Hofstede's Dimensions Of Culture

Cultures are very important in understanding them in a work environment.

Since always national cultures have always generated different cultural value systems.

Value systems are normally generated by different factors such as :a specific coception or specific beliefs which can be shaping a particular society.

Cultures can differ from each other and each of them have different standards such as different behaviors towards a scene,traditions or even the way the comunication is dealt.

These type of standards can sometimes be seen irrelevant by some people or even a threat by others bringing sometimes cultural gaps in a worforce.

In a work environement,the vast variety of culural structures interacting togheter can increase the probability of

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture The first approach that I will talk about is the Culture dimensions made by Professor Geert Hofstede.

Hofstede is a dutch man who has developed a model which interpretates the cultural diversity, known as the Hofstede Dimension of Culture Model.

The model is based on a statistical research which was begun by Hofstede in the early '70s and is still constantly updated.

The first research was conducted based on 116,000 questionnaires in about fifty countries and nowadays the available data is concerning approxametly hundred countries.

The Hofstede model is the only approach of its kind that uses a statistical approach based on a so vast mass of data.

The Hofstede model is internationally recognized as a reference point for anyone who approaches to issues where cultural differences come into play.

In summary, the model identifies five dimensions.

For each country examined, the model indicates whether the value is generally present within the observed culture and a measure which shows how high or low the value is.

The main site of Hofstede offers as well the opportunity to compare between other

Trompenaars has classified national culture within a system of dimensions, some of which are retracable to the model made by Geert Hofstede.

Trompenaars has focused on the management of culture, in order to enrich the knowledge between western and eastern mentalities.

Compared to the approach adopted by Hofstede,Fons Trompenaars has made a more detailed and has given a major importance in the dimensions made by Hofstede.

Trompenaars has defined culture as "the way a human group solve its problems".

As stated before Trompenaars has took the theory of Hofstede and modified it with the contribution of Charles Hampden-Turner.

Fons Trompenaars has made the 7 dimensions of cultural.

The model of Trompenaars is a mix between organizational and national cultures.

Trompenaars to create the theory, he has used a database containing approximately more than 30000 surveys.

The 7 cultural dimensions are :

1. Universalism vs. Particularism

2. Individualism vs. Collectivism

3. Neutral vs. Affective