An afternoon with
Prof. Geert Hofstede
In every day life, interculturalists around the globe work on the basis of models to help explain, understand or simply accept the way the world moves. The most widely known of these models are the cultural dimensions that Professor Geert Hofstede has been developing since 1980.
Last week, the “Godfather of Interculturality”, who with his studies paved the way for many people working across cultures, was in Munich – thus providing the unique opportunity for a personal meeting.
Last week, the “Godfather of Interculturality”, who with his studies paved the way for many people working across cultures, was in Munich – thus providing the unique opportunity for a personal meeting.
Prof. Geert Hofstede© TWIST
The TWIST Consulting Group is specialised in national and international personnel development (www.twist.de). For one of their twice yearly Expert Forums, they managed to invite Prof. Hofstede on the basis of personal acquaintance.
On the agenda of the afternoon session stood: a newly produced film on intercultural issues made by TWIST; a presentation by Geert Hofstede on his work; an informal get together; and finally, a session for discussion and questions. And in one point, the entire audience agreed unanimously: the vitality and the energy of the 80-year old Dutchman was overwhelming.
On the agenda of the afternoon session stood: a newly produced film on intercultural issues made by TWIST; a presentation by Geert Hofstede on his work; an informal get together; and finally, a session for discussion and questions. And in one point, the entire audience agreed unanimously: the vitality and the energy of the 80-year old Dutchman was overwhelming.
In the Focus of a Lively Discussion© TWIST
As a matter of course, Prof. Hofstede gave an overview of the cultural dimensions that he has developed over the past years. With his research for IBM, starting in 1980, he created the first comprehensive approach to identifying national cultures and demonstrating their influence on the behaviour of societies and organisations.
A brief overview gives an insight into Geert Hofstede’s four base dimensions:
1.) Low vs. High Power Distance
Which role play hierarchy and authority?
Is there equality or inequality amongst people?
Examples for Low Power Distance: Austria, Denmark
Examples for High Power Distance: Malaysia, Arab World
2.) Individualism vs. Collectivism
Which social orientation prevails?
Are things done alone or together?
Examples for Individualism: U.S.A., Australia
Examples for Collectivism: Latin America
3.) Masculinity vs. Femininity
Which paradigm dominates?
Is quality or quantity more important in life?
Examples for Masculinity: Slovakia, Germany
Examples for Femininity: Sweden, Middle East
4.) Low vs. High Uncertainty Avoidance
Which risks are being taken?
Are new situations handled flexibly or rigidly?
Examples for Low Uncertainty Avoidance: U.S.A.
Examples for High Uncertainty Avoidance: Italy, Spain, Latin America
In addition to these, he later added a fifth dimension: long-term vs. short-term orientation. For reasons of better understandability, he meanwhile suggests a renaming according to the findings by Michael Minkov:
5.) Flexumility vs. Monumentalism
What counts: flexibility and humility – or pride and immutability?
Is the culture still underway or already arrived?
Examples for Flexumility: China, India
Examples for Monumentalism: Arab World, Africa
And last but not least, Prof. Hofstede provided an outlook on a possible sixth dimension yet to come: indulgence (or: hedonism) vs. restraint (or: reservation) – but this still needs some more research and refinement in definition.
Get-together with Prof. Hofstede© TWIST
For all those interested in further reading, three key publications were presented and commented by the author:
Geert Hofstede
“Culture’s Consequences”
ISBN 0803973241
Comment: “This is the academic piece of work, almost impossible to read!”
Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede
“Cultures and Organisations – Software of the Mind: Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for Survival”
ISBN 0071439595
Comment: “Here we have the reader-friendly edition!”
Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede
“Lokales Denken, Globales Handeln: Interkulturelle Zusammenarbeit und globales Management“
ISBN 3423508078
Comment: “This is the German version of the ‘handbook’ – and also available in 14 other languages.”
All in all, the afternoon with Prof. Geert Hofstede was a truly inspiring experience. It cannot be underestimated what his research and his work has done for intercultural awareness around the globe. Yet, it was great to see a man with his background and his age still so agile and enthusiastic when talking about the topics that have occupied him for so long.
The Audience Was Inspired© TWIST
And still, his credo is clear and pronounced: Practitioners should not rely on cultural dimensions as the sole guiding norms – in life and interaction, they are always relative.
Andreas Hauser
Andreas Hauser
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