Q4 Flashcards
What is represented by the roots in the Lily pond model of culture?
Attitudes and values (reportable)
and the deep roots of Beliefs (unconscious)
Define Hofstede’s Power Distance dimension.
Power distance is essentially concerned with a culture’s reaction to inequality.
Define Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance dimension.
This aspect is concerned with how a culture reacts to unpredictable events; whether such events are avoided as much as possible, or whether they are welcomed as new opportunities and challenges.
An individual’s beliefs, values and assumptions may be influenced by many different factors. One of these factors is the individual’s national culture. List four others:
- Their age.
- The culture of the organisation in which they are employed
- Their religion
- Their profession
What are the characteristics of a nation which scores highly on Hofstede’s Power Distance (PD) rating?
Power is invested in an elite who, in return for respect and obedience, care for the others (the nation)
How would you expect the design of a website aimed at people whom scored high on Hofstede’s Power Distance look like?
One would expect the design to contain lots of symbols of power and authority – crests, flags and pictures of authority leaders for example.
What are the characteristics of a nation which scores highly on Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) rating?
They would seek to avoid uncertainty: welcome routine, security and frameworks.
How would you expect the design of a website aimed at people whom scored high on Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) raiting look like?
These websites are likely to be highly structured and as simple as possible in order to avoid any uncertainty as much as possible.
What are the characteristics of a nation which scores highly on Hofstede’s Masculinity (MASC) index?
They would be overall, rather assertive and competitive.Gender roles clearly differentiated: men expected to be competitive, aggressive, etc., women expected to be caring.
A certain factory follows long-established set procedures in manufacturing its goods. Would you expect this factory to rate high or low on the UA index?
Yes. In this case the factory would rate high on the UA index because the workers are likely to be better at the implementation of tasks rather than innovation.
In a certain factory, all decisions are made by the management with other workers in the factory having no say. Would you expect this factory to have a high or low rating on Hofstede’s power distance (PD) index?
A high rating. Power is centralised, only the management have a say, the workers would be expected to just get on with it.
Briefly describe the characteristics of a national culture which, on Trompenaars’ universalism–particularism dimension, favours universality over particularism.
In the universality culture it is assumed that there is some right way of proceeding in a given situation; particularism the way of proceeding depends upon the particular situation.
