The impact of national culture

The Impact of
National
Culture
Dimitar Bakardzhiev
© 2013 Rexintegra Ltd.

What is culture?
• Definition: the way people understand
their world and make sense of it, a shared
system of meanings.
• Culture is learned and imprinted. Cultural
programming deals with both values and
practices.
• There are different layers of cultural
programming: national culture,
professional culture, corporate culture.

“Measuring” Culture
 Cultural differences can be inferred from data about
a collectivity of people:
 Direct measurement through asking well designed
questions about people’s values or beliefs.
 Data “clustering” methods
 Matched samples can then be compared to
discover similarities and differences.
 At the individual level we speak of cultural attitudes
and orientations (but these may not be
representative of one’s culture)

Definition 1
• “Knowledge, belief, art, morals, law,
custom, and any other capabilities and
habits acquired by man as a member of
society” – Sir Edward Taylor, English
anthropologist, 1832-1917


Definition 2
• “A set of distinctive spiritual, material,
intellectual and emotional features of
society or a social group” & includes art
and literature, lifestyles, ways of living
together, value systems, traditions and
beliefs – UNESCO 2002


Definition 3
• Collective programming of the minds –
Geert Hofstede


Definition 4
• ”Culture is the way in which a group of
people solves problems” - Trompernaars’
and Hampden-Turner’ model


Cultural Classifications
• Hofstede (Minkov)
• Trompenaars
By and large, these classifications show
similar dimensions and classify countries
in the same clusters.


Hofstede Model
• Based on global research, Geert Hofstede
‘measures’ country culture on 5 cultural
dimensions
• Power Distance Index (PDI)
• Individualism (IDV)
• Masculinity (MAS)
• Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)
• Long-term Orientation (LTO)

Power Distance Index (PDI)
Power Distance has been defined as the
extent to which the less powerful members
of organizations and institutions (like the
family) accept and expect that power is
distributed unequally. This represents
inequality (more versus less), but defined
from below, not from above. It suggests that
a society's level of inequality is endorsed by
the followers as much as by the leaders.

Ten Differences Between Smalland Large- PDI Societies


Individualism (IDV)
The fundamental issue addressed by this
dimension is the degree of interdependence
a society maintains among its members. It
has to do with whether people´s self-image
is defined in terms of “I” or “We”. In
Individualist societies people are supposed
to look after themselves and their direct
family only. In Collectivist societies people
belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them
in exchange for loyalty.

Ten Differences Between Weakand Strong- IDV Societies


Masculinity (MAS)
A high score (masculine) on this dimension
indicates that the society will be driven by
competition, achievement and success.
A low score (feminine) on the dimension
means that the dominant values in society
are caring for others and quality of life. The
fundamental issue here is what motivates
people, wanting to be the best (masculine)
or liking what you do (feminine).

Ten Differences Between Weakand Strong- MAS Societies


Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)
The dimension has to do with the way that a
society deals with the fact that the future
can never be known: should we try to
control the future or just let it happen? This
ambiguity brings with it. The extent to which
the members of a culture feel threatened by
ambiguous or unknown situations and have
created beliefs and institutions that try to
avoid these is reflected in the UAI score.

Ten Differences Between Weakand Strong- UAI Societies


Long-term Orientation (LTO)
The long term orientation dimension is
closely related to the teachings of Confucius
and can be interpreted as dealing with
society’s search for virtue,the extent to
which a society shows a pragmatic
future-oriented perspective rather than a
conventional historical short-term point
of view.


Ten Differences Between Weakand Strong- LTO Societies


What about Bulgaria?


Bulgaria PDI
Bulgaria scores high on this dimension
(score of 70) which means that people
accept a hierarchical order in which
everybody has a place and which needs no
further justification. Hierarchy in an
organization is seen as reflecting inherent
inequalities, centralization is popular,
subordinates expect to be told what to do
and the ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat.

Bulgaria IDV
Bulgaria, with a score of 30 is considered a
collectivistic society. Loyalty in a collectivist
culture is paramount, and over-rides most
other societal rules and regulations. The
society fosters strong relationships where
everyone takes responsibility for fellow
members of their group.
Employer/employee relationships are
perceived in moral terms (like a family link),
management is the management of groups.

Bulgaria MAS
Bulgaria scores 40 on this dimension and is
thus considered a relatively feminine
society. The focus is on “working in order to
live”, managers strive for consensus, people
value equality, solidarity and quality in their
working lives. Conflicts are resolved by
compromise and negotiation. Incentives
such as free time and flexibility are favored.
Focus is on well-being, status is not shown.

Bulgaria UAI
Bulgaria scores 85 on this dimension and
thus has a very high preference for avoiding
uncertainty. Maintains rigid codes of belief
and behaviour and is intolerant of
unorthodox behaviour and ideas. There is
an emotional need for rules (even if the
rules never seem to work), time is money,
people have an inner urge to be busy and
work hard, security is an important element
in individual motivation.

Bulgaria/USA


Bulgaria/Germany/France


Trompenaars Model
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Individualism vs. Collectivism
Universalism vs. Particularism
Neutral vs. Affective relationships
Specific vs. Diffuse relationships
Achievement vs. Ascription
Time orientation
Internal vs External orientation


Universalism
• rules or laws that can be applied to
everyone;
• agreements and contracts are used as the
basis for doing business;
• rules are used to determine what is right;
• contracts should not be altered.


Particularism
• placing emphasis on friendships and
looking at the situation to determine what
is right or ethically
• acceptable
• deals are made based upon friendships;
• agreements are changeable;
• different people hold different views about
reality.

Individualism
• frequent use of “I”,
• decision are made on the spot by
representatives,
• people ideally achieve alone and assume
personal responsibility,
• vacations taken in pairs or even alone vs.
group orientation.


Collectivism
• frequent use of “we”
• decisions referred back by the delegates
to the organization
• people ideally achieve objectives in
groups and assume joint responsibility
• vacations are taken in organized groups of
with extended family


Neutral Relationships
• not revealing what one is thinking or
feeling
• only accidental revelation of tension in
face and posture
• hidden emotions that may occasionally
explode out
• cool and self-possessed conduct that is
admired
• lack of physical contact, gesturing

Affective Relationships
• nonverbal and verbal display of thoughts
and feelings
• transparency and expressiveness in
release of tensions
• easy flow of emotions
• the admiration and display of heated, vital,
animated expressions
• fluent and dramatic delivery of statements

Specific Relationships
• a small private life that is kept private;
• large social/public life that is very open to
others;
• extroversion;
• “no nonsense” - direct in communications;
• clear distinction between work and
personal life.


Diffuse Relationships
• a large private life that includes a relatively
large number of people;
• small public space that is difficult to enter
• indirect communication - does not always
say what is really meant;
• no clear distinction between work and
private life.


Achievement
• It is awarding status based upon
accomplishments. Characterized by:
– use of titles only when relevant to the
competence brought to the task
– respect for superior in the hierarchy is based
on how effectively his or her job is performed
and the adequacy of their knowledge
– a company where most senior managers have
obtained their positions through
accomplishments

Ascription
• It is ascribing status based upon social
position, age, etc.
– extensive use of titles, especially when these
clarify status in the organization
– respect for superior in the hierarchy is seen as
a measure of commitment to the organization
and its mission
– a company where most senior managers are
male, middle-age, and qualified by their
backgrounds

Sequential Time vs. Synchronic
Time
“Do we do things one at a time or several
things at once?”
The degree to which individuals do things
one at a time versus several things at once.
Cultures developed their own response to
time. Time orientation has two aspects: the
relative importance cultures assign to the
past, present and future, and their approach
to structuring time.

Sequential Time vs. Synchronic
Time
• In a sequential culture, people structure
time sequentially and do things one at a
time.
• In a synchronic time culture, people do
several things at once, believing time is
flexible and intangible.


Time Orientation (Past,
Present, Future)
• Past orientation
– talk about history, origin of family, business
and nation
– motivated to recreate a golden age
– respect shown for ancestors, predecessors
and older people
– everything is viewed in the context of tradition
or history


Present, Future)
• Present orientation
– activities and enjoyments of the moment are
most important
– good at making plans but poor on execution
– intense interest in present relationships, focus
on here and now
– everything is viewed in terms of its
contemporary impact and style


Present, Future)
• Future orientation
– much talk of prospects, potentials, aspirations,
future achievements
– planning and strategizing done
enthusiastically
– great interest in the youthful and future
potentials
– present and past used, even exploited for
future advantage

Examples of Country Ratings
on Trompenaars’ Dimensions


Universalism vs.
Particularism


Inner vs. Outer Direction


Neutral vs. Affective
relationships


Individualism vs.
Collectivism


Specific vs. Diffuse
relationships


Achievement vs. Ascription


Conclusion / Hofstede /
In Bulgarian culture are predominated :
•collectivism;
•high power distance;
•strong uncertainty avoidance;
•femininity;
•short term orientation.


Conclusion / Trompenaars /
In Bulgarian culture are predominated:
•particularistic culture;
•collectivistic culture;
•specific/diffuse culture;
•ascription status;
•neutral/affective culture;
•external locus of control;
•short term orientation.

Literature
• Hofstede, G. (2001) Culture’s
consequences.
• Cultures and Organizations - Software for
the Mind [Revised & Expanded Third
Edition] (2010) by Geert Hofstede, Gert
Jan Hofstede & Michael Minkov
• Trompenaars, F. & Hampden-Turner, C.
(1997) Riding the Waves of Culture.

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