Hofstede's Cultural Framework
Geert Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist, developed a widely used platform that established the dimensions of culture. Read this chapter to better understand these dimensions and see how they can be applied to different countries and cultures.
Management Implications of Power Distance
What are the implications of power distance for international management? (Table 2) shows some of the key differences between high and low power distance societies for work-related issues. As you can see, it is important for managers to express their authority and know-how in high power distance societies. Subordinates expect clear directions from their managers and assume they will be told what to do. In high power distance societies, employees will often equate age with wisdom and seniority. For instance, if a multinational is sending people to negotiate in a high power distance country, they should send higher-level and older managers if they want to be taken seriously.