Developing an international perspective: how to become a world citizen Geert Hofstede 21 October 2016

Necessary for effectively cooperating with people in and from other countries: (1) speaking or having learned a shared language (2) acting according to shared rules and standards

Everybody speaks with an accent While speaking a common language, you and I each speak it each with our own accent Our accent depends on the place where we learned our first language If a foreigner speaks your language without a foreign accent, (s)he probably lived in your country as a child

Everybody also thinks, feels and acts with an accent Equally true but less evident: we also think, feel and act with local “accents”, acquired when and where we grew up. We call this our national culture.

Why this almost universal shock experience Why this almost universal shock experience? In our own country, we function according to mental programmes we learned as children As children before puberty, our body and mind are “wired” for unconscious learning of all the normal things we need to become adults If we then move to an environment where these things are not normal, we feel like becoming children again – we have to be “rewired”

Three meanings of “culture” Literally: tilling the soil, cultivation Training or refining of the mind: civilization Collective ways of acting, thinking, and feeling: “collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category* of people from another” *) nation, region, occupation, organization, gender

Gaining an international perspective Becoming conscious of our own culture amidst the variety of cultures we may meet in people from elsewhere There is no substitute for personal international experience We can acquire knowledge about differences in national cultures in our present day world We should develop skills for “translating” between cultures When in another culture, in a way we become children again

Knowledge: Basics of national culture differences All countries in the world share the same basic problems, but each national society has over time developed its own answers Six basic problems for each society (outcome of my research): How much (in)equality should there be among us? How afraid are we of unknown people, ideas and objects? How dependent are we on our (extended) family? How should a man feel, how a woman? Do we focus on the future, the present or the past? May we have fun or is life a serious matter? These can be seen as six different and separate dimensions of national cultures

Dimension 1: Power Distance Extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations expect and accept that power is distributed unequally

Some Power Distance Index (PDI) scores, out of 76 Higher 93 Russia 90 Romania 80 China 80 Arab countries 77 India 68 France 66 Turkey 57 Czech Republic Lower 54 Japan 50 Italy 40 U.S.A. 38 Netherlands 36 Australia 35 Germany 35 Britain 18 Denmark

Dimension 2: Uncertainty Avoidance Extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous and unknown situations If high, concern for Truth, less tolerance for unfamiliar persons and ideas, and emotionality If low, relativism and suppression of strong emotions

Some Uncertainty Avoidance Index scores, out of 76 Higher 95 Russia 92 Japan 90 Romania 86 France 85 Turkey 75 Italy 74 Czech Republic 68 Arab ctrs Lower 65 Germany 53 Netherlands 51 Australia 46 U.S.A. 40 India 35 Britain 30 China 23 Denmark

Dimension 3: Individualism versus Collectivism Individualism: A society in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after self and immediate family Collectivism: A society in which individuals from birth onwards are part of strong in-groups which last a lifetime

Some Individualism Index (IDV) scores, out of 76 Individualist 91 USA 90 Australia 89 Britain 80 Netherlands 74 Denmark 71 France 67 Germany 58 Czech Republic Collectivist 51 Spain 48 India 46 Japan 39 Russia 38 Arab ctrs 37 Turkey 30 Romania 20 China

Dimension 4: Masculinity versus Femininity Masculinity: A society in which emotions differ by gender: men are supposed to be assertive, tough and focused on material success, women on the quality of life Femininity: A society in which emotions do not differ by gender: both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and focused on the quality of life

Some Masculinity (MAS) scores, out of 76 Masculine 95 Japan 70 Italy 66 China 66 Britain 66 Germany 62 USA 57 Czech Republic 53 Arab ctrs Feminine 45 Turkey 43 France 42 Spain 42 Romania 36 Russia 34 Thailand 16 Denmark 14 Netherlands

Dimension 5: Long- versus Short Term Orientation Long Term Orientation is directed at the future and seeks future rewards through perseverance and thrift Short Term Orientation is directed at the past and present through respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations and seeking immediate rewards

Some Long Term Orientation (LTO) scores, out of 93 Longer 88 Japan 87 China 83 Germany 81 Russia 70 Czech Republic 67 Netherlands 63 France 61 Italy 53 Sweden Shorter 52 Romania 51 Britain 51 India 46 Turkey 38 Israel 26 U.S.A. 21 Australia 13 Nigeria 07 Egypt

Dimension 6: Indulgence versus Restraint Indulgent societies allow relatively free gratification of human desires leading to enjoying life and having fun Restrained societies regulate the gratification of desires by means of strict social norms

Some Indulgence versus Restraint (IVR) scores, out of 93 Indulgent 97 Mexico 84 Nigeria 78 Sweden 71 Australia 69 Britain 68 Netherlands 68 U.S.A. 59 Brazil 48 France Restrained 49 Turkey 42 Japan 40 Germany 29 Czech Republic 26 India 24 China 20 Romania 20 Russia 04 Egypt

Examples of culture’s consequences Consumer behaviour Leadership concepts Conservation of the environment Economic development Human rights Corruption International politics Religion and sexuality

Culture is related to our unconscious values It is in our guts – not in our minds What is like our culture is normal, good, smart What is unlike our culture is evil, bad, stupid The problem is that you will have guts reactions Not intellectual but emotional Culture is about values Cultural differences are loaded with stereotypes Some examples

Dimensions of culture do not apply to individuals A culture presupposes a collective or social system Individuals don’t have cultures but personalities Our personality was influenced by the culture in which we grew up, but only to a limited extent Stereotyping individuals by their supposed culture is a serious error A society is like a jigsaw puzzle, the individuals are the pieces; each piece is different, but together they make one whole

Dimensions of national cultures do not apply to organizational cultures National cultures are rooted in values learned before age 10 They pass from parents to children For management, they are given facts For academics, they belong to anthropology Organizational cultures are rooted in practices learned on the job With management effort, they can be monitored and changed For academics, they belong to sociology International organizations function through shared practices, rarely shared values

Being a world citizen, and enjoying it Understand your own cultural software Experience working in another country Explore its geography, history and literature Speak at least one other language Make real friends in other cultures Treat cultural differences as challenges Be proud of your own cultural identity My last point: be proud of your own cultural identity

Why want to be a world citizen? For ourselves, our grandchildren and their grandchildren