Cultural Differences Between Ethiopia and Romania

This report compares and contrasts the cultural differences between Ethiopia and Romania. It explores the impact of Hofstede's and Trompenaars' cultural dimensions on these countries. The report also discusses the historic and socio-political events influencing cross-cultural issues and provides recommendations for managing these issues.

Running head: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND ROMANIA
Cultural difference between Ethiopia and Romania
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CULTURAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND ROMANIA
Executive summary
The aim of the paper is to compare the two countries Ethiopia and Romania on the basis
of their cultural differences. The paper focuses on various cultural differences and cross-cultural
issues arising in different countries. Using Hofstede’s insight and trompenaars cultural
dimensions the two countries are compared. Other dimensions are also used to compare the
differences between the two countries. The paper also comprises of historic and socio-political
events influencing cross-cultural issues. Lastly, the paper concludes that cross-cultural issues
taking place and what kind of cultures is being followed in Ethiopia and Romania. The whole
report is based on cultural differences and cross-cultural relationship between the countries
undergoing various cultural dimensions.

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CULTURAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND ROMANIA
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Hofstede cultural dimensions......................................................................................................3
Trompenaars cultural dimensions................................................................................................5
Universalism versus Particualrism..........................................................................................6
Individualism versus Communitarianism................................................................................6
Specific versus Diffuse............................................................................................................6
Neutral versus Emotional........................................................................................................6
Achievement versus ascription –.............................................................................................7
Sequential time versus synchronous time................................................................................7
Internal direction versus outer direction..................................................................................7
Recommendations............................................................................................................................9
Conclusions......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

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CULTURAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND ROMANIA
Introduction
Culture is the beliefs, norms, and social behavior found in the human societies. The word
culture comprises of lifestyle, religion and language. The report is based on the cross-cultural
issues between two countries Ethiopia and Romania. The following report will discuss on the
cultural differences and it will compare and contrast the culture of two different countries using
Hofstede insights and Trompenaars seven cultural dimensions. The paper will focus on the
problems due to historic and recent socio-political events in cross-cultural relationship.
Cultural differences and Cross-cultural relationship arises in the case when two parties
come from two different backgrounds to set a common culture together. The cultural difference
between two countries Ethiopia and Romania cultural differences will be compared based on
several cultural dimensions those are leadership styles, communications, decision-making,
managing teams and value systems. The six cultural dimensions of Hofstede and seven cultural
dimensions of Trompennars will compare the different cultures of Ethiopia and Romania
undergoing various dimensions. Cultural differences between different countries influence the
thoughts and beliefs of each culture and comprise to have conflicts among religious, cultures and
social beliefs. There are several dimensions to know about the difference in cultures of different
countries.
Discussion
Hofstede cultural dimensions
Hofstede six cultural dimensions help in comparing the difference between the countries.
As Ethoipia and Romania both follows, a different cultures and this will be compared using
Hofstede insight. Ethiopia follows a different culture, which can be viewed under the dimensions

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of power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and
indulgence (Venaik and Brewer 2013). The power distance dimension deals in inequalities
between each individual and it extent to the distribution of power unequally in an organization.
Ethiopia stands at 70 score in power distance. Individualism dimension states the self-image of
an individual in the society. Ethiopia stands at 20 score in individualism. Masculinity dimension
states the success of an individual by their quality life. Ethiopia stands at 65 score in masculinity.
Uncertainty avoidance dimension states the future uncertainties and beliefs to avoid these
uncertainties in order to deal with the anxiety (Venaik and Brewer 2013). Ethiopia stands at 55
score in uncertainty avoidance. Long-term orientation dimension states to maintain link in
relevance to past challenges while concerning in present and future challenges. Ethiopia has no
score in long-term orientation. Indulgence dimension states the control over the desires and
passion of an individual (Tran 2014). Thus, a weak control is indulgence and strong control is
restraint. Ethiopia has no score in indulgence.
The cultures followed by Romania will be viewed under the dimensions of Hofstede six
dimensional models. In Power distance dimension Romania stands for 90 scores which states
that people in Romania accepts a stratified order which shows each of them have a place and
there is no need of justification. In individualism dimension, Romania stands for 30 scores,
which denotes collectivistic society where people belongs to a group and takes care of the group
in exchange of loyalty. In masculinity dimension, Romania stands for 42 scores, which is
considered to be a feminine society as this dimension denotes the standard of living of an
individual in the society (Beugelsdijk, Kostov and Roth 2017). In uncertainty avoidance dimension
Romania stands for 90 scores, which states that Romania seems to have high preference in
avoiding the uncertainty. In long-term orientation Romania stands for 52 scores as this shows

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that Romania has intermediate score in this dimension thus it maintains the links with past for
present and future as well as it makes effort in modern education to prepare for future. In
indulgence dimension, Romania stands for 20 scores, as Romanian culture is a restraint one it
denotes that it has a strong control over the desires and passions.
While comparing the cultural dimensions of the countries the results shows that, in power
distance dimension Ethiopia stands for 70 scores whereas Romania stands at 90 scores which
shows that Romania is more justified than Ethiopia. In individualism dimension Ethiopia stands
at 20 scores whereas Romania stands at 30 scores which shows that Romania is more
collectivistic than Ethiopia (Lykes and Kemmelmeier 2014). In masculinity dimensions Ethiopia
stands for 65 scores whereas Romania stands for 42 scores which shows Ethiopia is a masculine
society and Romania is a feminine society. In uncertainty avoidance dimensions Ethiopia stands
for 55 scores whereas Romania stands for 90 score which shows that Romania has high
preference for avoiding uncertainty than Ethiopia (Dartey 2013). In long term orientation
dimensions Ethiopia does not score currently whereas Romania stands for 52 scores which
shows that Romania undergoes in maintaining the links with past for present and future instances
but Ethiopia does not scores for it. In indulgence dimension, Ethiopia does not score currently
whereas Romania stands for 20 scores, which shows Romanian culture, is restraint and Ethiopian
culture is indulgence (Dwivedi, Simintiras and Weerakkody 2016).
Trompenaars cultural dimensions
Trompenaars seven cultural dimensions shows the cultural comparison between the
countries of Ethiopia and Romania undergoing the dimensions of universalism versus
particularism, individualism versus communitarianism, specific versus diffuse, neutral versus

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emotional, achievement versus ascription, sequential time versus synchronous time and internal
direction versus outer direction (Bãlan and Vreja 2013).
Universalism versus Particualrism
This states that how an individual deals in a general relationship and what rules rely on
dealing in general.
Universalist – This defines the way of doing things in right and wrong manner.
Particularist – This defines the reaction of an individual in a particular situation and there
are no pre-set rules.
Individualism versus Communitarianism
This dimension refers to as how an individual values treatment that is whether in
individuality or in groups.
Specific versus Diffuse
This dimension examines the extent of relationship in a society.
Specific – In the specific cultural dimension things need to be transactional which says
that best ideas have more weightage than personal relationship.
Diffuse – In this dimension, personal relationship is more important than transactional
scenario.
Neutral versus Emotional
This dimension states the emotional attachment of an individual. Neutral cultural shows
the emotions in business situations whereas emotional culture shows the emotions in all
situations as it deals with human nature, which requires emotions (Kälin 2017).

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Achievement versus ascription –
This dimension states how an individual is more or less important than that of other and
how one gives credit to others.
Achievement – This denotes what an individual have done recently and what is their
record.
Ascription – This denotes the status of an individual based on the personal information of
birth, age, gender, where they are from and to whom they know.
Sequential time versus synchronous time
This cultural dimension states that in sequential culture activities are in a stratified
manner and followed in a proper sequence that is in a logical way. Time is the main guideline
here and people stick to the passing of time here. Meeting deadline in the given time is an
important aspect in this cultural dimension
Whereas, in synchronic dimension people does not stick to the time rather they modify
time according to one’s need. There are number of options to meet up the targets. The deadlines
can be rescheduled as time is adjustable in this dimension.
Internal direction versus outer direction
Internal direction refers that an individual can control over the situation in the
environment in order to meet up their targets. This states how an individual works with their
teams and in organization.
In outer direction an individual believes that the environment have the control over them
and they have to work according to their teams and mostly focuses on others action (Martin and
Nakayama 2013). Additionally makes possibilities to avoid conflict.

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Comparing the countries Romania and Ethiopia in Trompenaars 7 cultural dimensions
reflects that Ethiopia relies on universalism whereas Romania relies on particularism. In
individualism versus communitarianism Ethiopia reflects to individualism whereas Romania
reflects to communitarainism. In specific versus diffuse Ethiopia follows a diffusive dimension
whereas Romania follows a specific dimension (Groza and Bunkers 2014). In neutral versus
affective Ethiopia is an affective culture and Romania is a neutral culture. In achievement versus
ascription, Ethiopia is an achievement culture whereas Romania is an ascription culture. In
sequential time versus synchronous time, Ethiopia is a sequential time dimension and Romania is
a synchronous time dimension. In internal direction versus external direction Ethiopia follows an
internal direction whereas Romania follows an external direction cultural dimensions.
Leadership in Ethiopia is not as relevant to as of Romania. Though Romania have good
leadership quality than Ethiopia. Communications skills in Ethiopia are not so strong than that of
Romania as Romania have high communication skills (Hurn and Tomalin 2013). Decision making
power for Ethiopia is not as powerful as of Romania that of Romania holds a effective decision
making power (Dabić, Tipurić and Podrug 2015). Team management in the country Ethiopia is less
effective than that of Romania as managing team in Romania shows more powerful. Value
systems in Ethiopia are high in compared to Romania as Ethiopia follows a proper value system
than that of Romania.
Historic and socio-political events influences the cross-cultural relationships as the events
occurred in the past have a great influence in cross-cultural relationship in different countries.
The socio-political events arises conflicts between the two countries (Tjosvold 2017). And this
socio-political barriers leads to have cross-cultural issues among the countries. Some historic
events in the past also effects the cultural relationship among the countries. However, each

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country follow its own culture which creates chaos and confusion between the people of different
backgrounds meeting to set a common background. Cross-cultural relationship occurs when two
different comes together to set a common background (Paez 2013). These issues arise in
workplace, educational centre, relationship with partners and within the countries.
Recommendations
These cross-cultural issues in different countries give rise to conflicts among each other
as different countries follows different cultures and have their own norms and beliefs. In order to
overcome the cross-cultural issues there should be proper relations between the people,
motivational orientation can be done as according to the Hofstede cultural dimensions the three
dimensions are identified by Hofstede as power distance, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity
versus femininity. Additionally, in minimizing the differences in cultural diversity can help in
overcoming the cross-cultural issues and managing differences in the organization the managers
can maximize their potentiality and therefore can create a behavioral pattern in the working
culture. In order to avoid cross-cultural issues a group of individuals following a similar culture
must respect other cultures in their surroundings (Bochner 2013). Clear conversation between the
cross-cultural parties may help them to overcome the communication gap between them.
Problem of culture-based issues can be solved by understanding the emotions and body language
of the dissimilar parties.
Conclusions
The above report concludes that cross-cultural issues are increasing day by day and over
different countries. In the above report, the two countries Ethiopia and Romania are compared in

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accordance to their cultural dimension using Hofstede insight and Trompenaars seven cultural
dimensions. The paper shows how Hofstede six cultural dimensions have an impact on the
cultures followed by Ethiopia and Romania. Additionally, how Trompenaars seven cultural
dimension have an impact on the cultures followed by Ethiopia and Romania. Therefore,
Hofstede insight theory reflects the cultural difference to be identified easily and compared with
other country contrasting different dimensions. On the other hand Hofstede found the cross-
cultural difference in workplace and in business units and brought down the difference in cultural
issues in different organizations. However, Trompenaars reflects how cultures differs from
nation to nation and how these difference can be found. Trompenaars gives view to set value and
behavior in working culture. Trompenaars theory shows the way of thinking of an individual and
the behavior an individual possess. This theory gives an overview to organizational and national
cultures that a group of individuals follows. The theory imposed by Trompenaars is mostly
applied on professional cultural events, which rarely relates to an individual body. The whole
study is done over comparing and contrasting the different cultural issues faced by each of the
countries and how to overcome such intercultural gaps and maintain a stability in the nation and
also globally balanced cultures.

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