Managing Across Culture: Importance of Hofstede's Cultural Dimension

This article discusses the importance of Hofstede's cultural dimension in managing across culture. It highlights the six major aspects of cross-cultural management and how they help in providing an understanding and allow us to compare and contrast different cultures. The article also provides an example of Aldi supermarket opening in China and how the company had to face cross-cultural issues. It concludes by stating that Hofstede's cultural dimension is the most important aspect for companies that regularly work with other international countries.

Organizational Behavior
Managing across culture
Students name
9/16/2019

Managing across culture 1
In Terms of Culture in a Hofstede, aspect mainly highlights about the software of the
mind, which helps in creating differences about the member of group from others. Other than
this, culture basically highlights about the human nature, something universal that unites all
people likewise, their instinct, emotions, personalities which describes all the individuals features
of the person which are obtainable and inherit one (Browaeys, & Price, 2008).
Cross-cultural aspect mainly highlights about the companies effort to increase the
employees ability to interact effectively with the professional associates from the different
backgrounds and nationalities. This concept mainly highlights about the globalization aspect of
the various businesses. As in this, many companies that seek to expand their market, their
products and devote their substantial resources for the training employees and helps in
communicating and interacting effectively with those who belongs to the other culture (Bochner,
2013).
Further when we talk about the cross cultural issues which every organization managers
faces when they go international, it mainly highlights about the difference in the language,
ethical backgrounds of the two different countries, Other than this, company also faces
difference in an aspect of, age, class, education, religion beliefs, gender. Other than this, every
country has its own attitudes towards the conflict resolving aspect. Moreover, difference is also
highlighted in the form of decisions making styles, different approaches for resolving the
organization issues. In general, terms, other cultural issues that are highlighted or are the reason
for the issues, are the rules and etiquettes, hierarchy, communication style and lastly, harmony
aspects are being considered (Venaik, & Brewer, 2013).
When we talk about the famous hofstede’s cultural aspect, it mainly highlights about the
framework which mainly constitutes the aspect of cross-cultural aspect, and it was devised by the
greet Hofstede. This particular dimension majorly portray about the impact of the cultural
ingrained in the society on the values of the member of the society (Browaeys, & Price, 2008).
Other this this, this particular dimension also mainly highlights about the relationship in
between the values and the behavior and also studies the significant aspect of the culture and
provides the ratings on the basis of comparison scale. Hence, it is finest way for the managers to

Managing across culture 2
know or gain insight or understanding and sailing successfully across the international business
market (Thomas, & Peterson, 2016).
This particular aspect mainly comprises of the six major aspect which are highlighted as,
power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus
femininity, long term versus short term orientation and lastly, indulgence and restraint aspects
are taken into consideration when we are considering the cross cultural aspect of the countries
are measured. All these dimensions help in providing an understanding and allow us to compare
and contrast different culture.
When we talk about the Hofstede cultural dimension importance in managers’ point of
view it states that it helps in preventing the cultural discrepancies in the multicultural system-
working environment and along with this, it also helps in making employees to work together for
the success of the company in a long run. Other than this when we talk about the benefit of this,
dimensions, cross-cultural management aspect also helps in finding out the right way to manage
employees of the different cultural background and as a result, it helps in creating the harmonies
cooperation within the management or the organization (Minkov, & Hofstede, 2013).
Moreover, with an understanding of the different culture by the company also leads or
helps in building relationships among them and the employers for the longer period. As such,
aspect plays the vital and the integral part within the business of those companies who tends to
spend more of their time in the open market or we can say other international countries.
When we talk about the dimension of the Hofstede cross cultural, this aspect help the
managers to know more about the other countries doings, in which they are going to work such
as about their communication style, understanding the difference in their culture values. Other
than this, develops the effective communication style, helps in understanding how people react
and interact while dealing with the international aspects (Binder, 2016). For example when Aldi
supermarket of Australia, open in china major issues in terms of culture they had to face such as-
Firstly, power distance mainly highlights about the countries equality aspect,
comparatively, inequality and power are viewer from the followers’ point of view, the lower
level. From managers, it is easy to predict high or low power distance about the other country in
which the effect of higher indicates that culture aspects inequality, encourages the bureaucracy,

Managing across culture 3
and highlights higher respect in terms of ranking and authority. Other than this, low effect shows
that highlights about the flat organizational structure, decentralized decision making,
participative style of management. For example, Aldi organization of Australia is going in china,
then managers needs to focus on high power distance aspect, which shows that china has higher
respect for rank, and authority, which states that managers need to follow strict rules (Thomas, &
Peterson, 2016). Similarly, Aldi supermarket majorly needs to focus over rules and regulations,
which China government has launched. I totally agree with this aspect, as when moving into the
another country, companies need to be follow their rules and regulations. When we are
considering Trompenaars cultural theory it also state that particular Aldi needs to be
universalism rather than particularism (Browaeys, & Price, 2008).
Another aspect highlights about the country that follows individualism, which it mainly
highlights about the greater importance on attaining the personal goals. Other than this, they also
concentrate over fostering contractual relationships and engage in calculation of profit and loss
prior to engagement in a behavior. Whereas, when we talk about collectivist aspect, it highlights
about the goals and the well-being of the group. Other than this, it mainly emphasis on harmony
and hierarchy within the groups and they give up their personal interest and keeps in mind the
collective interest. In china terms, they are high on collectivism, in which personal relationships
prevails over task and company. Hence, managers while dealing with china need to think that
they belong to collectivism (Matsumoto, Van de Vijver, 2012). Similarly, Aldi supermarket
majorly needs to focus over collectivist aspect as China follows that. I totally agree with this
aspect, as when moving into another country, companies need to be maintaining good relations
with people of that country. When we are considering Trompenaars cultural theory it also state
that particular Aldi needs to be follow communitarianism rather than being individualism .
Thirdly, uncertainty avoidance has low and high impact, as higher aspect highlights that
low tolerance for uncertainty, ambiguity and risk taking and it also highlights the significance of
planning and the respect for the authority. Whereas low uncertainty indicates the higher
tolerance of uncertainty, ambiguity, and risk taking and this also highlights that the working
environment tends to be flexible. In terms of china, there is low uncertainty avoidance, so
managers’ needs to be keep higher tolerance in aspect of uncertainty and risk taking aspect while
making deals with the companies of china. Similarly, when we talk about Aldi supermarket,

Managing across culture 4
china has low uncertainty, which creates many opportunities of innovation, risk taking aspect for
the company. I totally agree with this, that being in china made the Aldi earn more and generate
profit if it will work with low uncertainty aspect.
Fourthly, masculinity aspect highlights about the various gender roles, assertive and
concentrated in material achievements and wealth- building. However, in femininity concern, it
mainly highlight about the modest nature, nurturing and concerning with the quality of life. In
china aspect, they are high on muscularity aspect, which shows that managers while making
deals will find that there is competition, achievement and success, which keeps on continuing
throughout organizational life and will benefit to managers who are from Australian context to
work with china (Luthans, & Doh, 2012). China in this terms is high on masculinity, so in this
terms Aldi will be high on masculinity. I in this concern totally disagree, as this aspect makes the
earnings specific and also affects the leanings of femininity of the country.
Other than this, long term orientation and short term highlights about the society view
and its time horizon, as long term aspect, focus on future and achieve the long term success, as it
mainly emphasis on persistence, perseverance and long term growth. Whereas when we talk
about the short-term aspect, company focus on short-term success and emphasis over quick
results and respect for tradition is also maintained. China in this aspect is high on long term
orientation, in which people and companies over their have a strong propensity to save and invest
and also highlights that people over their having higher preference in achieve results(Browaeys,
& Price, 2008). In this, china is high in this dimension, which shows that their culture is
pragmatic in nature so Aldi is in benefit as they will develop strong propensity to save and invest
aspect, and will generate perseverance’s in achieving results. I totally agree with this, as this
aspect helps the company to earn better by saving.
Lastly, indulgence and restraint aspect considers that how societies can control their
impulse and desires, as indulgence allows a relatively free gratification and related to the
enjoying life and having more fun and other as restraint aspect indicates about that society which
suppresses gratification of needs and regulations and goes through the social norms. Lastly,
china in this aspect are low on indulgence, as they do not much emphasis over leisure time and
desires and also not include themselves in something wrong. China in this context is low on

Managing across culture 5
indulgence, as they do not waste time in spending leisure time, and controls their desires.
Therefore, for Aldi, it is gain aspect, which made them to work with more focus and success.
Hence, from the above essay we can states that Hofstede cultural dimension is the most
important aspect for that country who regularly works with the other international country.
Hence, for doing them the company majorly faces an issue in concern to their working aspects,
their organizational working conditions, their language, muscularity and femininity, their
indulgence in leisure activities and much more. As all these aspect of Hofstede helps the
managers to reduce the cross cultural issues because due to these dimensions, they make it clear
what the particular of host countries aspect highlights and accordingly managers of the home
country tends to work so as to remove ambiguity and issues while doing cross borders business.
Other than this, helps in building relationships among them and the employers for the longer
period. Lastly, it also helps in finding out the right way to manage employees of the different
cultural background and as a result, it helps in creating the synchronizations collaboration within
the management or the organization.

Managing across culture 6
References
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education.
Luthans, F., & Doh, J. P. (2012). International management: Culture, strategy, and behavior.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Matsumoto, D., & Van de Vijver, F. J. (2012). Cross-cultural research methods. American
Psychological Association.
Minkov, M., & Hofstede, G. (2013). Cross-cultural analysis: the science and art of comparing
the world's modern societies and their cultures. Sage.
Thomas, D. C., & Peterson, M. F. (2016). Cross-cultural management: Essential concepts. Sage
Publications.
Venaik, S., & Brewer, P. (2013). Critical issues in the Hofstede and GLOBE national culture
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