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The Practical Application of Culture Theory

The Hofstede Theory

One of the leading scholars in the field of culture is Geert Hofstede. Hofstede analyzed different national cultures and identified seven cultural dimensions, i.e. power distance, masculinity-femininity, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, long term orientation vs. short term orientation, and indulgence-restraint upon which he compared countries. According to Hofstede, all people have their unique mental programs which form early in life and further develop in later life in school and the workplace (Hofstede, 2011). These programs carry many aspects of national culture.

On the individualism-collectivism dimension, the level of interdependence that culture expects of its members is dealt with. Interdependence among people is defined in terms of ‘I’ or ‘We.’ In individualistic cultures, people are more concerned about their welfare and that of their immediate family only while in collectivist cultures, individuals associate with ‘in groups’ whose goal is to care for its members for loyalty. Reputation and name are very important in collectivism. Choices must be made to enhance the reputation of the family. Collectivist societies emphasize interdependent activities and loathe individual aims for the welfare of the group. In individualistic societies, every person enjoys certain rights that cannot be taken away by any entity. There is very little integration in individualistic cultures as opposed to closely-knit collectivist societies (Yuriy and Roland, 2013).

Team Building Activity

According to Hofstede, power distance originates from learning taking place within families. High power distance cultures expect children to obey their parents at all costs as opposed to seeing themselves as equals. These societies expect people to show obedience to those in positions of authority. In organizations, the degree of centralization depicts the level of power distance (Beugelsdijk and Welzel, 2018). According to this dimension, all societies are unequal, but the level of inequity varies from one society to another.

Uncertainty avoidance denotes the degree to which societal members are threatened by uncertainties and have established institutions and beliefs that attempt to circumvent them. This dimension is based on the fact that risk and uncertainty are inherent parts of people’s life. Some societies socialize people hoping to defeat the future and in such cultures, people are highly anxious, nervous, highly emotional, and aggressive. Hofstede posited that security can be created through technology, law, religions, and ideologies (Minkov and Hofstede, 2012). Cultures that strongly avoid uncertainty strive to get rid of such situations through adherence to tough behavioral codes, rules, and laws, disapproving deviancy, and belief in absolute truth.

The masculinity-femininity dimension defines how societies can characterize what men should do and what women should do. Masculinity denotes preferring heroism, accomplishment, heroism, and material success as opposed to preferring relationships, attention to the quality of life, and modesty. Feministic cultures have a preference for quality of life which is the measure of success and it is not desirable to stand out from the crowd. The issue that motivates people is what is important in this dimension, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine).  Women in feministic societies are the same as men in terms of modesty and caring values as men. On the other hand, women in masculine societies are to a significant level competitive and assertive, but not to the same level as the men (Vasile, 2016).

Lon-term orientation-short-term normative orientation denotes how each culture strives to maintain some connections with its past while solving the problems of today and tomorrow. Different societies give priority to the two existential goals differently. In normative cultures which score low on this dimension, they for instance lean towards maintaining time-honored norms and traditions while perceiving changes in society with skepticism. In cultures that score high on this dimension, a more pragmatic approach is taken, whereby they thrift and focus on education as a means of preparing for the future (Minkov and Hofstede, 2014).

Task 6: Market Pay; Pay Structure; Team-Based Pay

Indulgence-restraint defines the degree to which individuals attempt to control their impulses and desires as informed by how they were brought up. Indulgence is when there is relatively weak control while restraint is when control is high (Hofstede, 2011).

Hofstede’s dimensions of culture are reliable, valid, and consistent. The four dimensions of culture in the model have significant cultural values allowing comparison among national cultures. The theory has however received criticisms in equal measure. For instance, it has been argued that the study methods Hofstede used particularly surveys that informed his conclusions are not the best way to study differences among national cultures. Also, some scholars argue that it was methodically wrong for Hofstede to assign single employee results from one firm to their whole country’s scores. The theory has also been criticized for potential political interferences to the development of certain dimensions particularly uncertainty avoidance and masculinity during the Cold War era (Shaiq et al., 2011).

Comparison of Colombia and the UK

The UK and Colombia differ in their ratings on all of the cultural dimensions of Hofstede’s cultural model. This comparison considers the two countries on the six cultural dimensions. Power distance is based on the idea that all societies are unequal and represents the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities. On this dimension, Colombia scores high at 67 implying that society accepts inequality at all of its layers. It is acceptable for leaders and holders of the highest positions in government to wield immense powers and this acceptable in Colombian society (Hofstede Insights. 2021). The UK on the other hand scores low on power distance, at 35 and this implies that the British society believes in minimizing inequalities in society. Studies however show that the power distance index is low among the high class in the UK relative to the middle class (Morrow et al., 2013).

Individualism addresses the level of interdependence maintained by society among its members. Colombia scores low on individualism at 13 which implies that it is highly a collectivistic culture. Due to this rating, in Colombian societies, membership to in-groups and adhering to their opinions is highly recognized. The combination of high power distance and this dimension implies that the identities of groups are linked to strong class distinctions. Loyalty to these groups is very important and only through it can people be entitled to benefits and privileges not available in other groups (Hofstede Insights. 2021).

In Colombia, relationships are highly valued as opposed to accomplishing tasks at hand and when a group of people take a stand on an issue; it is supported by all who are part of it. It is noteworthy that Colombian people will strive to help someone if they believe there is enough attention given to developing a relationship or if they perceive an in-group connection of some kind however thin. On the contrary, if one is considered an outsider, they may be excluded or seen as enemies. The preferred style of communicating in Colombia is context-rich, so public speeches are usually written, extensive, and elaborate (Hermoza et al., 2018).

The UK scores very high on individualism, at 89. The British are very individualistic and private people. This is learned early in life as children in early ages begin thinking of themselves more than others in their pursuit to get what their unique life’s purpose is and how they can contribute to society uniquely. Happiness is equal to personal fulfillment. The UK  culture leans towards consumerism.

On masculinity, high scores imply the society is motivated by aspects such as achievement, competition, and success. This value system begins in education and progresses throughout work life. Scoring low on this dimension (feminine) implies that the most important values are quality of life and caring for others. Colombia scores relatively high on masculinity, at 66, which means that the society is highly success-oriented (Cuervo, 2019). Competition in this culture is directed towards members of other groups and not towards those of the same in-group. People prefer to be members of in-groups that offer them rewards and status, although leisure is often sacrificed for work.

Similar to Colombia, the UK is also a highly masculine society, scoring 66. It is also success-oriented. This contradicts with the British culture of understatement and modesty which contradicts with the success-driven value system. An important aspect of the British culture is the need for one to ‘read between the lines as what is said may not be what is literally meant.

The uncertainty avoidance dimension has to do with the dilemma of whether or not to control the future. This results in anxiety and different societies have different ways of dealing with it. In this respect, Colombia scores very high (80) implying that people in this society strive to seek mechanisms of avoiding ambiguity. Individuals openly express their emotions. Society has strict rules for everything and social conservatism has huge support. The culture is also reflected in religion, whereby it is highly regarded and observed by the masses (Torres, et al., 2015). People do not follow rules unless they are approved by the in-groups. This results in prolonged decision-making processes. The combination of other previous dimensions with the high uncertainty avoidance implies that it is hard for people to change status quos unless the change has the blessing of a figure of authority.

Strategic Plan (Portfolio Assignment)

The UK scores low on this dimension, at 35 meaning that the British are quite unconcerned about what will happen in the future. They deal with what is present and leave tomorrow to take care of itself. The British are fine with ambiguous scenarios. Generally, the UK culture has no too many rules but the few that are available are observed. In terms of work, this culture results in planning processes that are not very detailed.

Under the long-term orientation dimension, Colombia scores very low, at 13 which implies that it is a highly normative society. Colombians have strong concerns for developing absolute truths thus they think normatively. They obey traditions, tend to ignore saving for tomorrow, and emphasize the achievement of quick results. On the contrary, the UK scores 51, implying that it is not easy to determine the dominant preference for the British culture.

Indulgence has to do with the extent of the socialization of children. Colombia scores high on this dimension at 83 meaning that the country is an indulgent one. People in Colombia generally show the willingness to achieve their desires and impulses concerning the enjoyment of life. They have a positive attitude and are highly optimistic (Dartey-Baah, 2013). They place a high level of significance on leisure time. The UK is also relatively high on indulgence, at 69, and exhibits almost similar characteristics.

Differences and Potential Problems

Two senior managers sent from the UK to go to Bogota for two weeks to find a possible partnership with a local firm might experience some challenges due to cultural differences between the two cultures. The major challenges will arise from communication barriers. However, Colombia is an incredibly clear, immediate, and consistent society. The two senior managers need to do their due determination before their departure to Bogota, gathering proof and explaining their focus before any discussions. Colombians are obsessed with detail, preferring to work through issues by sensible assessments or realities before buying new ideas.  

Some of the key contrasts between Colombia and the UK include: While in the UK, expert life takes center stage in one’s life, in Colombia, an individual’s private life is more important. In the UK, people lean towards inventiveness while in Colombia, the culture favors utility and benefit. In the UK, the culture favors innovative representatives while in Colombia the culture leans towards workers who center on the nature of the work they have been approached to do. The British energize development while Colombians support consistency and progression. In the UK, organizations love to meet people’s high expectations while in Germany; organizations like to avoid any and all risks. Work in Colombia is monochromic, implying that Colombians like to finish assignments successfully and put an emphasis on practicality and staying away from delays. The British on the other hand like flexibility and as a result they may fail to meet set targets and deadlines.

There are several strategies to overcome the challenges posed by the different cultural dimensions between Colombia and the UK. First, there is a need for open communication in that before entering any agreements or negotiations, parties have to state what they anticipate from the work environment and find out about their necessities. This is essential for building a positive work culture. it is important to communicate to team members that any opinions, remarks, objections, or ideas are constantly welcome and empowered (Andrijauskienė and Dumčiuvienė, 2017, October). To encourage open communication, team leaders need to organize successive meetings in which any issues are addressed.

Secondly, it is necessary to be clear that the way of life of all people in the team will be respected and appreciated. There is a need to state categorically clear that any xenophobic or bigoted remarks, irrespective of whether they are jokes or planned are not tolerated and any violation should result in disciplinary actions. Other behaviors that should not be accepted include homophobic, misogynist, ableist, or sizeist remarks.

Suitable training about expected behavior should also be undertaken to overcome challenges posed by differences in cultural dimensions. This enables representatives to know precisely what their assumptions are and how to treat others in the work environment. This will also eliminate language barriers that may result from differences in cultures.

In conclusion, people from different cultures may experience some challenges when working in a different culture. However, appreciating these cultural differences is the first step in overcoming them and building a cohesive and productive work environment. When moving to a different country with a different cultural dimension, individuals should first study the other culture to understand their assumptions and how to overcome them and to gain an appreciation of the other culture.

The Practical Application of Culture Theory