Six Dimensions of Culture: Geert Hostede Between 1967 and 1973, Dutch sociologist Geert Hofstede collected 116,000 questionnaires about business practices and attitudes from IBM employees in over 50 countries. The result was the influential Culture's Consequences (1980), one of the most cited works on cross-cultural communication. The book identified four dimensions of culture, to which a fifth was added in 1991. These became mainstays in the field of international business. In 2010, Hofstede added another dimension. Here's a brief description of each (with the last in the list being the newest):  Power distance. To what extent do the less powerful members of a culture or organization expect that power will be distributed unevenly? If this is a normal expectation, it means that the company or culture exhibits "high power distance" and values hierarchy and obedience. If not, the company or culture has "low power distance."  Individualism vs. collectivism. An individualistic culture is one in which people are expected to look after themselves and their families, whereas a collectivist culture promotes strong identification with social groups. Masculinity vs. femininity. At the feminine end of the spectrum is caring for others and the quality of life; at the masculine end is assertiveness and competitiveness.  Uncertainty avoidance. This label refers to the extent to which "a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations." Uncertainty-avoiding cultures try to prevent such situations with strict rules and core values. Uncertainty-accepting cultures tend to be more relaxed, more tolerant of differences, and less rules-bound. Long-term vs. short-term orientation. This dimension was found in a study conducted by Chinese researchers. People with a long-term orientation look toward the future. They value persistence, thrift, and durability. Those with a short-term orientation value the past and present and focus on achieving quick results.  Indulgence vs. restraint. An indulgent society allows relatively free gratification of basic human drives to enjoy life and have fun. A restrained society suppresses gratification of needs and regulates it by means of strict social norms. It is tempting to see whole cultures as falling at one end or the other on these dimensions and to assume that everyone in a given national culture is the same. But as with other models for analyzing cultures, one must use this one only as a rough, preliminary guide. As one business executive puts it, "In my own practice, I look upon Hofstede's data as would an airplane passenger looking down upon mountain ranges. These represent country cultures. Smaller ranges represent subcultures within countries. But to understand individuals, you have to land at the nearest airport and meet them at the ground level, taking into account their unique qualities." Highlight the most important points here.

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The most important points from Geert Hofstedes six dimensions of culture are 1 Power Distance It assesses the extent to which less powerful members of ... View the full answer