The Hofstede Model

 As we talked before here in the blog about the types of culture, we are going it to do it again now, but in this post won´t be about the Lewis Model, this post would be from the Hofstede Model perspective.  

The Hofstede´s Cultural Dimensions Theory was created by a dutch social psychologist and management reasearcher called Geert Hofstede in 1980. This model explains how bussines works in different cultures and their characteristics. The dimensions of the model are divided in six dimensions. 

In the website "Corporte Finance Institue" in May 31 of 2021, they explained the different dimensions of the Hofstede Model in the following way: 

Now we are guessing the scores of the contry we are interested in that is: the United States and later we will contrast the scores with the real ones of our origin country: Colombia. 

United States GUESSING scores: 

Power Distance: 50%

Individualism: 80%

Masculinity: 57%

Uncertainty Avoidance: 60%

Long Term Orientation: 90%

Indulgence: 75% 

United States REAL scores: 

Power Distance: 40%

Individualism: 91%

Masculinity: 62%

Uncertainty Avoidance: 46% 

Long Term Orientation: 26%

Indulgence: 68%

Once we have done this, and think over the real scores about the United States, let´s search for Colombia scores and contrast them with the United States and explain from our point of view why we think it is like that. 

Colombia scores: 

Power Distance: 67%

Individualism: 13%

Masculinity: 64%

Uncertainty Avoidance: 80%  

Long Term Orientation: 13%

Indulgence: 83%

Once we have seen the scores of this two contruies it´s pretty accurate and kinda different. We would agree totally with the scores, even thought there are some of the Unied States we would not be pretty exact, it makes sense. And i would say that the huge differences in both countries in the dimensions of "Individualism" and "Indulgence"  are totally true and realistic. In Colombian people tend to really value work groups and collectivism, while in the United States individualism is really important and we can see that in different aspects of their life like social norms, also Colombian people tend to really give to their selfs pleasure withouth thinking it twice, while in other countries like United States is very common and normal that people are more tend to put limits on their selfs. 

After we have made this analysis it´s important to ask ourselves, which of the Models we have studied by far between the Lewis Model and the Hofstede Model is the most accurate? We would say that the Lewis Model is more accurate because its more broad and can even have in it´s types of cultures some of the dimensions that the Hofstede Model has, it means, the Lewis Model it´s more complete, thought the Hofstede Model keep being really important, interesting and accurate. 

Sources: *Corporate Finance Institute. (2020, May 31). Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory. Corporate Finance Institute; Corporate Finance Institute. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/hofstedes-cultural-dimensions-theory/

‌*Compare countries - Hofstede Insights. (2020, June 8). Hofstede Insights. https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/

‌