Be it in the business world, as a traveller, trying to master a foreign language, or to teach it, nowadays we meet people of foreign cultures more frequently than this was the case just 50 or even 100 years ago. Even though linguistic difficulties are often surmountable through English as lingua franca, meeting people from cultures we are unfamiliar with bears the potential for many misunderstandings. These in turn quite often lead to lack of understanding, conflict, even political disaster, like in 2005 with the Danish caricature scandal involving the newspaper Jyllands Posten, when a fundamentalist Muslim cleric from Egypt living in Denmark felt offended and ridiculed in his religious beliefs by caricatures featuring Mohammed. The Islamic world thereby rallied to the case, and did not only react with outrage and boycott, but with violent attacks, in the course of which 140 people lost their lives and several hundred were injured.
Milder reactions, like rejection and hidden resentment are, however, the more common outcomes due to intercultural misunderstandings. How otherwise would there be stereotypes mostly carrying negative connotations, like the obedient Chinese, the superficial American, or the super-punctual German lacking humor?
The Dutch anthropologist and cultural scientist Geert Hofstede suggests that the reason for such misunderstandings is a culturally divergent, often concealed moral concept with a direct impact on human actions and thinking. Hofstede has devoted himself to this issue and has developed a model based on a long-time study, elucidating peculiarities of and differences between national cultures in comparison. Thereby Hofstede classified national cultures according to five pillars, also called dimensions, which dependent on the nation vary markedly and in his study are set in relation to each other.
The subject and the goal of this assignment is to present the main features of Hofstede’s Model of the Five Dimensions of National Cultures. Following, the practical applicability of this model is briefly discussed.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Geert Hofstede – a short biography
- 3. Hofstede's concept of culture
- 4. Hofstede's Five Dimensions of National Cultures Model
- 4.1. Power distance
- 4.2. Individualism vs. collectivism
- 4.3 Masculinity vs. femininity
- 4.4 Uncertainty avoidance
- 4.5 Long-term vs. short-term orientation
- 5. Criticism
- 6. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The main objective of this paper is to present Geert Hofstede's Five Dimensions of National Cultures model and briefly discuss its practical applicability. The work explores the origins of cultural misunderstandings and how Hofstede's model attempts to address them.
- Hofstede's definition of culture and its implications
- The five dimensions of national culture according to Hofstede
- The application and limitations of Hofstede's model
- Examples of cultural misunderstandings and their consequences
- A brief biography of Geert Hofstede
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage by highlighting the increasing frequency of intercultural encounters in today's globalized world and the potential for misunderstandings. It uses the example of the 2005 Danish caricature scandal to illustrate the serious consequences of such misunderstandings, ranging from mild reactions like stereotypes to violent conflicts. The chapter introduces Geert Hofstede's work as an attempt to understand and address these issues through his model of national cultural differences, emphasizing the importance of understanding differing cultural moral concepts and their influence on behavior and thinking. The chapter concludes by stating the purpose of the paper: to explain Hofstede's five-dimensional model and its practical applications.
2. Geert Hofstede – a short biography: This chapter provides a concise biography of Geert Hofstede, outlining his background in engineering and social psychology. It highlights his work at IBM Europe, where he founded the personnel research department, and his subsequent academic career, including professorships and his role in founding the Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation. The chapter emphasizes the significant impact of Hofstede's scientific publications on the field of intercultural communication.
3. Hofstede's concept of culture: This chapter explains Hofstede's understanding of culture as the "collective programming of the mind" that differentiates members of one group from another. It contrasts this broad definition with narrower views of culture, emphasizing the learned, yet not deterministic, nature of this mental programming. Hofstede's concept considers the early childhood socialization within family, peer groups, and the broader social environment as crucial shaping factors of cultural programming. The chapter acknowledges that while societies often share a common culture, Hofstede's focus on national cultures is driven by the availability of data collected at the national level.
4. Hofstede's Five Dimensions of National Cultures Model: This chapter presents the core of Hofstede's model, detailing the five dimensions: power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation. While the specifics of each dimension are not elaborated here, the chapter provides an overview of how these dimensions interact to shape national cultures and influence behavior. The chapter serves as a framework for the further detailed exploration of each dimension in subsequent sub-chapters (not summarized here as instructed).
Keywords
Culture, intercultural communication, Geert Hofstede, five dimensions model, power distance, individualism, collectivism, masculinity, femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, short-term orientation, national culture, cultural misunderstandings.
Geert Hofstede's Five Dimensions of National Cultures: FAQ
What is the main objective of this document?
The main objective is to present Geert Hofstede's Five Dimensions of National Cultures model and briefly discuss its practical applicability. It explores the origins of cultural misunderstandings and how Hofstede's model attempts to address them.
What topics are covered in this document?
The document covers a biography of Geert Hofstede, his definition of culture, the five dimensions of his model (power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation), applications and limitations of the model, examples of cultural misunderstandings, and criticisms of the model.
What are Hofstede's five dimensions of national culture?
Hofstede's model outlines five dimensions: Power distance (the extent to which less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally), Individualism vs. Collectivism (the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups), Masculinity vs. Femininity (the distribution of roles between the genders), Uncertainty Avoidance (how a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known), and Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation (how every society has to maintain some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future).
What is Hofstede's definition of culture?
Hofstede defines culture as the "collective programming of the mind" that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another. It's learned, not biologically determined, and shaped by early childhood socialization.
What are some examples of cultural misunderstandings and their consequences?
The document uses the 2005 Danish caricature scandal as an example of a significant cultural misunderstanding with serious consequences, ranging from mild reactions like stereotypes to violent conflicts. Other examples are implied throughout the discussion of the five dimensions.
What are the applications and limitations of Hofstede's model?
The document highlights the practical applicability of Hofstede's model in understanding and addressing cultural misunderstandings. However, it also acknowledges that the model has limitations and faces criticisms (although these are not detailed in the provided summaries).
Who is Geert Hofstede?
Geert Hofstede is a prominent researcher in the field of intercultural communication. He worked at IBM Europe and held professorships, significantly impacting the field with his scientific publications and the founding of the Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation. His background is in engineering and social psychology.
What is the structure of the document?
The document includes an introduction, a biography of Hofstede, an explanation of his concept of culture, a detailed presentation of his five-dimensional model, a section on criticism (not detailed in the summaries), and a conclusion. Chapter summaries are provided.
What are the key words associated with this document?
Culture, intercultural communication, Geert Hofstede, five dimensions model, power distance, individualism, collectivism, masculinity, femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, short-term orientation, national culture, cultural misunderstandings.
- Quote paper
- Anja Dellner (Author), 2009, Cultural Dimensions: The Five-Dimensions-Model according to Geert Hofstede, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/279731
