Cultural Dimensions
"Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster." - Dr. Geert Hofstede

After working for six years as a clinical psychologist at BM, both collecting and analyzing data from over 100,000 individuals from forty different counties, Hofstede became interested in the sociology of communication between people of different cultures. An expert, Hofstede's influential wisdom on the interactions between national cultures and organization cultures begot a model identifying five dimensions to differentiate cultures; these dimensions, particularly as they relate to strategy, team communications, influence tactics, and conflict management, are integral in analyzing the cultural communications of such vastly different states as the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and Spain.

n his work, Gert Hofstede demonstrated that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the different dynamics of behavior in organizations, both corporate and civic. Hofstede acknowledged power…...

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Ibid.

"Spain." <  http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/spain.htm >

Ibid.

Cultural Dimensions
Cultural Differences/Similarities

Both France and Greece are Mediterranean countries in Europe. They are both part of the EU and have a shared Western Civilization heritage. Both have moderately high power distance and uncertainty avoidance. However, France scores much higher for individualism and Greece for masculinity. Hofstede does not outline time horizon for Greece; France scores as a short-term time horizon society.

II. Cultural Dimensions

There are five dimensions under Hofstede. Power distance "expresses the attitude of the culture towards the inequalities amongst us." A high power distance country would be more accepting of these differences. The second dimension is individualism. This reflects "the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members." A high individualism society has members who reflect their self-image as I, rather than we. The third dimension in masculinity/femininity. This dimension defines masculinity as desiring achievement and success, with femininity oriented towards caring for others and quality of life.…...

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References:

Heritage Foundation. (2013). 2013 Index of economic freedom. Heritage Foundation. Retrieved April 8, 2013 from  http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking 

Geert Hofstede: France. (2013). Retrieved April 8, 2013 from  http://geert-hofstede.com /france.html

Geert Hofstede: Greece. (2013). Retrieved April 8, 2013 from

Based on the competitive nature of the business environment, strict formalities had to be kept up in order not to go beyond the boundaries of good business ethics and practices.
The final dimension was created after the first initial four and later adopted by Holfstede into his dimensional structure of cultural organizations. This dimension is associated with the group being more associated with long or short-term orientation. Companies with more long-term associations have employees and group members who have been a part of the particular organization for an extended period of time. Typically, these types of organizations present a collected look to the future on behalf of all of the members. This is based on the idea that the members expect to still be a part of the group in any particular point in the future. Therefore, long-term strategies can become fruitful, with several group members working hard for a…...

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References

Holfstede, Geert, (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. Sage Publications.

Importantly, there is a certain structure and decorum involved in business negotiations. For example, the atmosphere is usually relaxed and contemplative and "…periods of silence are not uncommon and are an essential part of negotiating" (Doing usiness in Poland | Polish Social and usiness Culture). Consequently, small talk is not seen as part of the negotiating situation. However, before a business meeting casual conversation is usually part of the process.
5. Conclusion: Recommendations

In terms of the above analysis a number of central aspects emerge. The most significant is the Polish respect for authority and hierarchy which must be balanced against their strong sense of individuality. Small points of etiquette, such as shaking hands and addressing people formally at first, are also important to remember.

In the final analysis, the most important aspect of interacting with someone for Warsaw is to not only be aware of their customs but also to be…...

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Bibliography

About Poland, viewed 15 December, 2011,

Batorska-Miller, K 2007, Understanding communication and body language of polish people, viewed 15 December, 2011,  http://www.helium.com/items/550690-understanding-communication-and-body-language-of-polish-people .

Corruption through our Culture (based on Geert Hofstede Analysis 2011, viewed 15 December, 2011, <  http://imsingh1999-mannu.blogspot.com/2011/05/corruption-through-our-culture.html >.

Cross Cultural Business. Doing Business with Poland: Do They Know It's Lunchtime?, viewed 15 December, 2011, .

S. scored 40. The Turks still distrust although they know well how to hide it. Turkey scored 45 in femininity vs. masculinity. Holfstede used feminine values of modesty and caring and masculine values of assertiveness and competitiveness to arrive at this score. Masculinity differs from the macho image. When the difference is not recognized, Turkey rated lower than if it was recognized. Compare with Japan, which got the highest score at 98% and Sweden at only 5% (McPherson).
In conducting research on national cultures, one must keep in mind that averages do not relate to individuals in a country or destination under study. Even if Holfstede's model has proved accurate quite often in general population studies, a researcher must be careful not to assume that all the individuals or even regions with subcultures, necessarily fit. Research can only serve as guide to understanding differences between countries. It does not set a…...

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Agnarella, Paul J.M. Turkey. Countries and Their Cultures: Advameg, Inc., 2011.

Retrieved on December 14, 2011 from  http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Turkey.html 

Beyazit, Eda et al. Evaluating Istanbul in the Process of European Capital of Culture

2010. 42nd ISoCaRP Congress. International Society of City and Regional Planning,

Geert Hofstede: Cultural Dimensions
Please define Power Distance in one sentence and summarize the differences (if any) in Power Distance among France, Italy, Arab World and Indonesia.

People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification, but in societies with low power distance, people strive to equalize the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power. France, Indonesia and the Arab World all score high on the Power Distance scale compared to Italy, which makes them more authoritarian societies.

With a score of 68, France scores high on the scale of the PDI, compared to Italy which has a score of 53. It is therefore a society in which inequalities are accepted. Hierarchy is needed if not existential; the superiors may have privileges and are often inaccessible. Power is highly centralized in France, as…...

Managing Cultural Diversity: Hofstede's Five Cultural Dimensions Applied to the U.S. And Cuba
Cuba Relations Background

Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - U.S.

Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - Cuba

Country Comparisons

Implications for Rescue orkers

This paper analyzes the history and cultural differences between the United States and Cuba using Hostede's cultural scale. Cuba and the U.S. have a long history of political tension which manifested in a trade embargo being issued against Cuba. This not only a source of tension between the Americans and Cubans but nearly every nation that is a member of the United Nations has consistently voted to lift the embargo except Israel and some island called Palau which has accepted the U.S. position. Not only are there staunch political differences, the cultural differences are estimated to be nearly polar opposites; especially on the criteria of the individualism cultural dimension. It was concluded that if these two cultures had to cooperate for any reason on…...

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Works Cited

ITIM International. Geert Hofstede ™ Cultural Dimensions - Venezuela. 2011. Web. 12 September 2011.

-- . Geert Hofstede ™ Cultural Dimensions Latin American Averages. 2011. Web. 12 September 2011.

-- . Geert Hofstede ™ Cultural Dimensions USA. 2011. Web. 12 September 2011.

Murray, M. Katrina aid from Cuba? No thanks, says U.S. 14 September 2005. Web. 12 September 2011.

S. (Matviuk, 2010). The Mexican managers believed that individuality (IDV) was essential for them to operate their factories successfully. The fact that their overseas senior management teams did not causes significant conflict. As a result, the Mexican managers chose to create more tacit and explicit knowledge programs so the senior management teams could see how much information was being lost due to their insistence on managing in a strict hierarchy (Matviuk, 2010). Using the Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimension the impasse was solved and more collaborative working arrangements were created.
A final example is one that illustrates how quickly the ussian economy shifted in the last two decades. esearchers using the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Model successfully counseled managers on how to navigate and manage their careers from state-run and often communist manufacturing centers to privately run and nationalized ones (Astakhova, DuBois, Hogue, 2010). This resulted in higher levels of effectiveness on…...

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References

Astakhova, M., DuBois, C., & Hogue, M.. (2010). A typology of middle managers in modern Russia: An intracultural puzzle. International Journal of Intercultural Relations: IJIR, 34(5), 527.

Francesca Auch, & Hedley Smyth. (2010). The cultural heterogeny of project firms and project teams. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 3(3), 443-461.

Hofstede, G.. (2009). Business goals for a new world order: beyond growth, greed and quarterly results. Asia Pacific Business Review, 15(4), 481.

Matviuk, S.. (2010). A Correlational Study of Culture and Leadership Expectations in a Mexican Manufacturing Plant. The Business Review, Cambridge, 15(1), 14-19.

Schwartz Values -- Conformity

Again, a paradigm shift between the old (traditional) ways and the new (seeing more Western influence

Tend to conform and obey clearer rules and structures; obeying parents, preserving the world as it is; no drastic changes.

Former ally, urban (non-conformist) versus rural (conformist); now non-conforming groups, fringe groups, opinions, blogs, political parties, social networking, clubs, etc. abound -- diversity is king; but there is a confrontation in this with advertising and media, which seeks to "sell" conformity in image.

EFEENCES

Hodgetts, ., et.al. (2005). International Management: Culture, Strategy and Behavior. New York: McGraw Hill.

Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

House, et.al., (1998). Cultural Influences on Leadership and Organizations. Project Globe. etrieved from: http://www.thunderbird.edu/wwwfiles/sites/globe/pdf/process.pdf

Killick, D. (2004). "Developing Awareness and Transforming Experience." Leeds

Metropolitan University. Cited in:

http://www.aiec.idp.com/pdf/Killick,%20David.pdf

Knoppen, D. And Saris, W. (2009). Do we have to combine Values in the Schwartz' Human Values…...

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REFERENCES

Hodgetts, R., et.al. (2005). International Management: Culture, Strategy and Behavior. New York: McGraw Hill.

Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

House, et.al., (1998). Cultural Influences on Leadership and Organizations. Project Globe. Retrieved from:  http://www.thunderbird.edu/wwwfiles/sites/globe/pdf/process.pdf 

Killick, D. (2004). "Developing Awareness and Transforming Experience." Leeds

multicultural business environment, Geert Hofstede's cultural dimension provide an interesting framework by which to understand the management function. Hofstede proposed that there are five dimensions along which cultures differ -- power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, and time horizon. Managers today must understand each of these dimensions, because they closely relate to how well the workers in the company are going to respond to management challenges.
Hofstede's Dimensions

Since their inception, Hofstede's dimensions have come under scrutiny by the academic community, even though people in business have found them particularly useful to put intercultural interactions into their appropriate context. Hofstede (2011) himself notes that the dimensions are aggregate, and should not be placed on any given individual, because while some individuals more readily fit the dimensions, every individual is different and it is risky to assume that there is going to always be a perfect fit. What…...

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References

Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing cultures: the Hofstede model in context. Psychology and Culture. Article 8, retrieved April 24, 2014 from  http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014 

Minkov, M. & Hofstede, G. (2011). The evolution of Hofstede's doctrine. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal. Vol. 18 (1) 10-20.

Taras, V., Kirkman, B. & Steel, P. (2014). Examining the impact of culture's consequences. University of North Carolina

Jones, R., Lyu, J., Runyan, R., Fairhurst, A., Kim, Y., Jolly, L. (2014). Cross cultural consensus: Development of the universal leadership model. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management. Vol. 42 (4)

Cultural Experience
Description

The event is more a series of events. I went on vacation with some friends to Miami, and while not everything I experienced on that trip would count as a cultural experience, there is little question that there were some very different experiences. There was the visit to the Haitian restaurant, for example, but the event that stands out the most was my visit to Calle Ocho, the old Cuban neighborhood. As Korean student I find it challenging enough to deal with mainstream American culture, but Hispanic culture is completely different again, so this experience provided me with an interesting counterpoint to my usual experiences in the United States.

In this neighborhood, if people can speak English they do not admit it. There are coffee windows where strong, sugary shots of Cuban coffee and cafe con leche are dispensed to passers-by in a hurry. There are old men playing dominos…...

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Works Cited:

Devine, P. (1989). Stereotypes and prejudice: Their automatic and controlled components. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol. 56 (1) 5-18.

Geert Hofstede.com (2012). National culture. Geert-Hofstede.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012 from  http://geert-hofstede.com 

Hofstede, G. (1983). The cultural relativity of organizational practices and theories. Journal of International Business Studies. Vol. 14 (Fall 1983) 75-89.

Mallol, C., Holtom, B. & Lee, T. (2007). Job embeddedness in a culturally diverse environment. Journal of Business Psychology. Vol. 22, 35-44.

Cultural Briefing Document Zurich Switzerland
The LJ Products Co. is proud to announce that one of our executive staff will be joining our staff in Zurich Switzerland in January of 2012. Mr. Didier Burkhalter will be joining our Zurich staff as chief financial officer. Mr. Burkhalter will report directly to the CEO and other members of the board. To make Mr. Burkhalter feel welcome in his new position it is requested that all staff members read the following briefing prior to his arrival and that they become familiar with the customs of Mr. Burkhalter's country of origin. All staff members should extend Mr. Burkhalter a warm welcome by familiarizing themselves with his customs. The following summarizes many of the customs of Swiss society, using American culture as a reference point.

Cultural Dimensions

Hofstede's cultural dimensions is the most widely used system for developing a framework that assesses national cultures and organizational cultures. Hofstede's…...

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References

COMMUNICAID GROUP LTD. 2009. Doing Busineass in Switzerland: Swiss Social and Business Culture. [online] Available from: [accessed to December 2011}.http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Switzerland.pdf

EDIPLOMAT. 2011. Switzerland. [online] Available from:   [accessed to December 2011}.http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_ch.htm 

EXPATICA. 2011. Management Culture in Switzerland. Expatica.com. [online] Available from:   [accessed to December 2011}.http://www.expatica.com/ch/employment/employment_information/Management-culture-in-Switzerland_13331.html 

HOFSTEDE, G. 2001. Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. (2nd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Cultural Distance: How Is it Measured, And How it Impact on Global Marketing Operations
The persistence of cultural distances is relevant for the global multinational marketing operations exposed to multiple cultures in their everyday activities. This indicates that marketing across border introduces complexities because it forces global marketers to tailor their approaches and practices to each cultural context they carry out their business activities. As a result, this paper will discuss concepts applicable to different aspects of cross-border operations. The primary focus of the paper is on multinational business corporations (Baumann, 2007).

This study shows how Hofstede's model is still the most relevant piece of reference for a successive cross-cultural analysis despite it being a widely criticized. The paper compares and contrasts Hofstede's famous concepts with Turner and Schwartz, Trompenaars and Hampden's valued inventory. It will attempt to provide empirical evidence of how cultural diversity influences the global markets by giving illustrations…...

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References

Baumann, A. (2007). Influences of culture on the style of business behavior between Western and Arab managers. Mu-nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Baumu-ller, M. (2007). Managing cultural diversity: An empirical examination of cultural networks and organizational structures as governance mechanisms in multinational corporations. Bern: Lang.

Cavusgil, T. & Ghauri, P.N. (2009). New challenges to international marketing. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Curry, J.E. (2009). A short course in international marketing: Approaching and penetrating the global marketplace. Petaluma, CA: World Trade Press.

Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas:
Steve Kafka, franchisor for Chicago Style Pizza

Steve Kafka, a proprietor of Chicago Style Pizza, a U.S.-based franchise, is attempting to capitalize upon his Czech heritage, and knowledge of Czech culture and language to expand into Prague and take advantage of a largely untapped pizza market in the region. However, it is critical that Steve does not forget that, despite his familiarity with Czech culture, he was born in the United States and must orient himself to the unique cultural worldview of the Czech nation

Major differences and incompatibilities between cultures and risk mitigation

Perhaps the most significant difference between the U.S. And Czech business culture is a historical one, namely the legacy of communist rule in the Czech epublic. "All commentators on Czech business culture focus on the difficulty of developing deep levels of trust within any business relationship" (Doing business in Czech epublic, 2010, World Business…...

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References

Czech Republic. (2010). Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Retrieved December 10, 2010 at  http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_czech_republic.shtml 

Czech Republic. (2010). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved December 10, 2010 at  http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3237.htm 

Doing business in Czech Republic. (2010). World Business Culture. Retrieved December 10,

2010 at  http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Czech-Business-Style.html

At the same time, it considerably increased the number of books that would reach the masses, allowing them to see outside the teachings of the Church or of the religious preachers. Moreover, the printing machine offered the possibility for those opposing the rule of the Catholic Church to spread their beliefs and convictions. Thus, Gutenberg's invention was the main tool for what would later be called the Reformation, the religious movement which is often associated with the Renaissance and which influenced the artistic movement in the same manner as the Renaissance affected the emergence of the reformist churches.
The hallmarks of the previous era were rather obvious and contrasted to the ones the Renaissance promoted. They manifested themselves at all the levels of the society. Thus, during the middle Ages, the Church represented the highest institution of the state which had as its subjects all political and land owners (Berstein…...

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Works Cited

Berstein, Serge, and Milza. Pierre. Histoire de l'Europe. Paris: Hatier, 1994

Braunstein, Florence, and Pepin, Jean Francois. Les Grandes Doctrines. Paris: Ellipses, 1998

Culture-Epoch Theory: The fact of Ceaseless Change. N.d. 20 May 2008 http://iws.ccccd.edu/mbailey/culture_epoch_theory.htm

Hispanic Society. Paintings from the Middle Ages. 2006. 20 May 2008  http://www.hispanicsociety.org/hispanic/paintings_medieval.htm

Unit Lesson Essay Topic Ideas

History

The Causes and Consequences of the American Civil War: Analyze the complex factors that led to the outbreak of the American Civil War and explore its far-reaching social, political, and economic consequences.
The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on European Society: Examine the technological, economic, and social changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution, considering its effects on workers, urbanization, and the balance of power.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire: Investigate the reasons for the rise and eventual decline of the Roman Empire, analyzing its political, social, military, and economic strengths and....

Thesis statement: Despite centuries of historical and religious claims, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over land ownership since 1948 should be resolved through a just and mutually agreed upon solution, acknowledging the rights and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians to coexist peacefully in their respective homelands. Some other possible thesis statement ideas could include:
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not just a political dispute over land, but also a deeply rooted clash of national identities and narratives that must be reconciled in order to achieve lasting peace.
- A comprehensive and inclusive approach to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must address the economic, social,....

One recent news story in Canada that could be analyzed sociologically using concepts or theories is the controversy surrounding the recent discovery of unmarked graves at former residential school sites. This news has brought to light the long-standing issue of systemic racism and cultural genocide against Indigenous peoples in Canada.

In analyzing this news story, one could apply sociological concepts such as structural functionalism, conflict theory, or postcolonial theory to understand the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous communities. One could also examine the role of power and privilege in perpetuating inequality and marginalization of Indigenous peoples within Canadian....

Approaches to Cross-Cultural Communication

Theories and Models: Examine different theories and models of cross-cultural communication, such as Hofstede's cultural dimensions, Trompenaars' cultural orientations, and Gudykunst's uncertainty reduction theory.
Cultural Intelligence: Explore the concept of cultural intelligence, its components, and how it impacts effective communication across cultures.
Language and Communication: Analyze the role of language in cross-cultural communication, including linguistic barriers, translation challenges, and nonverbal cues.

Cultural Differences and Challenges

Cultural Values and Norms: Examine the influence of cultural values and norms on communication behavior, such as the role of hierarchy, collectivism vs. individualism, and time orientation.
Perception and Attribution: Discuss how....