!! : Please download the PowerPoint file, because there are some animations (particularly for the second-to-last slide which you would not understand without the animations). Content: Explanation of the concept of Power Distance introduced by Geert Hofstede.

1. POWER DISTANCE

2. Definition
“It is the distance less powerful
members of institutions and
organizations expect and accept that is
distributed.”
Geert Hofstede

3. Large Power DistanceLow Power Distance
Equality
Relation
between power
and justice
Are there
superior beings?
NO !
NO ! YES !
YES !
(1) Justice
(2) Power
(1) Power
(2) Justice

4. Large Power DistanceLow Power Distance

5. Low Power Distance Large Power Distance
Relationship
between
children and
their parents
Relation
between the
subordinate and
the boss
The organizing

6. Low Power Distance Large Power Distance
Business
Innovations

7. How can we measure it ?
Power Distance Index (PDI) : It
measures the difference between
countries but it is not an "absolute"
measure.
France
120 = Large Power Distance
1 = Low Power Distance
Malaysia
Mexico
China
India
Turkey Portugal
Japan
United States
United Kingdom
Denmark
104
81
80
77
68
66
63
40
35
54
18
11
Austria

8. Reflexions
- In this theory, "low power distance" seems to put forward. Is
this theory biased? Are the criteria really objective?
- Can Power Distance change through the time in a country ?
- Do countries tend to have a Power Distance of 0? Is
populism the logical next step to come closer to 0?