This document discusses Geert Hofstede's research on cross-cultural dimensions that impact organizational behavior internationally. It summarizes Hofstede's identification of four dimensions - uncertainty avoidance, masculinity-femininity, individualism-collectivism, and power distance - from a large IBM study. A fifth dimension of long-term versus short-term orientation was later added. Each dimension is then defined in terms of its impact on cultural values and societal functioning. The document concludes that while these dimensions provide a model for cultural variations, no cultures or individuals are exactly alike.

1. Organizational Behavior
Module 10: International Organizational Behavior
BBA SEM 2

2. Introduction
• With multi-nationalization and globalization come differences in
nationality and culture that can have major effects on micro, meso,
and macro organizational behavior
• Today’s managers must take international differences seriously if they
expect to compete and succeed in global markets

3. International Dimensions
• Dutch researcher, Geert Hofstede, discovered that most differences
among national cultures were described by four cross-cultural
dimensions:
1. Uncertainty avoidance
2. Masculinity-femininity
3. Individualism-collectivism
4. Power distance
• In later research, Canadian researcher Michael Harris Bond,
uncovered a fifth dimension-
5. Long-term/short-term orientation

4. A ground-breaking study
Geert Hofstede surveyed 116,000 employees in IBM offices
located in 40 countries throughout the world.
Uncertainty
Avoidance
Masculinity -
Femininity
Individualism
- Collectivism
Power
Distance
Long-term /
Short-term
Orientation

5. 1) Uncertainty Avoidance
• The degree to which people are comfortable with ambiguous situations and with the
inability to predict future events with assurance is called uncertainty avoidance.
• People with weak uncertainty avoidance feel comfortable even though they are unsure
about current activities or future events.
• People with strong uncertainty avoidance are most comfortable when they feel a sense of
certainty about the present and future.
2) Masculinity-Femininity
• Hofstede used the term masculinity to refer to the degree to which a culture is founded
on values that emphasize independence, aggressiveness, dominance, and physical
strength.
• Femininity according to Hofstede, describes a society’s tendency to favor such values as
interdependence, compassion, empathy, and emotional openness.
• Together, the extremes of masculinity and femininity delineate the dimension of
masculinity-femininity in Hofstede’s analysis of cross-cultural differences.

6. 3) Individualism-Collectivism
• According to Hofstede, individualism-collectivism is a dimension that traces cultural tendencies to
emphasize either satisfying personal needs or looking after the needs of the group.
• From the viewpoint of individualism, pursuing personal interests is seen as being more important
and succeeding in the pursuit of these interests is critical to both personal and societal well-being.
• The collectivist perspective emphasizes that group welfare is more important than personal
interests.
• The members of collectivist national cultures tend to ignore personal needs for the sake of their
groups, ensuring group welfare even if personal hardships must be endured.
4) Power Distance
• Power distance is a dimension that reflects the degree to which the members of a society
accept differences in power and status among themselves.
• Power distance influences attitudes and behaviors by affecting the way that a society is held
together.

7. 5) Short-Term/Long-Term Orientation
• The dimension of short-term/long-term orientation reflects the extent to which the
members of a national culture are oriented toward the recent past and the present
versus oriented toward the future
• The short-term orientation supports immediate consumption and opposes the
deferral of pleasure and satisfaction
• A longer-term orientation favors the opposite strategy, that is, doing what is
necessary now whether pleasant or unpleasant, for the sake of future well-being

8. Conclusion
The five dimensions introduced in this chapter form a
model that highlights important differences among
national cultures. As you use this model in the future
remember that each dimension simplifies the kinds of
variations that exist among the world’s national cultures.
No Stereotyping:
Whether comparisons are made within a single national culture or
across different national cultures, no two organizations are exactly
alike. Likewise no two people in the world hold exactly the same
beliefs and values . Thus the discussions in this chapter necessarily
involved generalization.