How Does Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Theory Affect Society?

All societies have rules, values ​​and symbols that are different from others. That is why we say that different societies have different cultures. But it is impossible not to bring out Hofstede’s cultural dimensional theory when it comes to studies of cultural differences. He is the researcher who created the model for the five cultural dimensions.

Hofstede showed that people share characteristics at regional and national levels. He said that these traits affect their behavior and do not go away with time. These cultural patterns are what he calls cultural dimensions.

The five dimensions are power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty errors and long-term orientation vs. short-term normative orientation. Each cultural dimension has two opposite sides. A society can score high or low in each dimension, according to Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory. And it leads to different characteristics and behaviors.

Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory

Power distance in cultural dimensions

Power distance is the way a society accepts power in its institutions and organizations. Countries with a small power gap usually tend to have decentralized organizations. On the other hand, countries with great power distances usually prefer central authority. This dimension is about how the least powerful members of society accept power, and whether they expect it to be shared equally. The most important thing here is how a society treats inequality between people.

People in societies with a high level of power distance will accept a hierarchical order. It’s okay for everyone to have a place, no explanation needed. In societies with low power distances, people make an effort to even out the distribution of power. They always demand justice if there are differences when it comes to power. Some examples of countries with high power distances are Malaysia, Guatemala and Panama. On the other hand, you have countries like Austria, Israel and Denmark.

Individualism vs. collectivism

With this dimension, we can define individualism as a preference for an unstructured social environment. People need to take care of themselves and their close family members. Collectivism is the opposite. This means that there is a preference for a highly connected social environment. People do not have to worry about their relatives or the people in their group taking care of them. All you give in return is your undeniable loyalty.

You can see the difference between these two dimensions if you look at people’s self-image. Some people define themselves as an “I”, and some people define themselves as a “we”.

Finally, individualism and collectivism are the cultural dimensions where you see references to how much citizens value independence, a commitment to the rules of society and loyalty to the group they are part of. Individualistic people look at themselves, value personal success, and put their own interests first.

On the other hand, collective people have a sense of belonging to their groups. Collective interests are also more important to them than personal interests. They see hierarchy and relationships with other people as very important. According to studies on this dimension, the most individualistic countries are the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Some of the most collective countries are Guatemala, Ecuador and Panama.

Masculinity vs. femininity

When it comes to this dimension in Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory, masculinity means a society that prefers achievement, heroism, self-confidence and material rewards for success. This type of society is generally also more competitive. The opposite, femininity, implies a preference for cooperation, modesty, care for the weak and quality of life. These societies generally focus more on consensus. Because of what all of these characteristics entail, we sometimes use the terms hard cultures and soft cultures.

The term “masculinity” has to do with a society where gender roles are very clear. Men need to be confident, tough and focused on material success. Women must be modest, sensitive and concerned about quality of life. The term “femininity” has more to do with a society where gender roles overlap. In this type of society, both men and women are modest, tender and concerned about quality of life. The most masculine countries (in this sense) are Japan, Hungary and Austria. The most feminine countries according to these definitions are Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands.

Uncertainty error

Uncertainty errors are the dimension that shows in how comfortable people in a society feel about insecurity and ambiguity. The most important thing here is how a society confronts the fact that you can never know the future. Are you going to try to take control of the future, or just let things happen on your own?

Countries with large uncertainty errors have extremely strict codes for how you think and act. These societies never accept any behavior or idea where the hat falls outside these codes. On the other hand, societies with a low risk of insecurity have a much more relaxed attitude. Practicality is much more important than the principles of these societies.

For example, a low score in this dimension according to Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory shows that the people in that country are self-motivated, more likely to take risks and less independent. This is far from how cultures with a large uncertainty error index are. They like stability, rules and social norms. Therefore, they try to avoid risks as much as possible (which is their own risk – slower progress). The countries with the largest uncertainty error index are Greece, Portugal and Guatemala. The countries with the lowest level on this index are Singapore, Jamaica and Denmark.

Long-term orientation vs. short-term normative orientation

All societies must keep their bonds with the past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future. But societies usually prioritize these two goals in very different ways. Societies with short-term orientation generally try to adhere to established traditions and rules. They have a very suspicious view of social change. Meanwhile, societies with a culture that is more focused on the long term are more practical. They make much more of an attempt to invest in modern education. They do this because they see it as a way to prepare for the future.

So long-term orientation focuses on the values ​​that have to do with future rewards. People are willing to push back social success or even emotional satisfaction in the short term so that they can prepare for the future. Communities with this cultural outlook value progress, perseverance, saving and the ability to adapt to new situations.

Short-term normative orientation focuses on the past and present, and sees them as more important than the future. A society with a short-term normative orientation values ​​tradition, current social hierarchies and fulfills social obligations. Immediate satisfaction is more important to these communities than long-term satisfaction. The most long-term oriented countries are China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The most short-term oriented countries are Venezuela, Uruguay and the United Arab Emirates.

What kind of country do you live in according to Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory?

Maybe now you want to find out your own country’s score by using Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory. Well, Hofstede set up a page where you can search and compare it with others. But even if a country is highly valued on certain cultural dimensions, it does not mean that they apply to all citizens. It usually only happens with small communities that have a lot of common beliefs. That is why the cultural dimension theory also focuses on societies and large groups. Ultimately, some people may always be different from the group to which they belong. They can always have different points on these cultural dimensions.