Leadership and motivation

Dimensions of Culture
How do cultures differ?
Hofstede (2001) analyzed questionnaires from 100,000 people in 50 countries and identified 5 major dimensions of culture that show how they differ:
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance
Individualism – Collectivism
Masculinity – Femininity
Long-term – Short-term orientation

Dimensions of Culture
Building and expanding on Hofstede (2001) was the very influential GLOBE studies by House et. al (2004)
They published the 800 page Culture, Leadership & Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies. It is an ongoing research project of more than 160 separate investigations
The goal of GLOBE is to increase our understanding of cross cultural interactions and the impact of culture on leadership effectiveness
More than 17,000 managers in 950 organizations have participated to date

Dimensions of Culture
Some of the GLOBE findings correlate with Hofstede’s research findings. Together there are 9 cultural dimensions that distinguish different cultural groups.
We will look at these now:

1. Uncertainty Avoidance
Refers to the extent to which society or organizations rely on established social norms and procedures to avoid uncertainty
Uncertainty avoidance is concerned with how cultures use rules and laws to make things more predictable and less uncertain

2. Power Distance
This refers to the degree to which members of a group expect and agree power should be shared unequally.
Power distance is about how egalitarian society is based on the number of hierarchical levels that separate people based on class, wealth, possessions, authority etc

3. Institutional Collectivism
Refers to the degree to which a society or organization values collective action
Do cultures identify with broader societal interests or do they focus more on individual goals?

4. In-Group Collectivism
Refers to the degree to which people express pride, loyalty and cohesiveness in their organizations / families.
In-group collectivism is concerned with how far people are devoted to family / organization

5. Gender Egalitarianism
The degree to which society / organizations minimize gender inequality.
How much do societies consider gender when determining the roles men and women play in the organization / family

6. Assertiveness
The degree to which people in a culture are determined, assertive, confrontational and aggressive in their social relationships
Assertiveness is concerned with how much a culture or society encourages people to be assertive and tough with others as opposed to being timid and submissive

7. Future Orientation
The degree to which people engage in future oriented behaviours such as planning, investing in the future and delaying gratification
Future orientation emphasizes that people prepare for the future rather than enjoy the present / be spontaneous

8. Performance Orientation
The extent to which a society or organization encourages and rewards people for improved performance and excellence
Are people in the culture rewarded for setting and meeting challenging goals?

9. Humane Orientation
The degree to which a society or organization encourages and rewards people for being fair, altruistic, generous and caring to others
How much does the society emphasize sensitivity to others, social support and community values?

Clusters of World Cultures
Eastern Europe
Greece
Hungary
Albania
Slovenia
Poland
Russia
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Eastern Europe
Greece
Hungary
Albania
Slovenia
Poland
Russia
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Middle East
Turkey
Kuwait
Egypt
Morocco
Qatar
Confucian Asia
Southern Asia
Philippines
Indonesia
Malaysia
India
Thailand
Iran
Singapore
Hong Kong
Taiwan
China
South Korea
Japan

Clusters of World Cultures
Eastern Europe
E
Latin America
Ecuador
El Salvador
Colombia
Bolivia
Brazil
Guatemala
Argentina
Costa Rica
Venezuela
Mexico
Nordic Europe
Denmark
Finland
Sweden
Anglo
Germanic Europe
Austria
Netherlands
Switzerland
Germany
Canada
USA
Australia
Ireland
England
South Africa (whites)
New Zealand

Clusters of World Cultures
Eastern Europe
E
Latin Europe
Israel
Italy
Spain
Portugal
France
Sub-Sahara Africa
Zimbabwe
Namibia
Zambia
Nigeria
South Africa
(black sample)

Clusters Classified on Cultural Dimensions
Cultural Dimension
Assertiveness Orientation
High-score clusters
Eastern Europe Germanic Europe
Low-score clusters
Nordic Europe
Future orientation
Nordic Europe Germanic Europe
Eastern Europe Middle East Latin America
Gender egalitarianism
Eastern Europe Nordic Europe
Middle East
Humane Orientation
Southern Asia Sub-Saharan Africa
Germanic Europe Latin Europe
Institutional Collectivism
Nordic Europe Confucian Asia
Germanic Europe Latin Europe Latin America