Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions

CORE DEFINITION

Hofstede's model describes national culture along six dimensions: power distance, the acceptance of unequal power; individualism versus collectivism, the relation between the individual and the group; masculinity versus femininity, the emphasis on achievement versus care; uncertainty avoidance, tolerance for ambiguity; long-term versus short-term orientation, the time horizon; and indulgence versus restraint, the attitude toward gratifying desires. The core claim is that these dimensions turn an abstract notion of culture into coordinates that can be compared and used to anticipate differences in communication and decision making. The qualification is that the scores describe national averages rather than individuals.