Cultural Comparison Report: Analysis of Australia and UK Cultures

This report provides a cultural comparison between Australia and the United Kingdom, utilizing the Hofstede model for analysis. It examines various cultural dimensions, including power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence, highlighting similarities and differences between the two countries. The analysis points out the need for a deeper look at uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation due to their significant differences. The report also offers recommendations and HR implications based on the cultural insights, with suggestions for training and communication strategies to improve workplace dynamics and management practices. The report suggests that management in Australia should involve employees in decision-making and planning processes. For UK, the report recommends HR to offer training to the employees so that it could be easy for the higher authority to create positivity in the workplace.

Running head: Cultural comparison
Cultural comparison

Cultural comparison
Cultural Comparisons between the two countries Australia and the United Kingdom
The cultural comparison between the two countries can be described by considering the Hofstede
model.
(Source: Hofstedeinsights , 2019).
One of the dimensions is power distance, in which it has been observed that Australia scores
high (36) But on the other hand, the PDI score of UK is (35) which states that there is not much
difference between both the cultures. Both the culture can have the communication style is
informal, direct and also participative (Hofstedeinsights , 2019).
The next dimension is individualism the score of Australia is (90) and score of United Kingdom
is (89). It can be said that there is a slight difference between the culture of Australia and United
Kingdom in terms of interpersonal connection and also the people in the workplace are loyal to
the group (Hofstedeinsights , 2019).
Masculinity is the dimension in which the score of Australia is (61) and United Kingdom (66). In
terms of work culture, in Australia the people focuses on giving priority to the quality of life but
on the other hand in United Kingdom there are tough values such as cooperation, modesty and
quality of life that is important to be followed in the work place(Kim, 2017).
Uncertainty avoidance is the other dimension in which the score of Australia is (51) and of
United Kingdom (35). The score of United Kingdom is low which defines that the employees are
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Cultural comparison
more relaxed in comparison to Australian employees. The employees in the workplace are
comfortable if the future policies are not communicated in advanced. They are always ready to
accept the changes. In Australia the score is high which states that the higher authority
employees will not be comfortable if their future planning or future forecast is not communicated
with the employees. It is necessary for the management in this case to involve the employees in
the decision and planning process (Kim, 2017).
The other dimension is long term orientation in which the score of Australia is (21) and of
United Kingdom (51). In United Kingdom, there is cross cultural issue as the employees are
modest and also pragmatic. There is no coordination and trust among the workers in the
workplace but on the other hand in Australia the people are focused towards the truth. The
culture of the Australian business environment is to maintain the truth and the employee’s
focuses on accepting the truth from the higher authority. (Hofstedeinsights , 2019)
Indulgence is the next dimension in which the score of Australia is (71) and of United Kingdom
(69). The United Kingdom has the low IVR score that affect the religion which can be defined in
relation to the behavior of the people. The people in United Kingdom emphasize on creating
positive behavior but on the other hand in Australia the people share their feelings openly with
the higher authority. Proper scheduling of the meetings is done by the higher authorities in that
the employees have the right to share their opinion with the management (Khlif, 2016).
It is recommended that in UK culture it is important for the HR to offer training to the employees
so that it could be easy for the higher authority to create positivity in the workplace. In relation to
uncertainty avoidance, it is recommended that meetings should be conducted by the higher
authority in the Australian market so that employees can feel comfortable by knowing the future
planning done by the management.
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Cultural comparison
References
Hofstedeinsights , 2019. COMPARE COUNTRIES. [Online] Available at: https://www.hofstede-
insights.com/country-comparison/australia,the-uk/ [Accessed on 23 May 2019].
Khlif, H., 2016. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in accounting research: a review. Meditari
Accountancy Research, 24(4), pp.545-573.
Kim, S., 2017. National culture and public service motivation: investigating the relationship
using Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions. International Review of Administrative
Sciences, 83(1), pp.23-40.
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