Communication Between Cultures

solving, and learning without strict timetables. A different behavior is the case in

high uncertainty avoidance cultures like Germany, where you find that students

expect structured learning situations, firm timetables, and well-defined objectives.^63

Power Distance

Another cultural value dimension revealed by Hofstede’s research is power distance,

which classifies cultures along a continuum of high and low power distance (some scho-

lars use the terms“large”and“small”power distance). Power distance is concerned with

how societies manage“the fact that people are unequal.”^64 The concept is defined as

“the extent in which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within

a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.”^65 In this sense, insti-

tution refers to family, school, and community, whereas organizations represent places

of employment. The premise of the dimension deals with the extent to which a society

accepts that power in relationships, institutions, and organizations is distributed equally

or unequally. Although all cultures have tendencies toward both high and low power

distance relationships, one orientation seems to dominate.

High Power Distance. “Individuals from high power distance cultures accept power as

part of society. As such, superiors consider their subordinates to be different from

themselves and vice versa.”^66 People in high power distance countries (see

Table 6.6) believe that power and authority are facts of life. Both consciously and

unconsciously, these cultures teach their members that people are not equal in this

TABLE 6.6 Power Distance Values for Fifty Countries and Three Regions

RANK COUNTRY RANK COUNTRY RANK COUNTRY

1 Malaysia 18/19 Turkey 37 Jamaica

2/3 Guatemala 20 Belgium 38 United States

2/3 Panama 21~23 East Africa 39 Canada

4 Philippines 21~23 Peru 40 Netherlands

5/6 Mexico 21~23 Thailand 41 Australia

5/6 Venezuela 24/25 Chile 42~44 Costa Rica

7 Arab countries 24/25 Portugal 42~44 Germany

8/9 Ecuador 26 Uruguay 42~44 Great Britain

8/9 Indonesia 27/28 Greece 45 Switzerland

10/11 India 27/28 South Korea 46 Finland

10/11 West Africa 29/30 Iran 47/48 Norway

12 Yugoslavia 29/30 Taiwan 47/48 Sweden

13 Singapore 31 Spain 49 Ireland

14 Brazil 32 Pakistan 50 New Zealand

15/16 France 33 Japan 51 Denmark

15/16 Hong Kong 34 Italy 52 Israel

17 Colombia 35/36 Argentina 53 Austria

18/19 El Salvador 35/36 South Africa

The lower the number, the more the country can be classified as a high power distance culture; a

higher number is associated with countries that have low power distance culture. Source: Adapted

from G. Hofstede,Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations

Across Nations, 2nd ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2001).

Hofstede’s Value Dimensions 227

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