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Is Culture measurable?

Culture is a complex concept and different across the globe. This could be confusing for any of you who want to interact with people abroad. So, how is it possible to understand these cultural peculiarities, avoid making mistakes and to build true connections?


The social psychologist Geert Hofstede gave such a measurement approach a try. He developed a framework for cross-cultural dimensions on a global scale that “shows the effects of a society's culture on the values of its members, and how these values relate to behavior.” Hofstede, Geert. "Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context". ScholarWorks@GVSU. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture. Retrieved 6 September 2015.


6 cultural dimensions ranked on a scale 1 - 100 were created to explain the differences globally:


1) Power distance

This index describes the degree to which authority (unequally distributed) is both accepted and followed. On a high degree of the scale, hierarchy is established without any doubt or reason whereas on a low degree, people question authority and tend to distribute power.


2) Individualism vs. Collectivism

This one measures interdependence meaning the extent to which people consider themselves as part of a team or more like an individual.


3) Masculinity vs. Femininity

This dimension represents a culture’s preferences for achievement, competition and success vs. preferences for teamwork, caring and not neccesarily standing out from the crowd.


4) Uncertainty Avoidance

This index describes a society's tolerance for ambiguity. The high degree reflects a society with strong rules, code of behavior and guidelines, whereas a low degree reflects a society that imposes less regulations and ambiguity is more spread.


5) Long term orientation vs. Short term orientation

This index depicts societies which are either rather open for the modern in the present and the future (high degree) with a pragmatic approach or tend to prioritize traditions with stronger links to their past (low degree).


6) Indulgence vs. Restrain

This dimension refers to the degree of freedom that societal norms give to citizens in fulfilling their human desires. Each culture will answer these needs by either enjoying (indulgence) or controlling (restraint) those impulses.


These are important elements to take into account when you are having social interactions with people from different cultures.


However, note that culture is not static. Cultures are dynamic, constantly reforming, changing and that is beautiful! Therefore, this model should rather serve as an orientation to understand cultural peculiarities and not as a definite „one fits all solution“!


If you are looking for a solution though that takes both such studies and current trends into account, glocled would be happy to help.


Efficiency and accuracy build our basis when helping companies to connect with their local communities globally.


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