Impact of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions on Business Environment

This essay delves into Hofstede's cultural dimensions, examining their influence on the business environment. It evaluates the impact of individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, and other dimensions such as power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. The report analyzes these dimensions, suggesting that femininity is the best cultural dimension for the business environment. The essay also explores the student's agreement and disagreement with the suggestions, highlighting the drawbacks of collectivism and the benefits of individualism. Additionally, the author suggests focusing on long-term orientation and uncertainty avoidance. The essay concludes that different cultures significantly impact business activities and processes.

Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1 Evaluate suggestion on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions..........................................................1
2 Agreement and disagreement with this suggestions................................................................2
3 Any another suggestion for this cultural dimensions...............................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Different cultural dimensions shows and describes the impact of a society' s culture on
values and beliefs of their members. This study will show and describes all the cultural
dimensions that impact and influence the business environment (Halberstam, 2018). This report
also shows differences between masculinity and femininity dimensions and individualism and
collectivism dimensions.
1 Evaluate suggestion on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions
There is an importance of culture as it helps in providing direction for an individual and
teach them how to behave and think. There are 5 elements are involved in culture such as:
rituals, values, symbols, thoughts and beliefs. Different culture have different values that can
impact and influence business.
Hofstede's cultural dimension: This model identifies 5 cultural dimensions that impact
and influence the business environment. 5 elements and cultural dimensions are: Power distance,
individualism & collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and femininity, long term and
short term orientation and indulgence Vs. restraint.
Individualism-collectivism: Individualism culture refers those people whose primary
concern are their immediate family members and themselves. This type of people have
independent entity. This type of cultural dimension's aim is to make different from other and
think uniquely. Individualism people are free to exercise their own attributes and own rights and
needs. The main benefits of this type of people is that they are not bound to follow any rules of
group or they are free to discontinue any unwanted and unsatisfactory relationship. They are
different from those society and cultures that are progressive and are more complex. On the other
hand collectivism culture dimension is refers as those people and group in which an individual
has to limit to themselves in framework that are set up by the group. This type of people
contribute for their country and group and their all the activities and actions reflect the
betterment of their group and culture. They concentrate on collective good and about those
people who forms the group (Huang and Crotts, 2019). The characteristics of this type of cultural
dimension is they promote loyalty towards the culture and the group which they belong to.
As per article it is evaluated and can be suggested that collectivism culture dimension' is
better than individualism for business environment because it thinks about whole group rather
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than themselves only. In the society and group, one individual is interdependent on a group. It is
beneficial for those societies where the need of uniformity and discipline is required in order to
help a group survive.
Masculinity and femininity: Masculinity cultural people are refereed and defined as
preference in the society for assertiveness, heroism, strengths and material rewards. In this type
of cultural dimension male generally focus on some values like competition and success. In order
to achieve success and being in a competition, they require power and wealth materials. They
also believes their success is equal with money. On the other hand femininity represents and
defines as a preference for caring for the weak, modesty and also focus on making and
maintaining internal relationship. This type of culture focus on process and people rather than
work.
As per article it is suggested and evaluated that femininity cultural dimension is the best
than masculine for business environment. It is the best ad suitable for the business because this
type of people give preference to environmental protection. They tend to display different values.
They are relationship oriented and also concentrate on improving the quality of life and people
(Khlif, 2016).
2 Agreement and disagreement with this suggestions
Being a student I have analysed all the dimension and report and I agree with femininity
cultural dimension which it has suggested that it is the best for business environment. It is good
because it give the priority to environmental and society protection. They do focus on people
more than money and competition. Masculine only focus on money and success and are ego
oriented. They solve conflicts and disputes through force so I disagree with this type of
dimension.
I do not agree with collectivism cultural dimension because there are some drawbacks of
this type of culture. In collectivism type of culture and individual and people have to remain a
part of that group even if they do not want to be a part of that group ( Li and et.al., 2017). This
type of people are bound as they have to follow all the rules which are set by their group. I agree
with individualism because this type of people are free and not bound to follow rules which are
made by group.
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3 Any another suggestion for this cultural dimensions
As a student I can suggest that business environment should focus on long term
orientation also. Long term orientation people are more focused on the future. This type of
cultural people delay short term material and do not focus on present and past and consider them
less important as compared to future. The characteristics of this type of dimension is it focuses
on persistence.
In spite of these dimensions it should also focus on uncertainty avoidance because it
shows the way of handling uncertainty which arises in business environment. It also increases
the tolerance power of society and people for uncertainty (Triandis, 2018).
t should also focus on power distance index culture dimension that helps the business
environment in measuring power between business and wealth. It also represents inequality and
show the reason and then provide the guidance to resolve them.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been concluded that different culture played in business
environment and also impact on their activities and processes. It has showed difference between
individualism and collectivism cultural dimensions and suggested the best dimension which fits
for the business environment. Masculinity and femininity has also showed some differences. It
influenced the business environment in positive manner and in negative manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Halberstam, J., 2018. Female masculinity. Duke University Press.
Huang, S.S. and Crotts, J., 2019. Relationships between Hofstede's cultural dimensions and
tourist satisfaction: A cross-country cross-sample examination. Tourism
Management. 72. pp.232-241.
Khlif, H., 2016. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in accounting research: a review. Meditari
Accountancy Research. 24(4). pp.545-573.
Li, W. and et.al., 2017. National power distance, status incongruence, and CEO
dismissal. Journal of World Business. 52(6). pp.809-818.
Triandis, H.C., 2018. Individualism and collectivism. Routledge.
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