162 International Human Resource Management
Cultural issues and resulting cultural dimensions (major theme of the dimension)
Cultural Issues
or Fundamental Problems Cultural Dimensions
Differentiation Hierarchical (responsibility)
between social Power Distance (inequality
groups acceptance)
Achievement/Ascription
(status allocation)
Masculinity/Femininity
(individual assertiveness or care
for social)
Specific/Diffuseness (scope of
personal involvement)Relationships Preserve/rule the Universalism/Particularism (scope of
with people ‘social fabric’ norms and standards)
Neutral/Affective (expression
of emotions)
Individuals’ Individualism/Collectivism
relationship to (autonomy)
social groups Individualism/Communitarianism
(prime orientation for goals
and objectives)
Collectivism/Individualism
(responsibility)
Relationships Inner Directedness/Outer
with the Directedness (believed control)
environment Subjugation/Harmony/Mastery
(from acceptance to control)
Time orientation Sequential and Synchronic
(nature of time)
Past/Present/Future (importance
of a time horizon)
Long-term/Short-term Orientation
(preferred focus)
Human nature Evil/Changeable/Good
Natural mode of Doing/Being/Thinking
activity
Level of stress Uncertainty Avoidance
in a society in
the face of an
unknown future
Sources: Hofstede, 2001; Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, 1997; Maznevski et al., 2002
TABLE 6.8