Hofstede Cultural Management model

Hofstede Cultural Management model

Task 1 Hofstede (2001, 5) defined culture as “the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another.” This does not imply that humans are programmed the same way computers are. Hofstede (2001) concluded that individuals' behavior is only partially predetermined by their mental programming. Individuals have the ability to deviate from their mental programming. They have the ability to react in ways, which are different than their culture. On the other hand Hofstede (2001, 6) defined personality as the unique set of mental programs, which individuals do not share with any other human beings. Culture is recognized as one of the most important variables influencing ethical decision-making (Singhapakdi et al. 2004). Differences in individual ethics reflect cultural variation, that is, differences in the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes one culture from another (Hofstede 2001).

Cultures could be contrasted along five dimensions: individualism/ collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/feminine, and Confucian dynamism (Hofstede 2001; Hofstede and Bond 2008). Individualism/Collectivism represents the relation between an individual and her/his fellow individuals (Hofstede 2003). Collectivism is characterized by a tight social framework, in which people distinguish between in-groups and out-groups (Hofstede 2000). Power distance covers how individuals deal with the fact that members of their society are unequal (Hofstede 2003). Uncertainty avoidance involves how society deals with uncertainty because the future is unknown (Hofstede 2003). Masculinity includes the division of roles between the sexes in society (Hofstede 2003). Confucian dynamism measures the extent to which a culture emphasizes long-term values, in contrast to a culture that emphasizes short-term values. This theoretical paper lays the scientific grounds to explore the ethics of individuals from various cultures using the five dimensions of Hofstede theory.

Hofstede Theory

Hofstede (2001, 225) said that individualism stands for “a society in which the ties between individuals are loose: Everyone is expected to look after him/herself and her/his immediate family only”. Individualism is a loosely knit social framework, in which people are supposed to take care of themselves and of their immediate families (Hofstede 2000, 2001). Individualists value personal independence and pleasure and individual expression and personal time. They tend to believe that personal goals and interests are more important than group interests (Hofstede 2004). Individualists tend to have a high need for personal achievements and value individual rights.

Hofstede (2001, 225) stated that collectivism stands for “a society in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout people's lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.” Collectivism is characterized by a tight social framework, in which people distinguish between in-groups and out-groups (Hofstede 2000). Collectivists consider themselves as members of an extended family, tripe, nation, or culture (Hofstede and Bond 2004). Collectivists value reciprocation of favors, a sense of belonging, and respect for tradition (Schwartz 2002). Individuals with low scores in the individualism dimension have an emotional dependence on the group. Collectivist's identity is based on the social ...