Compare Cultures
Compare national cultures along Hofstede`s dimensions
If you visit this website, you will be able to compare your home culture to the culture of your host organization along Hofstede’s six dimensions. This will give you an idea of some areas of similarities and differences and help you prepare better for your stay. You can also go back to it any time you feel the need to gain some insight into the culture of your hosts.
“Culture is the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from others.”
“Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster.”
Both quotations above belong to Heert Hofstede – a prominent Dutch social psychologist and anthropologist. He proposed, tested empirically and explained one of the most popular models of describing cultural variations in today’s world.
Learn about his approach.
Dimension 1: Power Distance
How is power distributed in institutions and
Dimension 3: Masculinity vs femininity
Do societies
Dimension 5: Long-term orientation vs short term normative orientation
What time frames guide societies?
Dimension 2: Individualism vs Collectivism
Do individuals expect only to look after themselves and their immediate families do people expect the groups to which they belong to look after them?
Dimension 4: Uncertainty avoidance
Do society members feel threatened by ambiguity?
Dimension 6: Indulgence vs Self-restraint
What is a society’s attitude to satisfying the immediate needs and personal desires of its members?