Hofstede’s Analytical Framework

The backbone of Hofstede’s work is that culture mentally programs everybody, both consciously and unconsciously, with society forming peoples values as a result of symbols (words, gestures, pictures, or objects), heroes (people living or not highly prized in a culture) and rituals (unnecessary collective activities carried out for their own sake. Presented in the form of an “Onion” (below), which shows the interrelationship and the steps that form values and how each group is visible (the furthest away from the centre).

From research in the 1970s on cross cultural differences among IBM’s global network of employees Hofstede developed his five dimensions of High vs Low Power Distance, Individualism vs Collectivism, Masculinity vs Feminism, High vs Low Uncertainty and Long vs Short Term orientation in order to help differentiate national characteristics.

High vs Low Power Distance

Country Score Rank

France 68 27 – 29

Belgium Walloon 67 30 – 31

Belgium Flemish 61 39 - 40

Spain 56 45 – 46

Netherlands 38 61

Germany 35 63 – 65

Great Britain 35 63 - 65

The dimension of High vs Low Power Distance has been able to differentiate between countries desire for either highly regarded figures, whether private, public or communal or the ability to question authority and expect more from them.

Individualism vs Collectivism

Country Score Rank

Great Britain 89 3

Netherlands 80 4 – 6

Belgium Flemish 78 8

Belgium Walloon 72 12

France 71 13 – 14

Germany 67 18

Spain 51 30

Individualism vs Collectivism highlights how people and groupings prioritize themselves, with individualist countries favouring personal ambition, whereas collectivists put a greater emphasis on group priority. This enables analysis as to why America is more individualist compared to Japan and offer ways to deal with this.

Masculinity vs Feminity

Country Score Rank

Germany 66 11 – 13

Great Britain 66 11 – 13

Belgian Walloon 60 21

Belgian Flemish 43 47 – 50

France 43 47 – 50

Netherlands 14 72

Masculinity is described as a method of achieving results no matter what the costs, whereas Femininity is the belief in allowing other things to be prioritized in society than material gain. With this tool the book was able to detail why masculine countries such as the USA had such an aggressive form of capitalism and countries such as Sweden prefer a more caring welfare state.

High vs Low Uncertainty

Country Score Rank

Belgian Flemish 97 5

Belgian Walloon 93 9 – 10

France 86 17 -22

Spain 86 17 -22

Germany 65 43

Netherlands 53 53

Great Britain 35 66 -67

High verses Low uncertainty countries responses to events and groups of people were considered to be highly different as a result of differing needs for stability and fear of unknown groups or events. Hofestede’s analysis was used to justify situations such as why it may have been possible for racism in Germany in the 1930s and a low amount of laws in relaxed countries such as Australia.

Short vs Long Term Orientation

Country Score Rank

Netherlands 44 13 -14

France 39 19

Belgium total 38 20 – 21

Germany 31 25 – 27

Great Britain 25 32 – 33

Spain 19 35 – 36

The fifth dimension, Short vs Long Term Orientation describes how and why some cultures have their eye on the future, such as China, whereas countries such as the United States are very much focused on the now. This assumption is used to justify policies ranging from why Americans do not save enough to factors underlining what people desire from relationships.

Extracted and summarised by Jonathan McHugh in July 2006 from:

Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind

Geert Hofstede and Gert Jan Hofstede

McGraw-Hill 2005