Culture is defined as the learned behaviors, values, and beliefs shared by a society. It encompasses symbols, heroes, rituals, values, norms, and expressions. Hofstede's model identifies key dimensions of culture including power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs collectivism, masculinity vs femininity, and long vs short-term orientation. While useful for business, Hofstede's model has limitations and culture is complex with intracultural differences existing within societies. Understanding cultural distance is important for international business.

1. CULTURECULTURE
AND SOCIALAND SOCIAL
FORCESFORCES

2. CULTURE DEFINITIONCULTURE DEFINITION
AntropologyAntropology
•Studies human behavior
Cultural antropologyCultural antropology
•Examines all learned behaviors, including social, linguistic, and
family behaviors.
CultureCulture
•Encompasses the entire heritage of a society transmitted orally,
via literature, or in any other form. Includes all traditions,
morals, habits, religion, art, and language.

3. What is culture?
“Culture is the integrated sum total of learned behavioral
traits that are shared by members of a society” (Hoebel)
“Culture is the entirety of societal knowledge, norms and
values” (Antonides and Van Raaij)
“Culture is the collective mental programming of the
people in an environment. Culture is not a characteristic
of individuals; it encompasses a number of people who
were conditioned by the same education and life
experience” (Hofstede)
Culture both affects and describes human
behavior,
it is essential in international marketing and
international business

4. Fundamentals of culture
•Culture is a total pattern of behavior that is
consistent and compatible in its components. It is not
a collection of random behaviors…
•Culture is a learned behavior. It is not biologically
transmitted. It depends on environment, not heredity.
•Culture is behavior that is shared by a group of
people, a society. It is a distinctive way of life.

5. Culture vs. personality
Personality is the individual’s unique personal set of mental
programs that he/she does not share with any other human
being.
Culture is what members of a group have in common. “It is
the glue that binds groups together” (De Mooij)
Human nature depends on culture: ideas, values, acts, emotions… are cultural
products. Cultural patterns help people to live together in a society.

6. Manifestations of culture
SymbolsSymbols
HeroesHeroes
RitualsRituals
ValueValue
s ands and
NormsNorms
ExpressionExpression
s of cultures of culture

7. Symbols
Symbols are words, gestures, pictures, or objects
that carry a particular meaning recognized only by
those who share a culture.
This is the most superficial manifestation of culture.
New symbols are easily developed and old ones
quickly disappear.
Symbols from one cultural group are regularly
copied by others.

8. Heroes
Heroes are people, alive or dead, real or imaginary, who
possess characteristics that are highly prized in a society.
They serve as role models for behavior.
They can become globally known, but their stories often
become local.

9. Rituals
Rituals are the collective activities considered socially
essential within a culture.
They are carried out for their own sake.
They are easily observed, but not always understood.

10. Values
Values are at the core of culture.
Values are stable beliefs regarding desired behavior or end
states.
They often have a religious, ideological or humanistic
background.
Goals are derived from values.
Values are among the first things children learn, not
consciously but implicitly.
Core values are resistant to globalization; they vary across
cultures and are not likely to change frequently.

11. Norms
Norms and values are part of the “non-material”
culture.
Norms are beliefs regarding how to behave and
how not to behave (do’s and don’ts).
People differ in the extent to which they accept
and comply with norms.
They create expectations and criteria regarding
the conduct of others.

12. BUSINESS AND RELIGIONBUSINESS AND RELIGION
Western religionsWestern religions – based on christianity and judaism: Hard
work, thrift and simple lifestyle. Christmas
Kosher diets – orthodox jews not pork – meat and milk not at the
same time. Coca-cola separate ads in conservarive dress. Cell
phone just with voice service
ISLAMISLAM: Koran – Haddith authorative collection of sayings reported
by Mohammed and sunna (way of life). Based on the Halal
(acceptable islamic law for products).
Eastern religionsEastern religions: Hinduism – doctrine of rebirth; confucianism is
not a religion but is the greatest China’s sages – respect for one’s
parents and for education; buddhism

13. BUSINESS AND FAMILYBUSINESS AND FAMILY
Low-trust societyLow-trust society: Trust is only focused on immediate family members. Family
business
High-trust societyHigh-trust society – Trust in others without blood relation

14. BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONBUSINESS AND EDUCATION
It shapes people’s outlooks, desires and motivations.
Affects: The consumer level and the employee level
Less literacy – Different communication options – More challenge

15. ATTITUDES TOWARD TIMEATTITUDES TOWARD TIME
Monochronic culture: Activities are undertaken one at a time and
people respect schedules and agendas.
Polychronic culture: Multitasking is common, schedules and
agendas bend to the needs of people, and interruptions are
common
Temporal orientations: Society’s predominant time

16. WORK AND LEISURE TIMEWORK AND LEISURE TIME
Work or leisure?
Holidays + vacation days?

17. Hosfstede cultural
model
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gJzRS0I7tA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=wdh40kgyYOY

18. Hofstede’s cultural model
Hofstede’s 4D or 5D model
Quantitative and longitudinal study of cultural differences between
countries
Why some concepts of motivation do not work in all countries in the
same way
“Culture’s Consequences” and “Cultures and Organizations: Software of
the Mind”
Scores for each country explain why people and organizations in various
countries differ, comparative data.
Reference in international business and international marketing

19. Power distance (PDI)
High PDI vs. Low PDI
“the extent to which less powerful members of a society accept and
expect that power is distributed unequally”
Reflected in the values of both the less powerful and more powerful
members of society
Influences the way people accept and give authority
Shows class or social structure
Focuses on the degree of equality, or inequality, between people in
the country’s society

20. Uncertainty avoidance (UAI)
High UAI vs. Low UAI
“ the extent to which people feel threatened by uncertainty and
ambiguity and try to avoid these situations”
Strong UAI = need for rules and formality to structure life, search for
truth and belief in experts
Conflict and competition are threatening
Higher level of anxiety, show of emotions is accepted

21. Individualism (IDV)
Individualistic vs. Collectivistic
“people looking after themselves and their immediate family only, versus
people belonging to in-groups that look after them in exchange for loyalty”
“I”-conscious and “we”-conscious
Focuses on the degree the society reinforces individual or collective
achievement and interpersonal relationships
Distinguishes between societies where the group and being a member is
important (collectiveness) and societies where the group is less important
(individualism)

22. Masculinity (MAS)
Masculine vs. Feminine
“the dominant values in a masculine society are achievement and
success; the dominant values in a feminine society are caring for others
and quality of life”
Focuses on the degree the society reinforces, or does not reinforce, the
traditional masculine work role model of male achievement,
performance, control and power
Shows the importance of status in societies
Indicates the degree of gender differentiation and the importance of
masculine values (assertiveness, money, material goods, success…)

23. Long-term orientation (LTO)
Long-term vs. Short-term orientation
Chinese value survey, “Confucian dynamism”
“the extent to which a society exhibits a pragmatic future-oriented
perspective rather than a conventional historic or short-term point of view”
High LTO = perseverance, ordering relationships by status, thrift, sense of
shame, family ties, long-term thinking, paternalism
Focuses on the degree the society embraces, or does not embrace, long-
term devotion to traditional, forward thinking values
Indicates whether the country prescribes to the values of long-term
commitments and respect for tradition

24. 5D Model
0
100
100
100
100 100
PDI
UAI
IDVMAS
LTO
Work-related values to
consumption-related
values

25. Japanese culture
Classical dimensions: P-time culture, circular
time concept, high-context, high PDI, collectivistic,
masculine, strong UAI, long-term orientation
Other dimensions: pressure to behave like
neighbors, shame-based society, avoid jolting
social harmony, dependence, private opinions not
expressed, status is important (success) but avoid
standing out in a crowd, cash culture, thrift and
perseverance, strong role differentiation, education
(“how” instead of “why”), education has an intrinsic
value, obsession with cleanliness, harmony with
nature… (De Mooij)

26. American culture
Classical dimensions: M-time culture, linear time-
pattern, low-context, low PDI, individualistic, high
MAS, low UAI, short-term orientation
Other dimensions: success, obsession with
change (new and better), credit card culture,
education for competitiveness, independence,
ethnocentrism, strong role differentiation,
innovativeness, creativity, private opinions
expressed, education teaches students to be critical
(ask “why” not “how”), man must conquer nature, (De
Mooij)

27. Limits to Hofstede’s model
Generalization, reductive, simplistic (unproven and unprovable,
flawed assumptions, “storytelling”…)
Original objective: how values in the workplace are influenced
by culture
Three discrete cultures
• Organizational
• Occupational
• National
Questionnaire – quantitative data
Differences in location – intracultural differences, subcultures
?

28. Intracultural differences
Few cultures are homogeneous in terms of
cultural traits and norms
Consequence of globalization?
Intracultural differences (nationality, religion,
race, language or geographic areas) result in
the emergence of distinct subcultures
Existence of cross-cultural and intracultural
differences: opportunities and threats

29. To summarize on culture…
Culture is complex and multi-dimensional, but classification
is important in business
Cultural distance is essential in international business
Culture influences perceptions and drives how we
communicate and what we communicate
SRC and ethnocentrism can explain the failure of many
companies in the international arena
Acculturation (adjusting and adapting to a specific culture
other than one’s own) is one of the keys to success in
international operations