CN2: Cultured Dimensions of Behavior By: Alfredo & Cassie

Basic Info Dimensions- A culture component that percepts a cultured based on values and cultural norms.

Hoefstede’s Classic Study(1973) He ask employees of the multinational company IBM to fill on surveys about morale in the workplace. Then he focused on the key differences submitted by employees in different countries. The trends he noticed he called “dimensions”.

Hoefstede’s Arguments Understanding cultural dimensions will help facilitate communication between cultures. It is important in international; diplomacy and international business.

Hoefstede’s Examples of Cultural Differences in Business Negotiations in western countries: work towards a target of mutual understanding and agreement, and shake hands when that agreement is reached-a cultural signature of the end of negotiations and the start or working together. Negotiations in middle eastern countries: negotiations lead into the agreement signified by shaking hands. The hand shake does not signal that the deal is completed, in middle eastern countries it is a sign that serious negotiation are just beginning.

Different Dimensions Individualism In individualist societies, the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after herself and his/her immediate family.

Different Dimensions Collectivism In collectivist societies, since birth people are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families(uncles, aunts, and grandparents), which normally provides them with support and protection. If a individual does not live up to the norms of the family or the larger society social group the results can sometimes be severe.

Markus and Kitayama(1991) Characterized the difference between US and Japanese cultured by citing two of their proverbs: “In America, the squeaky wheel gets the grease; in Japan, the nail that stands out gets pounded down. ”

Markus and Kitayama results Markus and Kitayama argue that perceiving a boundary between the individual and the social environment is distinctly western in its cultural orientation, and that non-western cultures tend towards connectedness. Connectedness-united, joined, or linked.

More Different Dimensions Uncertainty vs. Avoidance They deal with a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. This indicates the extant to which the culture programmes its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising.

Cultures role Uncertainty-avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibilities of such situations by strict rules and laws, safety and security measures. On the philosophical and religious levels they make a belief in absolute Truth- there can only be one Truth and we have it.

Bond(1988) Chinese culture replaces the uncertainty- avoidance dimension with Confucian work dynamism. Confucian work dynamism-instead of focusing on truth, some cultures focus on virtue.

Bond(1988) cont. China and other Asian countries have a long- term orientation. These cultures value persistence, loyalty, and trustworthiness. Relationships are based on status. They have a need to protect the collective identity and respect tradition This if often known as “saving face”

Hoefstede vs. Bond Hoefstede found that Finland, France, Germany, and the US have a short-term orientation. In contrast to Confucian work dynamism, these cultures value personal steadiness and stability. This shows their focus on the future rather then the past. In this societies innovation is highly valued.

Hoefstede’s warnings Ecological fallacy- its when one looks at two different cultures, it should not be assumed that the two members from the two different cultures must be different from one another, or that a single member from a culture will always demonstrate the dimensions which are the norm of that cultured.

Hall’s proxemic theory(1966) A cultures need for “personal space” His book The Hidden Dimensions show that different cultures have different perceptions on the amount of personal space that is required to be comfortable.

Hall’s Results Normally people only allow their closest friends to get inside their personal bubble. In the US, people engaged in conversation will assume social distance to be around cm/4-7 inches. In Europe its about half of that which is why Americas that travel sometimes find a need to back away from a conversation when the other person seems to be getting to close.