We are Different Background for understanding cultural variability in the world as described by Humanistic Geographers – Also questions Globalist View

We are Different

Background for understanding cultural variability in the world as described by

Humanistic Geographers – Also questions Globalist View of World

04/19/23 Hofstede's Dimensions 2

Learning Objectives

• Define and discuss culture

• Explore Hofstede’s view of world cultures

• Explore Todd’s view of families types around the world

• Perform exercise understanding how culture and family effects your own background


Culture is the “Collective Programming of the Mind”

Geert Hofstede (1980)

• Culture differentiates the motivation of different groups

• Culture gives meaning to an environment

– uses symbols and myths

• Culture shapes perceptions and behavior

– establishes norms and taboos


• In short CULTURE differentiates the actions of one group from another

• Thus CULTURE differentiates one group from another

• We are different because we act differently

Video Clip


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbELQIi-an4&feature=related




Culture’s Foundation

• Culture is based upon VALUES organized into PARADIGMS


Values -- broad preference for one state of affairs over others

• Create moral signposts• Inform proper Behavior by setting priorities• Values have an emotional commitment• Values are learned through socialization from

birth till death• Example: Honor thy father

– Value into a Paradigm – caring for your elderly parents, in some societies it is the Law.



Contrasting Values• American Values -- Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of

Happiness• French Revolutionary Values -- Life, Liberty, and

Land– Slightly different but critically

• Canadian Values – Peace, Order, and Good Government

• “Asian Confucian Values” – Responsibilities, Duties to the Group & Parents, not to the Individual

Asian Values


http://bigthink.com/videos/kishore-mahbubani-what-are-asian-values




Paradigm -- set of beliefs that organizes the way of interpreting

the world• Values are organized through paradigms

into a way of life

• A Social Paradigm contains survival information for maintaining a CULTURE


A Social Paradigm contains survival information for

maintaining a CULTURE

• Based on generations of experience

• Avoids dysfunctional behavior

• Difficult to dislodge -- definitions of REALITY are anchored in the paradigm and its values

• Guides and justifies the actions of a group


Class Activity – 5 Minute Activity

• Each group is to take a few minutes to describe a key American Value and factor in the American Social Paradigm.

• Second, can you identify any special (family, ethnic, religious…) factors making-up a personal Social Paradigm that some Americans may or may not share with the rest of your group?

An example of American Values & Paradigm


Skip to 1:20 for Senator John McCain’s statement http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=170525728&m=170530236

Listen and Identify Evidence for American Values and Paradigm

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=170525728&m=170530236

Social Paradigm example from the Amish

• The rules of the church — the Ordnung — must be observed by every member. These rules cover most aspects of day-to-day living, and include prohibitions or limitations on the use of power-line electricity, telephones, and automobiles, as well as regulations on clothing. Many Amish church members may not buy insurance or accept government assistance, such as Social Security http://www.americanamishcompany.com/history/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnung

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States)

Lack of Invidiualism among the Amish

• Two key concepts for understanding Amish practices are their rejection of Hochmut (pride, arrogance, haughtiness) and the high value they place on Demut (humility) and Gelassenheit (calmness, composure, placidity) — often translated as "submission" or "letting-be". Gelassenheit is perhaps better understood as a reluctance to be forward, to be self-promoting, or to assert oneself. The Amish's willingness to submit to the "Will of God", expressed through group norms, is at odds with the individualism so central to the wider American culture.

Amish society by John Andrew Hostetler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelassenheit


Questions• Are “Human Rights” a Western Value or

Reality?

• Does equality of the sexes lead to continuation of a society or breakup of the family?

• Why did Canada support “Gay Marriage” when many in the US opposed (or still oppose it?

• Should we elect or appoint leaders?

– Presidents, generals, teachers, judges

Obama’s Inaugural Address


Are there Universal Human Rights?

04/19/23 Hofstede's Dimensions 19http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz4STWEfWi4


Answer

• Different cultures answer these questions differently– draw on different sets of values– use different social paradigms– have different “REALITIES”

Why you don't hear Harper say 'God bless Canada' anymore

Hill Times OnlineAs Prime Minister Stephen Harper inches closer toward a

majority government, he has erased all religious references from his public speeches, hoping to broaden his appeal to those Canadians who cringe at even the very thought that religion could play any By RICHARD ALBERT

Published November 9, 2009 BOSTON—In the 2004 race to lead to the new Conservative Party, then-candidate Stephen Harper proudly concluded his speeches with "God bless Canada." Later as opposition leader and then as prime minister in a minority Parliament, Harper, an evangelical Christian, continued to close his public addresses with those three words—until the weeks leading up to last year's federal election campaign when polls suggested the Conservative Party http://www.thehilltimes.ca/page/view/albert-11-9-2009...


http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/harper-cp-9870945.jpg


Continuing

• Different cultures also have different– Economic cultures – note that Islamic Law

outlaws usury (bank loans)– Corporate Cultures (IBM vs. Mac or GM vs.

Toyota)– have different “REALITIES”


Geert Hofstede

• Each culture has a mainstream (great tradition) of values and social paradigm

• Cultures have internal variations (little traditions)

• However, differences between cultures are greater then differences within


Hofstede’s Dimensions: 5 Factors of Cultural Variation

1. Individualism vs. Collectivism

2. Power--Distance

3. Uncertainty Avoidance

4. Masculinity-- Femininity (Sex Differentiating)

5. Long Term Orientation -- Confucian Dynamism


. Individualism-Collectivism – the degree of individual or group orientation• Worship

independent actor• Stress Protestant

Ethic• Market Economies• Balanced-power

political systems• Policies initiative

based and apply to all

• Stress identity and roots

• Traditionalist ethic• Nonmarket

Economies• Unbalanced-power

political systems• Loyalty and Sense of

Duty



. Individualism-Collectivism – the degree of individual or group orientation• From country list note position of US, Canada, and

UK versus Japan, Hong Kong, Venezuela and Mexico

• Generally more economically developed countries have greater emphasis on individualism, but not always (see Japan) – more Manchester School “Liberalism”

• Way to map this is next slide …”Individualism correlates highly with contemporary level of economic development …correlation with per capita income is R = 0.82


Power Uncertainty Long-term

Distance Individualism Masculinity Avoidance Orientation

USA 40L 91H 62H 46L 29LGermany 35L 67H 66H 65M 31MJapan 54M 46M 95H 92H 80HFrance 68H 71H 43M 86H 30LNetherlands 38L 80H 14L 53M 44MHong Kong 68H 25L 57H 29L 96HIndonesia 78H 14L 46M 48L 25LWest Africa 77H 20L 46M 54M 16LRussia 95H 50M 40L 90H 10LChina 80H 20L 50M 60M 118H

Summary Table of Nine Countries Plus Hong KongUsed to investigate a number of countries around the world

From: http://www.pittstate.edu/mgmkt/culture.html


Green is Green is most most IndividualIndividual

Based On 9 CountriesHow well does this demonstrate the North-South

Divide?


Based On Larger SampleHow well does this demonstrate the North-South Divide?

Green is Green is most most IndividualIndividual



Power Distance – the extent to which members of an organization accept that power is distributed

unequally throughout the organization.

HIGH• Autocratic

Governments• Polarization of Right

and Left with weak Center

• Taxes protect wealthy• Religions stress

stratification

LOW• Majority Rules• Stable Government• Strong Center• Taxes redistribute

wealth• Religions stress

equality



Power Distance – the extent to which members of an organization accept that power is distributed

unequally throughout the organization.

• Again, From country list note position of US, Canada, and UK versus Japan, Hong Kong, Venezuela and Mexico (note that the listing of countries has remained constant)

• Less relationship to development, see especially France

• “A useful indicator of power-distance is the degree of income inequality within countries” See map

04/19/23 Hofstede's Dimensions 35Based on 9 CountriesHow well does this reflect a long history of popularly elected governments?

04/19/23 Hofstede's Dimensions 36Based on More CountriesHow well does this reflect a long history of popularly elected governments?



Uncertainty Avoidance (avoid risk) – describing how comfortable people feel towards ambiguity and risk.

HIGH• Dependence on

Government• Little tolerance for

citizen protest• Elaborate Legal

systems• More written rules• More ritual behavior

LOW• Citizen competence• Tolerance for citizen

protest• Casuistic approach to

legal issues• More pragmatic

thinking• Fewer written rules


Uncertainty -- Avoidance table not available


Uncertainty Avoidance – describing how comfortable people feel towards ambiguity and risk.

• Low U-A (don’t worry about risk) countries include the US, UK, CA, Scandinavia

• High U-A (avoid risk) countries include Latin America, Japan, former Soviet Union empire

04/19/23 Hofstede's Dimensions 41Based on 9 CountriesNote there is a pretty good relationship here with Annual Inflation Rate


Based on More CountriesNote there are more shades then indicated in legend. Green is Green is

most most AvoidanceAvoidance

Combination Uncertainty Avoidance and Individualism


Anglo-Saxon Values?

Asian Values?

Collectivist Values?

W. Europe Continenal Values?

•http://ausweb.scu.edu.au/aw03/papers/edwards2/paper.html What is the true value of online information?Chris Edwards, [HREF1] Digital Projects Leader, Asia Pacific Cluster, Scholarly Information Services/Library, Menzies Building No 2, Australian National University, [HREF 2] Acton, ACT 0200. e-mail:[email protected]


Masculinity-Femininity – expected outlook towards purpose of work & gender roles in a culture

(note femininity is not feminism)

• Aggressive pursuit of success -- Macho

• Income strong measure of self

• Jobs linked to gender roles – male jobs & female jobs

• Live to work

• Emphasis on caring and sharing & relationship building

• Focus on Quality of Life not just $

• Both are breadwinners• Work to live


Traits of Masculinity / Femininity

High Masculine Low Masculine (Feminine)

social norms ego oriented relationship oriented

money and things are important quality of life and people are important

live in order to work work in order to live

politics and economics economic growth high priority environment protection high priority

conflict solved through force conflict solved through negotiation

religion most important in life less important in life

only men can be priests both men and women as priests

work larger gender wage gap smaller gender wage gap

fewer women in management more women in management

preference for higher pay preference for fewer working hours

family and school traditional family structure flexible family structure

girls cry, boys don’t; boys fight, girls don’t both boys and girls cry; neither fight

failing is a disaster failing a minor accident


Femininity

Masculinity


Masculinity-Femininity – expected gender roles in a culture

• Note the distinct differentiation of Scandinavia in particular from most of the rest of Europe

• Japan is the opposite as is Venezuela • US falls near the mean with slight masculinity

while Canada almost exactly on it• Maps provided shows political participation by

gender


Based on More CountriesThe only Red Countries (more Feminine here are mainly in NW Europe)

Femininity

Masculinity



Confucian Dynamism/Future Orientation – the long or short term orientation of different cultures.

SHORT TERM•Bottom Line•Profitability•Quick returns•Boom and bust-- hire and fire workers

LONG TERM•Qualitative goals•Market share•Long term goals•Lifetime employment

04/19/23 Hofstede's Dimensions 51Based on 8 Countries

Note how well Confucian China and Japan standout, but not Muslim Indonesia


FactorVery Short Term--Mid Levle--Very Long Term

N

EW

S

Long Term Factor

Based on More CountriesNote country list is different here, yet pattern rather similar


Using Hofstede’s Dimensions

Hofstede’s own corporate site http://geert-hofstede.com/the-hofstede-centre.html

• A comparative tool on Hofestede’s site http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php

Maps of Hofstede’s Dimensions

• Unknown data set being displayed here

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-XdlbgFxZo

• Multiple videos illustrating the various dimensions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZqX0z3g5bE&list=PL5FB43779443E4AEF



Additional Internet Sites About Hofstede’s Dimensions

• “Hofstede’s Dimensions: A High Level Tool for Working Internationally.” Bing, John W. http://www.itapintl.com/hofstedesdimensions.htm

• Hofstede’s Dimensions http://www.pittstate.edu/mgmkt/culture.html

• Dimensions of Culture http://cwis.kub.nl/~fsw_2/iric/index2.htm

• December 2001 Compiled by Hazel Cameron, Business and Economics Librarian with assistance from Robyn Adcox, Reference Specialist, Western Washington University


From Family to Culture Regions: An explanation of cultural traditions

• Emmanuel Todd -- Family relations serve as the model for political systems by defining the relationship between the individual and authority

• Political Ideologies are no more than family relations writ large

• Values and paradigms are passed from one generation to the next

http://www.fujiwara-shoten.co.jp/graphy/todd.jpg


Todd’s 8 Family Types

• Absolute Nuclear

• Exogamous community

• Authoritarian

• Egalitarian

• Endogamous community

• Asymmetrical community

• Anomic

• African systems



Few Definitions

• Absolute Nuclear– kids socialized to individualized values– must strive to succeed and support own

individual nuclear family – preference for individual rights and liberty– laissez-faire liberalism (free market)– US, UK


• Authoritarian Family– paternalistic– inequality of brothers through inheritance– seen in German areas, Japan, Korea,…– authority guarantees security -- strong central

governments result

A standard of the Prussian Army used before 1807


• Exogamous Community Family– Equality of brothers and cohabitation of

married sons and parents– Found in Russian, Albania, Central Italy,

China, Vietnam

Albanian extended family


• African Family Systems– stable interpersonal relationship between

mother and children– polygamy– vertical patrimonial power relationships are

limited– cross community social organizations leading

to Western style democracy creates difficulties


References

• Hofstede, Geert. 1980. Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. Sage: Beverly Hills.

• Todd, Emmanuel. 1985. The Explanation of Ideology. Basil Blackwell: Oxford.

Documents

We are Different Background for understanding cultural variability in the world as described by Humanistic Geographers – Also questions Globalist View