Four Dimensions Of Cultural Analysis

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INTRODUCTION

CULTURE is a set of beliefs, rules, institutions, practices and customs that distinguish members of one group or category of people from others. It also encompasses group’s behaviour, interactions, techniques as well as its understanding of the society.
The word ‘culture’ has three meanings: "Culture" hails from the Latin word “cultura” which is derived from "colere" that means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture.
Edward B. Taylor, an English anthropologist was the first to coin the term 'culture' in the eighteenth century. He defined culture as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society”.
Metaphorically …show more content…

Different layers of culture exist at the following levels :
• The national level: Associated with the nation as a whole.
• The regional level: Associated with ethnic, linguistic, or religious differences that exist within a nation.
• The gender level: Associated with gender differences (female vs. male)
• The generation level: Associated with the differences between grandparents and parents, parents and children.
• The social class level: Associated with educational opportunities and differences in occupation.
• The corporate level: Associated with the particular culture of an organization. Applicable to those who are employed.
Culture can be viewed in terms of both what one does and how one thinks based on their beliefs, traditions, customs, norms, and even religion (Hofstede,1980). Professor Geert Hofstede, a Dutch cultural researcher, has conducted the most known research and theory about five cultural dimensions that can be used to compare cultures and for categorizing them. The study was carried out internationally in 1960s and 1970s among employees working for IBM. The collected results made a ground-breaking theory in cultural studies. Hofstede started with the 40 largest countries and altogether over 80 countries have now been analyzed. He discovered the first four dimensions of national culture which included Power Dis- tance (PDI), Individualism/Collectivism …show more content…

A high Power Distance Index score indicates that a society involves an unequal distribution of power, has a tall hierarchy and everybody has a place in the system and needs no justification. In high power distance societies, such as many Latin American countries, most of African and Asian counties, and most counties in the Mediterranean area, people generally accept power as an integral part of the society. A Low Power Distance Index score means that value equality, democracy and people are free to question question or challenge authority. eg Nordic Countries, UK, USA, Germany

Individualism vs.

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