Cultures and

Organizations:
Software of the Mind
By Geert Hofstede
Presented by:
Natalie Balaziuk, Beth
Roszkowski, Michelle Yeager

Hofstedes Background

Born in Netherlands in
1928
Founded and managed
the Personnel Research
Department of IBM
Europe
Co-founder of IRIC
(Institute for Research on
Intercultural Cooperation
Most cited non-American
in the field of
Management in the US
Social Sciences Citation
Index

Software of the Mind 101

Hofstedes intent
Mental Programs: Software of the
Mind
Three levels of Mental Programs
What does this mean?
Memory and Forgetting
(Knowledge Structures)

Studies

IBM Study
Conducted in 1974
IBM employees-50
countries and 3
multicountry
regions
National Cultures
Dimensions

IRIC Study
Conducted 19851987
20 organizational
units in 2 countries
Organizational
Culture
Dimensions

Dimensions of National
Culture

Power Distance
Individualism vs. Collectivism
Masculinity vs. Femininity
Uncertainty Avoidance
Confucian Dynamism (Long-term
orientation vs. Short-term
orientation)

Power Distance

Large Power
Distance
Employees afraid
of bosses
Depend on their
bosses
Large emotional
distance

Small Power
Distance
Approach and
challenge bosses
Bosses consult
with staf
Small emotional
distance

Individualism vs.
Collectivism

Individualism
Interests of the
individual outweigh
the interests of the
group
Individual is
independent
One must look
after
himself/herself

Collectivism
Interests of the
group outweigh
the interests of
the individual
Group is ones
identity
Group=protection

Individualism vs.
Collectivism (Ranking)
Individualism

Personal time
Freedom
Challenge

Collectivism

Training
Physical
conditions
Use of skills

Masculinity vs. Femininity

Masculinity

Social gender roles

are defined
Men are assertive &
tough
Women are modest
& concerned with
quality of life
High diference
between the genders

Femininity

Social gender roles

overlap
Men and women are
both modest &
concerned with
quality of life
Little diference
between genders

Masculinity vs. Femininity

(Ranking)
Masculinity

Earnings
Recognition
Advancement
Challenge

Femininity

Manager
Cooperation
Living area
Employment
security

Uncertainty Avoidance

Strong uncertainty avoidance vs.

Weak uncertainty avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance Risk
avoidance
Unique coping mechanisms
Stress among men and women

Confucian Dynamism

AKA- long-term vs. short-term

orientation
5th dimension revealed through
another study- Chinese value survey
(CVS)
Administered to 100 students in 23
countries
Findings of study
Related to economic growth

Confucian Dynamism
(Ratings)
Long-term orientation

Persistence
Ordering relationships
by status and
observing this order
Thrift
Having a sense of
shame
=High economic
growth

Short-term orientation

Personal steadiness
and stability
Protecting ones face
Respect for tradition
Reciprocation of
greetings, favors, and
gifts
=Less economic growth

IRIC Study

IBM vs. IRIC

National Values vs. Organizational
Practices
Organizational Practices as
Communities of Practice

Dimensions of
Organizational Practice

Process-Oriented vs. ResultsOriented

Employee-Oriented vs. Job-Oriented
Parochial vs. Professional
Open System vs. Closed System
Loose Control vs. Tight Control
Pragmatic vs. Normative

Practical Implications
of IRIC Findings

Structural Changes
Process Changes
Personnel Changes
Cultural Training

Critiques
Positive

Well reviewed
Hofstede
succeeds in his
main goal
Timely publication
of Cultures
Consequences

Negative

Limits of study
Sweeping
generalizations
Western bias
IRIC studycriticisms

Discussion

Where do you think the United States ranks

among the five dimensions of national culture?
Do you think national values can change over
time?
What are the practical implications of these
findings?
Do you think that increasing globalization and
advancements in technology will lead to a
narrower spectrum of national values?
Is it possible for someone to identify with more
than one national culture?

Sources Consulted:
Bing, John W. (2004). Hofstedes consequences: The impact of his work on
consulting and business practices. Academy of Management
Executive, 18 (1), 80-87.

Hofstede, Geert. (1991). Cultures & organizations: Software of the mind:

Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival. New York:
McGraw-Hill.

Hofstede, Geert. Geert Hofstede about himself. (n.d.) Retrieved November

2004 from http://spitswww.uvt.nl/web/iric/hofstede/index.htm
Hoppe, Michael H. (2004). An interview with Geert Hofstede. Academy of
Management Executive, 18 (1), 75-79.

International Business Center. Geert Hofstede. (n.d.) Retrieve November

2004 from
http://geert-hofstede.international-business-center.com/

Sources Consulted (cont.):

Kieser, Alfred. (1994). Book reviews. Organization Studies, 15 (3), 457-461.

Mintu, Alma T. (1993). Cultures and organizations. Journal of International

Business
Studies, 23 (2), 362-366.

Mumford, Alice. (1992). Cultures and organizations. Industrial & Commercial

Training, 24 (2), vi-vii.

Sndergaard, Mikael. (1994). Research note: Hofstedes consequences: a study of

reviews, citations, and replications. Organization Studies, 15 (3), 447-456.

Torrington, Derek. (1992). Book reviews. Employee Relations, 14 (3), 71-72.

Triandis, Harry C. (1993). Reviews on cultural phenomena. Administrative Science

Quarterly, 38 (1), 132-135.