Officials one rank superior crush the inferior
Reasons for differences
High power distance
A High Power Distance ranking indicate s that inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the s ociety. These societies are more likely t o follow a caste system that does not al low significant upward mobility of its ci tizens.

High Power Distance
Employee fear to express disagreement to their boss Boss more on autocratic decision making style Inequalities are expected and desired – class divisions are accepted Subordinate very dependence on leader/supervisor – expected to be
Low uncertainty avoidance
More tolerant of different opinion Try to minimize rules as possible Low UAI people don’t easily express their emotion Risk taker and may choose strategy that offer high reward Comfort with ambiguity and curious about differences
Low uncertainty avoidance countries:
• People more willing to accept risks of the
unknown, less structured organizational activities, fewer written rules, more managerial risk taking, higher employee turnover, more ambitious employees . • Example: Denmark, Great Britain, China, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, USA.

• 5. Long Term Orientation (LTO) – This refers to how much society values long-standing – as opposed to short term – traditions and values. This is the fifth dimension that Hofstede added in the 1990s after finding that Asian countries with a strong link to Confucian philosophy acted differently from western cultures. In countries with a high LTO score, delivering on social obligations and avoiding "loss of face" are considered veryt Hofstede's research gives us insights into other cultures so that we can be more effective when interacting with people in other countries. If understood and applied properly, this information should reduce your level of frustration, anxiety, and concern. But most important, Geert Hofstede will give you the 'edge of understanding' which translates to more successful results.

Some opinions about Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsBy zhang xihong 08908123Economic “globalization” is a historical process, the result of human innovation and technological progress. It refers to the increasing integration of economies around the world, particularly through trade and financial flows. More and more organizations are finding themselves sourcing from another country, seeking financing from another country, or have an increasingly multicultural workforce. So it is important for businessmen to communicate well with people of other countries, learning and applying Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions are good choice. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions is the summary of western culture characteristics. It is divided into five parts, individualism and collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity-femininity and long-term orientation or short-term orientation.First is individualism and collectivism. A country with individual socialist culture emphasizes values of individual achievement, freedom, and competition. People in these countries give priority to the task and are supposed to look after their ownself-interests, especially in a high individualism. And then in a low individualism, people stress the values of group harmony, cohesiveness, and consensus. People and group interest are the first. Americans are quite advocating individualism. In the commercial negotiation, American are stick to the issue, business is only business. But Chinese pay attention to the cultivation of relationship. If business fail, they also call be friends.Second is power distance index. Power distance measures how subordinates respond to power and authority. A high power distance ranking indicates that inequality, of power and wealth has been allowed to grow within the society. These societies are more likely to follow caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. In low-power distance countries, subordinates are more likely to challenge bosses and bosses tend to use a consultative management style. In the negotiation, American can completely on behalf of the company, making a concession or decision. On the contrary, someone is can not do that without authorization in most Asian and African countries.Third is femininity and masculinity. It focuses on the degree to which masculine or feminine traits are valued and revealed. Men’s goals were significantly different from women’s goals and could therefore be expressed on a masculine and a feminine pole. Where feminine values are more important (Sweden, France, Denmark), people tend to value a good working relationship with their supervisors; working with people who cooperate well with one another, living in an area desirable to themselves and to their families, and having the security that they will be able to work for their company as long as they want. Where the masculine index is high (US, Japan, Hong Kong), people tend to value having a high opportunity for earnings, getting the recognitionthey deserve when doing a good job, having an opportunity for advancement to a higher-level job, and having challenging work to do t derive a sense of accomplishment.Fourth is uncertainty avoidance index (UAI). It focuses on which people within a culture are made nervous by situations which they perceive as unstructured, unclear, or unpredictable. In strong uncertainty avoidance cultures, people tend to be rigid, intolerant and having strong need for rules, formal communication, planning, regulations, rituals, ceremonies and structured situations. Then in weak uncertainty avoidance cultures, people are more easygoing, they value diversity and are able to tolerate differences in belief and behavior. Japanese and American are the typical examples. American feels less threatened by unknown situations. Most people are willing to overspend, using credit card payment, and transaction auction online are prevalent. However, Japan is a conservative country, who has high uncertainty avoidance index, they are very careful in their daily life, and always try their best to avoid risks.Fifth is long-term orientation. A long term orientation is characterized by persistence and perseverance, a respect for a hierarchy of the status of relationships, thrift, and a sense of shame. Countries include China, Japan and India. A short- term orientation is marked by a sense of security and stability, a protection of one’s reputation, a respect for tradition, and a reciprocation of greetings; favors and gifts. Countries include: Britain, Canada and Australia.People always said nothing is perfect. And Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions is. When Hofstede collecting data for his research, he forgot about China and Russia. Although later been redone, may still have not comprehensive field. What is more, this rule is suitable for the o rganization’s situation, but not for individual negotiation.Different countries’cultures are different. And when we are dealing with people of different countries, we should understanding and respecting their culture first. In a word, mastering some of different cultures will become the communication link in business contacts, in the background of the multinational talks.题目：批判性的衡量五维度文化模型要点：1．该理论在商务沟通中有什么作用？2．该理论在商务沟通中有什么局限性？3．举出例子说明。