Hofstede organizational culture. Classification of business cultures according to G

Geert Hofstede is a Dutch sociopsychologist and anthropologist who studies interactions between cultures. He has received numerous awards for his cross-cultural studies around the world. One of his most significant achievements is the development of a theory of cultural measurement, which provides a systematic framework for assessing differences between nations and cultures.

The theory is based on the idea that value can be distributed across the six dimensions of culture. These dimensions include power (equality versus inequality), collectivism (versus individualism), uncertainty avoidance (versus tolerance for uncertainty), masculine versus feminine, strategic thinking, and indulgence (versus restraint). Most of Hofstede's knowledge of the world's cultural values \u200b\u200bcomes from surveys conducted by IBM, an American technology and consulting corporation. He proposed a rating system on a scale of 1 to 120.

Power Distance Index. According to Hofstede, "distance from power is the degree to which relatively less powerful members of organizations and institutions (eg, families) expect and tolerate an uneven distribution of power." This dimension does not characterize the level of distribution of power in a given culture, but rather analyzes its perception by society. A low index of distancing from power means that the culture expects and accepts democratic relations with the authorities, and the members of the society are seen as equal. A high index of distance from power means that members of society endowed with less power take their place and are aware of the existence of formal hierarchical structures.

Individualism and collectivism. "The degree to which members of the community tend to form groups." This dimension has no relation to politics and concerns more groups than individuals. Individualistic cultures place more emphasis on achieving personal goals. In societies characterized by collectivism, social goals and well-being are placed above personal goals.

Uncertainty avoidance index. "Tolerance of society to uncertainty and deviations." This dimension characterizes the reaction of society to unfamiliar situations, unforeseen events and the pressure of change. The cultures for which this index is high are less tolerant of change and tend to avoid the anxiety of uncertainty by establishing strict rules, regulations and / or laws. Low-index societies are more open to change and use fewer rules and laws, and their customs are less strict.

"Male" and "female" type. "Distribution of emotional roles between the sexes." This dimension characterizes the level of importance of traditionally masculine values, such as assertiveness, ambition, desire for power and materialism, and traditionally feminine values, such as human relationships, for culture. More masculine cultures tend to be more distinctive between the sexes and tend to compete and achieve goals. A lower index in this dimension means that the culture is characterized by less significant differences between the sexes and a higher value of relationships.

Short and long term future orientation. This dimension describes the time horizon of a society. Short-term cultures value traditional methods, spend a lot of time developing relationships, and generally view time as a vicious circle. This means that the future and the past are linked for them, and what cannot be done today can be done tomorrow. The opposite of this approach is a long-term future orientation, in which time is viewed as a vector, and people tend to look into the future more than interested in the present or remembering the past. Such a society is goal-oriented and values \u200b\u200bresults.

Self-indulgence and self-restraint. This dimension characterizes the ability of a culture to meet the immediate needs and personal desires of members of society. In societies where restraint is a value, strict social rules and norms prevail, within which the gratification of personal desires is inhibited and discouraged.

Hofstede emphasizes that cultural dimensions are only a framework to help evaluate a particular culture to facilitate decision making. There are other factors to consider, such as personality traits, family history, and personal wealth. The proposed measurements cannot predict the behavior of individuals and do not take into account the personal characteristics of each person.

Here he describes national cultures in six dimensions: power, distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, long-term orientation, and indulgence versus constraints. He is known for his books consequences of Culture and cultures and Organizations: Mind Software , co-authored with his son Gert Jan Hofstede. The last book deals with organizational culture, which is a different structure from national culture, but also has measurable dimensions and the same research methodology is used for both.

biography

Born Gerrit and Evertine G. (Veenhoven) Hofstede, Hofstede attended schools in The Hague and Apeldoorn, and received his high school diploma (beta gymnasium) in 1945. In 1953 he graduated from the Hofstede Delft Technical University with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. After working in industry for ten years, Hofstede entered part-time doctoral studies at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and received his Ph.D. in social psychology with honors in 1967. His dissertation was titled "The Game of Budget Control."

After graduating from Delft in 1953, Hofstede joined the Dutch military, serving as technical director for the Dutch army for two years. After leaving the military, he worked in industry from 1955 to 1965, starting as factory hands in Amsterdam. In 1965, he began his graduate school in Groningen and joined IBM International, working as a coach and manager of scientific personnel management. He founded and directed the department of scientific personnel. During two years of sabbatical from IBM from 1971 to 1973, he was a visiting lecturer at IMEDE (now). In 1980, Hofstede co-founded and became the first director for YMCAM, the Institute for Research in Intercultural Cooperation, which has been at Tilburg University since 1998.

Since his retirement in 1993, Hofstede has visited numerous universities around the world to educate students on his theoretical approaches and to continue his research in this area. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Organizational Anthropology and International Management at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and serves as a correspondence fellow at the Center for Economic Research at Tilburg University in Tilburg, Netherlands.

Hofstede received many honorary awards, and in 2011 he was made a knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Orde van de Nederlands Leeuw). He has honorary doctorates from seven universities in Europe, Ninrode University, New Bulgarian University, Athens University of Economics and Business, University of Gothenburg, University of Liege, ISM University of Management and Economics, University of Pecs in 2009, and University of Tartu also received honorary professors in 2012 at the University of Hong Kong 1992-2000; Beijing University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing, China; and Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.

In 1955 he married Hofstede Maaike A. van den Hoek. Together, they have four sons: Gert-Jan Hofstede, who is a population biologist and social scientist in information management; Rokus Hofstede, who works as a translator; Bart Hofstede, who is the cultural advisor to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Berlin, and Gideon Hofstede, who works as an international trader. He also has ten grandchildren. Gert-Jan worked extensively with his father and co-author of a number of works in the field of cultural studies.

In 2014, a film was released about the life and work of Gert Hofstede under the title odyssey Engineer .

In 2016, he received the title of honorary doctorate 9th in Prague, at the age of 88.

Work

Hofstede is a researcher in organizational research and more specifically organizational culture, also cultural economics and management. He is a renowned pioneer in his research on cross-cultural groups and organizations, and was instrumental in developing a systemic framework for assessing and differentiating national cultures and organizational cultures. His research has shown that there are national and regional cultural groups that influence the behavior of societies and organizations.

Early inspiration

When World War II ended, Hofstede was seventeen and had always lived in the Netherlands in rather difficult conditions, so he decided it was time for him to explore the world. He entered a technical college in 1945, and had one year of internships, including sailing to Indonesia in 1947 as an assistant ship engineer with Abbott Olivier Perbet. This was his first time out of his own country immersed in a foreign culture, and there was an early influence on his career by cross-cultural research. He was also influenced by a trip he made to England after a meeting with an Englishwoman introduced to him by his family friend Alain Meiar, where he experienced a culture shock. He was amazed at the cultural differences he noticed between England and the Netherlands, two very close European countries. These early experiences helped translate into a lifelong career in cross-cultural studies.

The second important period in Geert's life was in industry between 1955 and 1965, when he held professional and managerial jobs in three different Dutch industrial enterprises. While experiencing management, he was able to see the bottom-up organization of work as a mechanic. It is the training and background of an engineer in the form of his research and his approach to social situations. He claims that his description of social situations appeals to a number of people because, "I am still the mind of an engineer to the point that I try to be specific ... and be clear about what I am talking about." This was important in its development of quantifying crops at different sizes.

iBM research

Acceptance of his work

hofstede's books have appeared in 23 languages. World Wide Web Citation Indexes Between 1981 and 2011, more than 9,000 articles were listed in peer-reviewed journals with reference to one or more of Geert's publications. This makes him currently the most cited European social scientist.

He has received great acclaim for his work in cross-cultural analysis. In 2004, Hanze University of Groningen, Netherlands established the Hofstede Lecture, a biennial conference in the field of intercultural communication. In 2006 the University of Maastricht, Netherlands opened the Hofstede Chair in Cultural Diversity.

In 2008, six European universities merged to create the Master of Science in International Communication (MIC), and named themselves the Geert Hofstede Consortium.

In 2009, the Reputation Institute, which “recognizes individuals who have made great contributions to the field of reputation both through science and practice,” nominated by the Hofstede as the best scholar of the year.

In October 2010, the University of Maastricht School of Business and Economics launched the Geert Foundation by Hofstede, which aims to encourage activities around multicultural interactions and research on the impact of cultural differences.

Publications

Hofstede, Gert (July 1978). "Poverty Management Control Philosophy". Academy of Management Review ... Management Academy. 3 (3): 450-461. Doi: 10.2307 / 257536. JSTOR.
Hofstede, Geert (July 1967). "The Budget Control Game: How To Live With Budget Standards And Still Be Driven By It."

G. Hofstede was born on October 3, 1928 in Haarlem, the Netherlands. Gert Hofstede holds an MSc in Mechanical Engineering Technology and a PhD in Social Psychology. His professional biography is related to both industry and academia.

The Wall Street Journal named Geert Hofstede in May 2008 as one of the twenty most influential business intellectuals. Hofstede has lectured in Hong Kong, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. He is an honorary doctorate from seven European universities, a member of the Academy of Management and the Academy of International Business in the United States, and an honorary member of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology.

He is called the "father" of ethnometry - the direction of ethnosocial research, which analyzes the mental characteristics of various ethnic groups using formalized (mathematical) methods. He was the first to start collecting quantitative databases; the technique developed by him is still the most popular.

In 1965, Hofstede founded the IBM R&D department (which he headed until 1971). Between 1967 and 1973, he conducted extensive research into the characteristics of national values \u200b\u200band differences between countries around the world. He compared the responses to the same survey of 117,000 IBM employees from different countries. Initially, he focused his research on the 40 largest countries, and then expanded the list to 50 countries and 3 regions (at that time, it was probably the international database with the largest sample). The answers were scored on a five-point scale, then the average score was calculated. On the basis of the average value for each indicator, its own index was calculated: the number 3 was subtracted from the average value, the result was multiplied by 25 and the number 50 was added to it, that is, the answers were transferred from a five-point scale to a hundred-point scale. The data for the USSR were calculated not according to the standard method, but on the basis of indirect statistical data. Later, the list of countries was expanded to 70. The theory was one of the first quantitative theories that can be used to explain the observed differences between cultures.

This initial analysis revealed systematic differences in cultures across nationalities that were classified according to four main dimensions: distance from power (PDI), individualism (IDV), uncertainty avoidance (UAI), and orientation (MAS), which are described below. As Hofstede explains on his academic website, these dimensions address “four anthropological problem areas that different societies deal with in different ways: ways of dealing with inequality, ways of dealing with uncertainty, an individual’s relationship with her or his core group, and the emotional consequences of births. a girl or a boy. "

The studies were published in two of Hofstede's works, The Consequences of Culture (1980) and Measuring National Cultures in Fifty Countries and Three Regions (1983). In 1984, he published The Meaning of Culture, which combines statistical analysis from survey research with his personal experience.

Six subsequent cross-national studies were successfully completed between 1990 and 2002 to validate the preliminary IBM study and extend it to different populations. They spanned 14 to 28 countries and included commercial airline pilots, students, government officials, “market” consumers, and “elite” representatives. The pooled studies established estimates across four dimensions for a total of 76 countries and regions.

In 1991, Michael Harris Bond and his colleagues conducted a study of students in 23 countries using a tool developed in conjunction with Chinese workers and managers. The results of this study suggested to Hofstede that a new fifth dimension must be added to the model: Long Term Orientation (LTO), originally called "Confucian dynamism." Based on new research, Hofstede developed a new version of his methodology - "Value Survey Module 1994" (VSM 94), a short questionnaire of 20 core questions (four for each of the five cultural indicators). It was she who was mainly used by the followers of Hofstede. More recently, a new version of the methodology has appeared - "Values \u200b\u200bResearch Module 2008" (VSM 08).

In 2010, 93 countries were included in the survey, thanks to the use of Hofstede's methodology by Michael Minkov in the World Values \u200b\u200bSurvey. The studies have refined some of the original values \u200b\u200band distinguished between country and individual data. This research also helped Hofstede identify the sixth final dimension - assumption.

In the Hofstede methodology, the indices of five mental values \u200b\u200bwere calculated:

· Individualism;

· Power distance;

· Avoidance of uncertainty;

· Masculinity;

· Long-term orientation (originally this indicator was called "Confucian dynamism").

Each of the countries studied by the Hofstede method receives numerical estimates for these five dimensions, which usually vary in the range from 0 to 100. The table shows the Hofstede indices for some countries; the total number of countries studied according to his methodology is now about 60.

Individualism(IDV) is an indicator of what people prefer - to take care only of themselves and their own families, or to unite in certain groups that are responsible for a person in exchange for his loyalty to the group.

In order to identify this indicator, Hofstede conducted a survey using the following questions:

An individualistic culture can be called a culture in which the individual goals of its members are no less important than the group goals, and the ties between individuals are not burdened with rigid obligations to act together. (Hofstede G. Culture "s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. L .: Beverly Hills, 1980)

The cell of individualistic cultures is the nuclear family, in which children are taught to be independent, to rely on their own strength. Collectivist culture, on the contrary, is characterized by the fact that in it group goals prevail over individual ones. Here, people show an initial interest in tight-knit groups. Group loyalty is one of the most important values; direct confrontation is not encouraged, as it violates the overall harmony.

Distance of power (PDI - Power Distance), or distance in relation to power, is a parameter that describes the willingness of people to accept the uneven distribution of power in institutions and organizations.

SMALL DISTANCE OF POWER	LARGE RANGE OF POWER
Inequality in society must be minimized	Inequality in society is encouraged
No dependence of people who do not have power from people who have power	People with less power should be highly dependent on people with power
Parents see children as partners	Teachers Teach Children Obedience
Children do not play a role in ensuring the safety of parents' old age	Children are a source of security for parents' old age.
Teachers expect students to take initiative in the classroom	Teachers take the initiative
The quality of teaching depends on the communication between the teacher and the student and on the excellence of the students	The quality of teaching depends on the excellence of the teacher
Teaching policy focuses on secondary schools	Teaching policy focuses on universities

As the aphorism goes, “Power

tends to corruption, and absolute

power corrupts absolutely. "

In cultures with a high power distance, power is seen as the most important part of life. The emphasis is on coercive power, and subordinates and leaders are at two different poles of it, which is perceived as the natural order of things. Accordingly, it is customary in society to demonstrate respect and show obedience in relations with those higher on the hierarchical ladder. Criticism, confrontation, and disobedience are discouraged. In cultures with a low power distance, the prevailing opinion is that the main determining power is its competence. Consequently, the relationship between members of the community is built on respect for the individual and equality, and inequality in the relationship "boss-subordinate" will not be approved. Here everyone can freely express their opinion, regardless of whether it is critical or not and whether it coincides with the opinion of those in power. The result of such rather close relationships is less formalization of relationships.

Uncertainty avoidance (UAI - Uncertainty Avoidance) - an indicator of how tolerant people are to uncertain situations, trying to avoid them by developing clear rules, believing in absolute truth and refusing to tolerate deviant behavior.

Representatives of cultures with a high level of uncertainty avoidance are guided by clear rules. They are characterized by a need for formalized instructions and norms of behavior, a high level of anxiety, feverishness at work or "rush", a tendency to within-group agreement, and low tolerance for people or groups with different ideas or behavior. These cultures are more resistant to any change and less inclined to take risks. In contrast, cultures with a low level of uncertainty avoidance have a tolerant attitude towards situations of uncertainty. People in difficult situations improvise and take initiative, are characterized by a greater inclination to take risks. In countries with such a culture, there is a negative attitude towards the introduction of strictly formalized rules, so they are established only in case of great need. In general, people here believe that they are capable of solving problems without detailed formal rules. The future is potentially full of uncertainties. In order to get rid of fear, people create conditions that provide them with greater security and stability (for example, technology helps to control nature, rules and laws determine human behavior in society, and religion is a way to control the future, which is determined by higher, supernatural forces ).

The feeling of uncertainty is not exclusively a personal characteristic of a person; it is partly shared by other members of society. The extent to which people try to cope with unknown aspects of the future is culturally determined. Some societies motivate their members to accept uncertainty, others to try to control them. As a consequence, a person's behavior style in one society may be unacceptable in another.

Studies by various scientists have shown that there are indirect indicators of the degree of uncertainty avoidance in a country. For example, suicide statistics (the higher the degree of uncertainty avoidance, the higher the mortality rate); average calorie intake per day (anxiety causes stress and a person starts to eat more); the number of mental illnesses (due to a low level of anxiety, a person falls into despondency and boredom); consumption of caffeine (coffee and tea are stimulant and therefore more commonly consumed in countries with low uncertainty avoidance); or driving speed (in countries with low uncertainty avoidance, people do not feel the urgency and urgency to do something, and therefore drive rather slowly).

In cultures with a high level of uncertainty, people are characterized by emotionality, aggressiveness and an active lifestyle (an example is the frenzied pace of life of Americans, who are constantly in a hurry somewhere, always doing something). Cultures with a low level of uncertainty are characterized by calmness, tolerance, carelessness, as well as slowness and relative laziness (for example, Jamaica, where time passes slowly and where you can take your time).

Countries with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance include Great Britain, Denmark, Scandinavian countries (except Finland). Countries with a high degree - Germany, Belgium, Japan, Latin American countries.

Let us consider how culture influences the formation of a human value system in countries with a strong and weak degree of uncertainty avoidance through such social institutions as family, school and work.

The first thing a child is taught in a family is to be able to distinguish between what is good and what is bad. The understanding of right and wrong varies by culture. In countries with a strong level of uncertainty avoidance, it is clearly known what is good and what is bad, what is dangerous and what is not dangerous, what is allowed and what is not. Anchoring rules and procedures helps to reduce ambiguity and unpredictability. Anything that deviates from the established norms is dangerous because it creates uncertainty. The rigid distinction between good and bad also carries over to humans. It is in families that feelings of racism arise. Children are taught that there are certain categories of people who are dangerous and should be avoided. A person feels protected if he knows that he is surrounded by only “good” people who will not harm him. From a very early age, the child feels the need for formalized instructions and norms of behavior.

Quite different behavior is observed in countries with low degree of uncertainty avoidance. Classes are not structured, that is, the teacher comes to classes without a prescribed work plan (of course, he prepares for lessons, thinks over the course of the lesson, but does not calculate how long it will take to familiarize himself with a new topic, how much time will it take to discuss it and give homework ). In the classroom, there is a dialogue between the teacher and the students, some issues are considered in more detail, depending on the interest of the students. Students enjoy doing a variety of homework assignments. Parents are trying to involve their children in the learning process: teachers are interested in what suggestions and ideas they have, discuss how best to raise a child.

It is considered normal if the teacher says: “I don’t know the answer to the question”, because his task is not to know everything, but to help the student in the learning process, to guide him. You can disagree with the teacher's opinion and argue with him. There can be several correct answers to the question, originality is encouraged.

The need for formalized guidance and the drive to eliminate ambiguous situations as much as possible in cultures with a strong degree of uncertainty avoidance continues in the workplace. The need for rules and laws is psychological - since childhood, people have become accustomed to living in a structured society. Both employees and managers act in accordance with instructions and rules. Instructions are written for almost everything, this helps to control the work process, monitor the structure of the organization, which allows you to predict future events, to avoid uncertain situations as much as possible. Germans, for example, hate misunderstandings, but they love content, detail, and clarity. “Having familiarized yourself with the rules and procedures adopted in German organizations in detail, you yourself must give firm and unequivocal orders. If you want something to be written in black rather than blue ink, you should say so directly. "

“The desire to streamline everything and everyone permeates all aspects of German life, is the source of most of their national strengths and weaknesses. Foreign journalists share "scary" stories from the everyday life of the Germans: one was constantly criticized by the hostess for not wanting to hang the washed laundry in order and size, doing it in a completely chaotic manner; another was terrorized by neighbors for unmown lawn, but attempts to mow him led to new complaints, since it was forbidden to do this on weekends. In Germany, a special traffic jams guide is published, detailing where and at what time to expect them. But traffic jams do not always lend themselves to ordering, sometimes arising spontaneously, and this terribly annoys the Germans. These "unauthorized" traffic jams even received a special name - "traffic jams from nowhere," and large government subsidies have been allocated to study this phenomenon. "

The need to comply with laws and regulations sometimes creates meaningless and conflicting situations. For example, “In Yemen, a court sentenced the late editor-in-chief of an opposition newspaper to 80 lashes. As reported by RIA Novosti, the case was initiated in 1997 at the suit of a prominent religious figure who accused the Ash-Shura newspaper, the organ of the opposition Union of Popular Forces, of defamation - disseminating defamatory information.

Then, four years ago, the editor-in-chief, Abdullah Said, was sentenced to pay a fine and 80 lashes, and the publication of the newspaper was suspended for six months. Considering the possible public outcry, Said himself volunteered to appear for the flogging, but the execution of the sentence was postponed. A year later, Said resigned from the post of editor-in-chief, and died the following year. However, this did not prevent the court from instructing the Prosecutor General's Office to execute the decision four years ago right now.

For a German, the law is also above common sense. “An English journalist once at 2 am witnessed an accident: a pedestrian crossing a completely empty road was hit by a sudden car. After the victim was taken to the hospital, the journalist, slightly shocked by the incident, asked what would happen now. The German policeman replied: "Nothing special, if he survives, he will pay a fine of 50 marks, because he crossed the road in the wrong place."

In countries with low uncertainty avoidance, formal instructions are kept to a minimum. Many, for example, are shocked by how disciplined and orderly the British queue for buses or shops. In fact, in the UK there are no guidelines on how to behave in queues, the behavior of the British is based on social habit. In countries with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance, rules are established only when they cannot be avoided. Interestingly, although in a society with a low Uncertainty Avoidance, laws are written only in extreme cases, they are treated with more respect than in a society with a high Uncertainty Avoidance.

Calm behavior of cultural representatives with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance is reflected in the work process. People work calmly and systematically. They are driven rather not by intrinsic motivation for action, but by necessity, so pressure is sometimes necessary in management. This does not mean that workers are lazy and need to be forced to work. The personnel responsibly approaches the performance of the assigned tasks and the achievement of the company's goals. But a sense of confidence in the future and a calm attitude to uncertainties create an atmosphere of relaxation. Representatives of a culture with low uncertainty avoidance do not keep track of time, they like to relax and unwind. A person lives for today and is not worried about what will happen tomorrow. Accuracy and punctuality can be learned, but this behavior is not natural for representatives of this type of culture.

In a society with a high Uncertainty Avoidance Index, people work hard because they care about the future. The hard work of the staff contributes to the high productivity of the company. The Japanese, for example, are fully committed to work and strive to achieve the company's goals. The more free time, the more uncertainty, so people are constantly busy with something. Every second counts, because time is money. The need for rules contributes to the accurate and punctual behavior of workers, scrupulousness in performing assigned tasks, and a high level of discipline. And, consequently, the forms of control over the work process are facilitated. People try to build good relationships with their colleagues, as this creates a sense of security and safety.

Hofstede conducted a study and analyzed what top managers in different countries are guided by when running a company. It turned out that in countries with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance (for example, the UK), managers are mainly engaged in strategic management and do not pay enough attention to day-to-day tasks. The most important thing for them is to define the main tasks. And in countries with a strong degree of uncertainty avoidance (for example, France and Germany), managers, on the contrary, are focused on day-to-day operational management, managers concentrate on private issues and details, they need to know all the little things. This is due to the fact that strategic management is associated with uncertainty, with risk and requires more responsibility than operational management.

Hofstede distinguishes between innovation cultures (which create new ideas) and implementing cultures (which ensure that these ideas are implemented). The first type includes countries with a low degree of uncertainty avoidance, the second - countries with a strong degree of avoidance of uncertainty. This separation is due to the fact that while countries with a low uncertainty avoidance index encourage innovation and innovative ideas, it is more difficult to fully implement these ideas. This requires character traits such as detail, accuracy, and dimensionality, which are more likely to be inherent in countries with a high Uncertainty Avoidance Index. "There are more Nobel laureates in the UK (weak in the Uncertainty Avoidance Index), but Japan (strong in the Uncertainty Avoidance Index) is releasing more products to the global market." This is due to the fact that the Japanese are receptive to new ideas and focused on their rapid implementation. They borrow and quickly master new technological methods and processes, massively buy up patents and licenses. Innovation is at the core of economic growth, and the Japanese are truly committed to it.

Table 39 shows the main differences between countries with high and low uncertainty avoidance regarding family, school and work.

Depending on what type of culture the country belongs to, the population has different attitudes towards the work of state power. The lower the degree of uncertainty avoidance, the more people trust the authorities. In countries with a low Uncertainty Avoidance Index, citizens respect the government and believe they can influence political decisions through rallies or protests.

In countries with a high degree of uncertainty avoidance, people are more likely to have negative feelings about politicians and distrust the work of the authorities. The population of the country does not believe that ordinary people can influence political decisions. Moreover, it is accepted that the actions of the authorities are correct by definition. Citizens are completely dependent on the state. Therefore, boycotts, hunger strikes or demonstrations are not encouraged. Citizens must carry with them an identity document, which they are required to present to authorities for identification. There is a strong need for order in society. The laws in such countries are very carefully worked out. There should be rules for everything (both formal and informal). Young politicians are usually not trusted. In countries with a high Uncertainty Avoidance Index, underground extremist political parties often appear (since their official activities are prohibited by the state) that resort to terrorism.

Political ideology is one of the ways to limit uncertainty. In countries with a high uncertainty avoidance index, the prevailing political ideology does not accept other political views; in countries with a low uncertainty avoidance index, they are acceptable.

Masculinity (MAS - Masculinity) is an assessment of people's tendency to assertiveness and toughness, focus on material success at the expense of interest in other people.

A culture is considered courageous if in society the sex roles of men and women are clearly separated, that is, men are tough, aggressive, focused on material success and victory, and women are modest, gentle and focused on ensuring the quality of life and moral comfort in the family.

Femininity is a characteristic feature of a society in which the difference in gender roles is insignificant, that is, both men and women can be equally focused on material success and on ensuring the quality of life

It is about whether the most important are "male" (such as "perseverance", "self-confidence", "success and competition") or "female" ("life comfort", "maintaining warm personal relationships", "caring for the weak" , "solidarity", "modesty") values. In societies with an increased rate of masculinity, the social roles of men and women differ sharply. There, it is considered a generally accepted orientation of men to material success and rigidity in their positions, as opposed to women's values, among which modesty and sensitivity occupy the main place. This type of culture encourages competition, competition, and the drive to win. In work, priority is given to the result, and the award is based on the principle of real contribution to the cause. In feminine cultures, the role differences between the male and female parts of the population are not given much importance. Moreover, both of them show great similarity in their positions and views. Special attention on the part of all members of society is paid to spiritual rather than material values \u200b\u200b- such as: maintaining relationships between people, caring for others, attention to a person. Finding a compromise is considered the preferred way of resolving conflicts, and the reward for work is based on the principle of equality.

Let's consider a specific situation. “A young Dutch engineer decided to take a job with an American company. He graduated with honors from a good university, had three years of experience in a very famous Dutch company, and was actively involved in public life. The engineer sent a short resume to the American company and was invited for an interview. In the interview, he behaved politely and modestly, as, in his opinion, any applicant should behave, and expected to be asked questions that should clarify the level of his qualifications. To his surprise, the American manager asked him very few questions about his qualifications. Instead, he asked specific production questions, using English technical terms that the Dutch engineer did not know and, accordingly, could not understand the meaning of the questions. These were questions that he could master in a couple of weeks if hired.

Half an hour after a very unpleasant conversation, the American manager said: "Sorry, but you are not suitable for us."

Why did the American manager refuse the Dutch engineer? The fact is that Americans and Dutch people have approximately the same indicators of the power distance index and the individualism index, but they differ in the masculinity index. In the value system of American business culture (dominated by courage), it is considered important to show oneself in all its glory. Therefore, in the resume, they always emphasize their outstanding abilities, indicating all possible awards, awards and memberships in various associations. In interviews, Americans are self-confident. American managers know to critically assess the value of the information that is written on the resume and that they hear during the interview.

In the Netherlands, where feminine culture prevails, it is believed that one should behave modestly, without pathos. Dutch people usually write modest and small resumes so as not to sound like braggart. They expect to be able to show their level of knowledge during interviews by answering questions. Due to the difference in the value systems of the Dutch and Americans, intercultural misunderstandings have occurred. The Dutch engineer could not prove his worth to the American, so he was not hired. In order to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts, to increase the effectiveness of management, it is necessary to take into account the cultural characteristics of people's behavior in different countries.

Let us consider how the system of values \u200b\u200bis formed in masculine and feminine cultures at the three main stages of "collective programming" of consciousness: in the family, at school, at work. It is in the family that a person's worldview begins to form. Each culture has its own traditions of raising children. The child is indoctrinated with cultural stereotypes of masculinity and femininity, adopted in society. The child is greatly influenced by the way the roles of husband and wife are distributed in the family. The behavior of parents influences the formation of a certain system of values \u200b\u200bof the child, the establishment of differences between the roles of boys and girls in society.

In courageous countries, it is customary to distinguish between the roles of parents. The husband is the breadwinner of the family, he is strict and rarely shows his feelings. The wife should behave submissively, maintain comfort and harmonious relations at home. She pays attention to feelings, shows tenderness and regret. In this model of relationships, boys grow up independent and assertive, they should not cry, but can fight to show strength and defend their position. The girls are kind and caring, they are very sensual and need protection. The son helps the father, and the daughter helps the mother.

In feminine countries, there is no clear division of the roles of parents. They both care about the quality of life and family relationships. Therefore, the son can ask the mother for advice on how to hammer the nail correctly, and the daughter can approach the father and tell him about her difficulties, counting on support and understanding.

It should be borne in mind that the relationship between parents and children is also influenced by the distance of power and the level of individualism. Therefore, it is possible that in a feminine culture there will be inequality between the sexes, and in a masculine culture, the father will be more sensual, and the mother more strict.

Gender-specific shared values \u200b\u200bare established at a very early age. Hofsteed's research shows that in courageous cultures, children are taught to be ambitious, competitive, and ambitious. A person should strive to become the best, to achieve success through his own efforts. An example of how strong people are admired in courageous cultures are the heroes of Hollywood films (for example, "Batman", "Rimbaud", "Superman", etc.).

In feminine cultures, humility and obedience are taught, children help their parents. A person must maintain harmonious relations with others, follow moral and ethical standards of behavior. Even in cinema, it is customary to sympathize with the vanquished and antiheroes, and not praise single heroes who show incredible courage in the struggle for the truth and their interests (for example, in Russia, they usually sympathize with Ostap Bender, the main character in the work of Ilf and Petrov, "The Twelve Chairs" the bandit Sasha Bely from the TV series "Brigade" is quite popular in society).

The formation of the child's value system continues at school. In countries with a courageous culture, leaders, the best students are valued. If you did not succeed, did not stand out from the crowd, then this is tantamount to disaster (“In countries with a high level of masculinity, for example, in Japan and Germany, newspapers publish a report annually on students who committed suicide because they failed in exams "). The school is mostly taught by women, while the university is taught by men. Teachers are valued for their skill and academic knowledge.

In countries with a feminine culture, students do not want to stand out, it is better to be like everyone else. It is perfectly normal to be unsuccessful in school. Students do not strive to achieve high results, because this is not the most important thing to learn in school. The main thing is to learn how to adapt to society, to maintain good relations in the team. Therefore, teachers are valued for their social qualities and friendliness. And men, on an equal basis with women, can teach in the lower grades of school.

The type of culture influences what specialties boys and girls choose when entering university. In courageous countries, specialties are divided depending on what type of behavior is characteristic of a particular sex. For example, pedagogy is mainly chosen by women (because it is a specialty that requires the ability to communicate with children), law and engineering are chosen by men (since these are specialties that require rigidity and technical skills). Students choose their future profession depending on the size of their future income or, at least, visible benefits. In feminine countries, the social roles of men and women do not differ. About the same number of men and women study in the same specialties. The choice of a future profession is determined not by the desire for money, but by interest in a certain subject.

Hofstead highlights the following aspects that are most important for representatives of masculine and feminine cultures when choosing a job.

For courageous cultures:

1. Earnings. People tend to work with high wages.

2. Awareness of their merits when performing a certain job.

3. Possibility of professional growth, performance of more complex work.

4. Striving for work that will give a sense of self-realization.

For feminine cultures:

1. Having a good relationship with your boss.

2. Work in a friendly team.

3. It is important to live in a good area.

4. Confidence that you will not lose your job.

In a courageous society, a person “lives to work”. People prefer to work in large organizations. At work, qualities such as striving for career growth, competitiveness, assertiveness, self-confidence, and ambition are welcomed. Everyone strives to achieve results and receive fair remuneration. Because of the internal struggle for leadership, a person works in a tough competitive environment.

In a feminine society it is customary to “work to live”. Modesty in self-esteem is encouraged. Boasting and loud voices are not encouraged. In feminine cultures, work should provide more opportunities for communication and mutual assistance. A good team environment is essential for effective work. A person is focused on a harmonious family life, and not on material success (it is much more important to spend time with his family than staying late at work). In feminine countries, people prefer to work in small companies.

Depending on the type of culture, there are ways to resolve conflicts. In countries with a courageous culture, it is customary to resolve conflicts in a dispute, in a struggle: "may the strongest win." In countries with a feminine culture, it is not customary to single out winners and losers. The typical method of conflict resolution is negotiation and compromise.

Specific situation. “The Russian-American furniture enterprise was created on the basis of a Soviet furniture factory. It could fit into the economy in transition. The furniture was in demand, and its sale was profitable. However, as competition in the furniture market grew, the company's profitability began to decline. By the decision of the shareholders, an American manager was appointed to the position of CFO. The following dialogue took place between him and the Russian General Director (GD):

FD: The senior engineer of the enterprise, Mr. Petrov, is not coping with his functions. I propose to dismiss him and take in his place a younger, more competent and energetic person.

GD: Ivan Petrovich Petrov has worked at our factory for almost 40 years. He considers our company his second home and is devoted to it. People love him. He is also a crystal-clear person. Of course, he is not young and it is difficult for him to keep up with the times ...

FD: The recruiting agency has already offered me a young candidate. He is dissatisfied with the working conditions of our competitor and is ready, if we pay him more, to come to us. I made inquiries - he is very competent and proactive. For a year and a half of its work with our competitors, sales have grown by almost 30%.

GD: I don't really like it. First, how can you just fire the oldest employee. It's a conflict. He also tries hard. He's just not doing everything. Let's think about how to help him. And with regard to your candidate: a person who runs for a long ruble to another enterprise will run away from us. Why do we need someone we can't rely on?

FD: Look, but because Mr. Petrov is not doing well, our shareholders are losing profits. I am confident that the appointment of a young and competent person with whom I met to the post of senior engineer will benefit the factory and will be in the interests of shareholders. "

Femininity prevails in the business culture of the Russian leader, and masculinity in the culture of the American manager. The first does not like to create conflict situations, therefore, he is against dismissal. It is more important for him to maintain harmonious relations with his employees than to receive material benefits. The Russian manager is emotionally attached to his subordinate. The goal of the American manager is to increase sales and increase profits. The productivity of the employee is important to him, not his dedication to the company. And since Mr. Petrov does not cope with his functions, a more capable, better employee should take his place.

The type of culture affects the way the leader makes decisions. In a courageous culture, the manager makes decisions by himself, paying attention to the facts. In feminine cultures, the manager is more intuitive. To make decisions, he needs to consult, gather a meeting, a commission.

Feminine and masculine countries thrive in a variety of industries. Courageous cultures thrive in production, especially mass production, because they work quickly and efficiently. Feminine cultures have an advantage in industries that are people-centered: services (such as tourism), manufacturing focused on individual consumer desires, and the processing of natural materials.

Long term orientation (LTO - Long Term Orientation) is an indicator of how pragmatism a society is and is strategically oriented towards the future, as opposed to traditionalism and short-term (tactical) orientation.

In societies with strong long-term orientations, people recognize the importance of persistence, status in relationships, frugality, and shame. All of these values \u200b\u200bcontribute to entrepreneurial activity. Thus, perseverance and perseverance is the key to any entrepreneurial activity, a harmonious and stable hierarchy makes it easier to fulfill role responsibilities, frugality promotes the accumulation of capital, which can then be re-invested in the business, and, finally, a sense of shame makes people more sensitive to social contacts and strive to fulfill their obligations. A low indicator of Confucian dynamism, or short-term orientation, on the contrary, inhibits entrepreneurship. Striving for sustainability and stability when a certain norm is exceeded hinders the initiative, riskiness and flexibility that are so necessary for an entrepreneur in a constantly changing market. "Saving the face", excessive respect for tradition is directly related to the rejection of all kinds of innovations. And the mutual exchange of gifts, congratulations and patronage is a ritual that pays more attention to impeccability of manners than to the fulfillment of tasks.

Value indicators for some countries of the world

In his theory of cultural dimensions, the Dutch sociologist, specialist in management theory Geert (Gerard Hendrick) Hofstede (p. 1928) proposed a set of indicators that determine the cultural characteristics of different peoples. The study conducted by G. Hofstede (Fig. 4.1) consisted of a survey of a large number of employees (more than 1000) of a transnational corporation in more than 100 countries in terms of their attitude to work and behavior in the workplace. As a result, five indicators were formulated ( criteria), by which he distinguished cultures:

1) power distance (low to high):

· 2) isolation (collectivism - individualism);

3) assertiveness (masculinity - femininity);

4) avoidance of uncertainty (aversion to uncertainty);

· 5) strategic thinking (short-term or long-term orientation towards the future).

The results of a written survey conducted in the 1960s – 1970s were used as an empirical base. in 40 countries of the world (excluding former socialist countries). These studies made it possible to establish that various cultural phenomena can be measured according to several of the specified parameters, which in practice appear in various combinations with each other, which determines the mentality of the corresponding culture. The results of G. Hofstede's research were published in the works "The Consequences of Culture" (1980) and "Measurements of National Cultures in Fifty Countries and Three Regions" (1983).

Distance from power - the degree to which society accepts the unequal distribution of power among its members. In cultures with a low distance from power, for example, in Scandinavia, the communicative style of politicians is markedly different from that adopted, for example, in Turkey, where a politician must radiate significance, authority and power.

Some cultures have a hierarchical, vertical organization structure. In other cultures, the hierarchy is not so strong, its structure has a horizontal character of building relationships. In hierarchical societies with a high power distance, powers between subordinates are unevenly distributed. In such cultures, it is customary to obey all superiors: traditionally, emphasized respect is given to anyone in power. In such cultures, harsh criticism of leadership is not tolerated.

For crops with large distance from power is characterized by the perception of power as the most important part of life, admiration for the authorities. These are Arab countries, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Russia.

In cultures with low distance from the authorities, the point of view is accepted that inequality in society should be minimized. People belonging to this type of culture see hierarchy as a conditional consolidation of the inequality of people in society. In such cultures, values \u200b\u200bsuch as equality in relationships, individual freedom, and respect for the individual are more important. Subordinates see themselves as people like their leaders. Communication in cultures with a low distance from power is not so formalized, the equality of interlocutors is more pronounced, the communication style is consultative in nature. As an example, we can cite the principles of Western business culture, which is characterized by glass doors in offices, free access to the boss, a mutually respectful form of communication between managers and subordinates, which ultimately indicates a short distance from power. In contrast to Western countries, the business culture of countries with a high distance from power presupposes two or three hierarchical levels, a large number of instructions from managers to their subordinates at each of them, which significantly lengthens the distance between the boss and the subordinate and complicates the solution of all issues.

The cultures with little distance from power, which are characterized by building relationships based on equality, respect for the individual, include Austria, Denmark, USA, Germany.

Isolation (collectivism - individualism) - the degree to which society agrees that the views and actions of an individual can be independent of collective or group beliefs and actions. For example, in the United States, a person's success is associated with his individual achievements, individual responsibility for actions is emphasized, in contrast to Japan, where belonging to a team is valued.

Individualist called a culture in which the individual goals of its members are more important than the group goals. Individualism is common in societies with a free social structure in which everyone must take care of themselves and their families. In individualistic cultures, relationships between people depend on the individual interests and aspirations of their participants and therefore change as interests and aspirations change. The types of individualistic cultures (developed "I") include the cultures of Germany, the USA, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

Collectivist culture is characterized by the domination of group goals and values \u200b\u200bover individual ones. Collectivism is inherent in societies with a strict social structure, a clear division into social groups, within which each individual is guaranteed the care and attention of the rest in exchange for unconditional loyalty to the group. The type of collectivist cultures (developed collective origin) includes most of the traditional Asian and African cultures, as well as the Catholic countries of Southern Europe and Latin America, which are distinguished by an increased attention to family and community relations and values.

According to G. Hofstede, the overwhelming majority of people live in collectivist societies in which the interests of the group prevail over the interests of the individual.

Assertiveness (masculinity - femininity) suggests that male (Masculine) cultures should be considered those that value vanity, the pursuit of success, recognition of personal achievement and concern for high wealth. By women (feminine) cultures should be recognized in which the importance of interpersonal relationships, cooperation, the desire for understanding and the manifestation of care for others prevail.

Masculine cultures are dominated by values \u200b\u200bsuch as perseverance, strength, independence, material success, openness. Such cultures are typical for Austria, Great Britain, Venezuela, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Philippines, Japan. The gender differences between male and female roles in society are clearly defined: boys are taught to be decisive and persistent, and girls are taught to be docile and caring. In the work here, the result is valued most of all, and the reward is based on the principle of a real contribution to this result.

In feminine cultures, for example, in the cultures of Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Finland, Chile, Sweden, emotional connections between people, caring for other members of society are more valued. Men in such cultures should not be assertive, they should take part in raising children. Accordingly, in raising children, great importance is attached to developing a sense of solidarity and modesty. Social equality of the sexes and empathy for losers are preached here, conflicts are usually resolved through negotiation and compromise.

Uncertainty avoidance (uncertainty aversion) - the degree to which members of society feel insecure in uncertain, unstructured situations and try to avoid them by developing rules, formulas and rituals and refusing to put up with behavior that deviates from the standard. Societies with a high degree of uncertainty avoidance fear innovation and embrace the quest for absolute truth.

In cultures with high level of avoidance Uncertainty In a situation of uncertainty, people are constantly stressed and fearful. There is a high level of aggressiveness here, for the release of which special channels are created in society. Representatives of such cultures try to avoid ambiguous situations, protecting themselves with a variety of formal rules, rejection of deviations from the norm in behavior, and belief in absolute truth. People belonging to this type of culture are intolerant of people with a different type of behavior, they are more resistant to any changes, are sensitive to ambiguity, worried about the future, are not inclined to take risks. They prefer clear goals, detailed assignments, tight work schedules, and action schedules.

This type of culture includes the cultures of Belgium, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay, France, Japan. For example, during a conversation in France, it is not customary to immediately raise the question that interests the questioner the most. They approach him gradually, after a long conversation around the bush on various neutral topics, and as if casually, without pressure, often at the end of lunch or dinner.

For crops with low level of avoidance uncertainty is characterized by a more optimistic attitude towards any situation than people belonging to cultures with a high level of uncertainty avoidance, the hope of success in any business, the desire to live in the present. Representatives of these cultures are inclined to take risks, they resist the introduction of formalized rules of command, are less prone to stress in unusual situations. Such people are very hardworking and active, and also prone to critical thinking.

This type of culture includes the cultures of Singapore, Jamaica, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Great Britain, and the USA. For example, for students belonging to this type of culture, it is quite acceptable if the teacher answers their question: "I don't know." This is regarded by ns as the incompetence of the teacher, but as the equality of student and teacher, teacher and student, readiness for dialogue and exchange of views.

Strategic thinking (short or long term future orientation) - this is an orientation towards solving strategic, long-term goals, a desire to look into the future. For crops with large values \u200b\u200bof this parameter (Southeast Asia) are characterized by prudence, persistence in achieving goals, persistence, for crops with small value (European countries) - adherence to traditions, fulfillment of social obligations.

Important to remember

The significance of the theory of G. Hofstede, formulated by him as a result of extensive research, lies in the fact that features were identified that can describe national cultures according to their position relative to each other. The characteristics obtained as a result of statistical processing made it possible to make important observations about cultural oppositions.

In general, the system of cultural typologies created in the 19th – 20th centuries is very diverse, allowing modern researchers to use various methodological foundations and principles of classifications and, with their help, to analyze cultures.

In his theory of cultural dimensions, the Dutch sociologist, specialist in management theory Geert (Gerard Hendrick) Hofstede (p. 1928) proposed a set of indicators that determine the cultural characteristics of different peoples. The study conducted by G. Hofstede (Fig. 4.1) consisted of a survey of a large number of employees (more than 1000) of a transnational corporation in more than 100 countries in terms of their attitude to work and behavior in the workplace. As a result, five indicators were formulated ( criteria), by which he distinguished cultures:

1) power distance (low to high):
2) isolation (collectivism - individualism);
3) assertiveness (masculinity - femininity);
4) avoidance of uncertainty (aversion to uncertainty);
5) strategic thinking (short-term or long-term orientation towards the future).

Figure: 4.1.

The cultures with little distance from power, which are characterized by building relationships based on equality, respect for the individual, include Austria, Denmark, USA, Germany.

Individualist called a culture in which the individual goals of its members are more important than the group goals. Individualism is common in societies with a free social structure in which everyone must take care of themselves and their families. In individualistic cultures, relationships between people depend on the individual interests and aspirations of their participants and therefore change as interests and aspirations change. The types of individualistic cultures (developed "I") include the cultures of Germany, the USA, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

Collectivist culture is characterized by the domination of group goals and values \u200b\u200bover individual ones. Collectivism is inherent in societies with a strict social structure, a clear division into social groups, within which each individual is guaranteed the care and attention of the rest in exchange for unconditional loyalty to the group. The type of collectivist cultures (developed collective origin) includes most of the traditional Asian and African cultures, as well as the Catholic countries of Southern Europe and Latin America, which are distinguished by an increased attention to family and community relations and values.

According to G. Hofstede, the overwhelming majority of people live in collectivist societies in which the interests of the group prevail over the interests of the individual.

Assertiveness (masculinity - femininity) suggests that male (Masculine) cultures should be considered those that value vanity, the pursuit of success, recognition of personal achievement and concern for high wealth. By women (feminine) cultures should be recognized in which the importance of interpersonal relationships, cooperation, the desire for understanding and the manifestation of care for others prevail.

In cultures with high level of avoidance Uncertainty In a situation of uncertainty, people are constantly stressed and fearful. There is a high level of aggressiveness here, for the release of which special channels are created in society. Representatives of such cultures try to avoid ambiguous situations, protecting themselves with a variety of formal rules, rejection of deviations from the norm in behavior, and belief in absolute truth. People belonging to this type of culture are intolerant of people with a different type of behavior, they are more resistant to any changes, are sensitive to ambiguity, worried about the future, are not inclined to take risks. They prefer clear goals, detailed assignments, tight work schedules, and action schedules.

For crops with low level of avoidance uncertainty is characterized by a more optimistic attitude towards any situation than people belonging to cultures with a high level of uncertainty avoidance, the hope of success in any business, the desire to live in the present. Representatives of these cultures are inclined to take risks, they resist the introduction of formalized rules of command, are less prone to stress in unusual situations. Such people are very hardworking and active, and also prone to critical thinking.

Strategic thinking (short or long term future orientation) - this is an orientation towards solving strategic, long-term goals, a desire to look into the future. For crops with large values \u200b\u200bof this parameter (Southeast Asia) are characterized by prudence, persistence in achieving goals, persistence, for crops with small value (European countries) - adherence to traditions, fulfillment of social obligations.

Important to remember