1. Cross-cultural issues in Management
Dr Joan Harvey
and Dr George Erdos

3. Geert Hofstede Dutch social anthropologist
Obtained attitude data from IBM worldwide in late 1970s
Factor analysed and looked for factors which differentiated nationalities
Data on 50 countries, but only sufficient N for 40 in first book

4. Geert Hofstede Originally four main factors and later added [in 1990s]
Masculinity femininity
Ambition and desire to achieve versus social concern and interpersonal relationships
Power distance
Amount of power that can be wielded
Uncertainty avoidance
inflexibility
Individualism- collectivism
Help and commitment versus high personal achievement
and later added [in 1990s]
LT-ST orientation [Confucian dynamism]

5. Country PD
UAI MF IC
LTO
Ger 35 65 66 67 31
China 80 30 20
118
USA 40 46 62 91 29
Japan 54 92 95 UK 89 25
Finl 33 59 26 63 41
Austria 11 70 79 55
India 77 56 48 61
Hung 82 88 50
Denm 18 23 16 74
Czech 57 58 13
Slov
104 51
110 52 38
Poland 72 60

6. Geert Hofstede Issues:
Study was based in 1970s and many countries have changed a lot since then- has this affected their orientation?
Eastern European changes
Some developing countries are now developed
Others have changed politically- e.g. South Africa

7. Geert Hofstede Issues:
All countries will have changed anyway in nearly 30 years
Changes in technology and global communication
Migration of peoples
Are cross-cultural differences still as pronounced?

8. Geert Hofstede Issues:
This study put cross-cultural differences into the mainstream rather than “error variance” in other studies
Encouraged other theorists, e.g. Trompenaars
Recent developments with studies all over the world have increased considerably the number of countries that have been mapped

9. Examples of other theories: [a] Trompenaars 7 factors:
Universalism versus particularism
Work relationships mixed with personal ones
Individualism versus collectivism
Affective versus neutral culture
Specific versus diffuse relationships
Distinct relationships versus diffuse ones
Achieving versus ascribing status
Earned through achievement or recognised e.g. seniority/age
Perception of time
Sequential [monochronic] or parallel [polychronic]
Relating to nature

10. Example [b] GLOBAL project
Assertiveness
Future orientation
Gender egalitarianism
Humane orientation
Institutional collectivism
In-group collectivism
Performance orientation
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance

11. Is the answer Hofstede plus these two?
Time perception
Polychronic or cyclical [e.g. southern Europe, China, Japan]
Monochronic [e.g. northern Europe, US]
Context
High means that perception of what is said is taken in context, including NVCs
Low means words are interpreted literally

12. So how differently do we perceive time in terms of working hours
So how differently do we perceive time in terms of working hours? Who has the ‘long hours’ culture of ‘presenteeism’?

13. Other dimensions from indigenous social psychology
China
Confucian values
Filial piety
Industriousness
Giving and protecting face
Guanxi
Social networking crucial to business relationships
Ren ching
Respectful exchange of gifts, favours and obligations

14. Other dimensions Japan Amae and respect Kanban Ringi Sacred treasures-
Reliance and dependence upon indulgent love of an older person
Kanban
Concept of whole transcending sum of parts
Ringi
Upward communications and decision making
Sacred treasures-
life time employment, seniority, enterprise unions/families
Harmony and cooperation [‘wa’]
Gakureki Shakai
Social system attaching value to education

15. Other dimensions Africa Cognitive tolerance Not on seat Africa time
Indaba and Ubuntu [sub-Saharan Africa]
Tribal loyalty
Power and respect based on experience
Managers ‘right to manage’

16. Other dimensions
Several cultures resent ‘intrusiveness’ of western values, western research methods, e.g.
Philippines
Sub-Saharan Africa
China
India

17. Other dimensions Latin American countries: emphasis on Respect Family
Hierarchy
Honour
Affiliative obedience
Cultural rigidity
Machismo
Sympatia

18. Other dimensions eg India
Complicated as a cultural mix in one country
Detachment as a coping mechanism, therefore working hard is unrelated to success or failure
Ingratiation techniques to advance personal goals within hierarchical collective context
[similar to parts of western Africa]

19. Key text
Hofstede G and Hofstede G (2005) Culture and Organizations: Software of the mind. 2nd edn London: McGraw Hill
This book has been published in Czech, translated by Dr Ludek Kolman