s t e de ' sc ul t ur a ldi me ns i onst he or y Defnition o Hof
The model of national national culture culture consists of of six dimensions. dimensions. The cultural dimensions represent independent preferences for one state of aairs over another that distinguish countries (rather than individuals) from each other. The country scores on the dimensions are relative, as we are all human and simultaneously we are all unique. In other words, culture can be only used meaningfully by comparison. The model consists of the following dimensions • • • • • •
!ower "istance Index (!"I) Individualism versus #ollectivism (I"$) %asculinity versus &emininity (%') ncertainty 'voidance Index ('I) *ong Term +rientation versus hort Term ormative +rientation (*T+)Indulgence versus estraint (I")
Invidiualism and collectivism
"e/nition The high side side of this dimension, dimension, called called individualism, individualism, can be de/ned de/ned as a preference preference for a loosely01nit social framewor1 in which individuals are expected to ta1e care of only themselves and their immediate families. Its opposite, collectivism, represents a preference for a tightly01nit framewor1 in society in which individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in0group to loo1 after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. ' society2s position on this dimension is re3ected in whether people4s self0image is de/ned in terms of 5I6 or 5we.6 Individualism is the idea that the individual’s life belongs to him and that he has an inalienable right to live it as he sees fit, to act on his own judgment, to keep and use the product of his effort, and to pursue the values of his choosing. It’s the idea that the individual is sovereign, an end in himself, and the fundamental unit of moral concern. This is the ideal that the American Founders set forth and sought to establish when they drafted the eclaration and the !onstitution and created a country in which the individual’s rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness were to be recogni"ed and protected. !ollectivism is the idea that the individual’s life belongs not to him but to the group or society of which he is merely a part, that he has no rights, and that he must sacrifice his values and and goals for the group’s #greater good.$
Why we should know k now about individualism and collectivism? In times like these it is more important than ever to get the most out of our investment in HR Capital. Taking Taking different cultural backgrounds into account will increase motivation, reduc e turnover, and help keep your best people.
Managers can be more effective in coping with the global economic crisis if they simplify the way they manage their staff, taking into account the different cultural backgrounds of their team members and the different cultures in which their business operates. lobal practices need to be adapted to local cultural values to increase efficiency !.Recruiting ".#etting targets $.Training %.&ppraising '.Rewarding
Individualism and collectivism in USA The nited tates can clearly been seen as individualistic (scoring a 78). The 5'merican dream6 is clearly a representation of this. This is the 'mericans4 hope for a better quality of life and a higher standard of living than their parents4. This belief is that anyone, regardless of their status can 9pull up their boot straps4 and raise themselves from poverty. Individualistic cultures like %&A 'highest score ( )st rank* and France ')+th rank* are more self centred and emphasi"e mostly on their individual goals. -eople from individualistic cultures tend to think only of themselves as individuals and as #I$ distinctive from other people.They make just a little different between ingroup and outgroup communication '%&A*. They prefer clarity in their conversations to communicate more effectively and come in general directly to the point specially in the %&A the fight about jobs and trying to climb up in the hierarchy ladder is something very common there. It just counts to get there less caring who will left behind one. In business they try to improve their connections and to gain more value out of them, not for establishing a good relationship but just to be involved in a calculative way. mployees are e/pected to defend their interests and to promote themselves when ever possible. America was built on the socialpolitical ideals of Individualism0 the philosophy of selfreliance, in the face of peril, and in the name freedom. +ne of the most pervasive values in .. 'merican culture is individualism, and understanding its eects can help illuminate many aspects of the culture. The lone cowboy on the endless prairie, riding strong and silent with his horse as his only companion, epitomi:es the 'merican ideal of self0ful/llment and self0reliance. In 'merican culture, in order to succeed and achieve your personal best, one must be strong and independent. In more collective cultures, accomplishments and successes may be viewed foremost as an honor to the group, for example, how it re3ects upon one4s family or hometown community.
In the , a person4s success is more li1ely to be attributed primarily to the hard wor1 and perseverance of the individual. In an individualistic culture, decisions made to bene/t the self, such as moving far from one4s parents to go to your preferred choice for college would not be as li1ely to be considered sel/sh, but would be supported. In fact, children4s independence is encouraged in 'merican culture. Teenagers of all socioeconomic classes might be expected by their parents to have an after school ;ob to promote autonomy and responsibility. 'fter graduation from high school a child is considered a 9young adult4 and could be as1ed to pay rent, or move out from the family home.
Characteristics of individualism '
%e, myself < I (as opposed of 5 We6 thin1ing) +wn opinion important (over the general group opinion) "irect communication (I as1 a question and would li1e a direct answer or vice versa) loss of self0respect, guilt Tas1 over relationship (this does not mean that relationships are unimportant, it4s ;ust that the importance lies at the tas1 at hand) !rotection of individual =igher rights to privacy 'ppraisal of outperformers #reation and adoration of champion
