Originated by Geert Hofstede (Culture's Consequences, 1980), with the long-term orientation dimension from Michael Harris Bond (1987) and the sixth from Michael Minkov (Cultures and Organizations, third edition, with Geert Hofstede and Gert Jan Hofstede, 2010).
Compares national cultures on six dimensions, including power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance, to anticipate where working norms will clash.
When to reach for it
Friction in a cross-border team, merger, negotiation, or market entry looks personal and may in fact be cultural.
How it runs
- Identify the cultures involved.
- Look up their published scores on the six dimensions.
- Find the largest gaps between them.
- Predict the friction each gap will cause in meetings and decisions.
- Agree working protocols that bridge the gaps.
- Check the predictions against the actual people involved.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
Go to the source
- Culture's Consequences, 1980
- Chinese Culture Connection survey, 1987
- Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, third edition, 2010