National Culture within an Organization: Geert Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions

The video discusses Hofstede's cultural dimensions, initially four and later expanded to six, which describe how national cultures influence organizational behavior. These dimensions include power distance, individualism vs collectivism, masculinity vs femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs short-term orientation, and indulgence vs restraint. The video highlights the complexity of cultural styles and the challenges multinational organizations face in balancing national and organizational cultures. It emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness in leadership to navigate these challenges effectively.

What was the primary focus of Hofstede's original work with IBM?

• Studying individual employee performance

• Isolating national characteristics from organizational culture

• Developing new management strategies

• Identifying organizational hierarchies

Which dimension measures the extent to which people accept hierarchical power?

• Indulgence vs. Restraint

• Power Distance Index

• Uncertainty Avoidance

• Individualism vs. Collectivism

What does the dimension of 'Masculinity vs. Femininity' focus on?

• The balance between work and leisure

• The prioritization of material success versus social goals

• The preference for individual freedom

• The acceptance of hierarchical power

How does Hofstede's 'Uncertainty Avoidance' dimension describe a society's tolerance?

• Tolerance for individualism

• Tolerance for indulgence

• Tolerance for hierarchical power

• Tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity

What challenge does the diversity of cultural styles present in organizations?

• It simplifies decision-making processes

• It leads to uniform cultural norms

• It eliminates the need for cultural awareness

• It creates opportunities for diverse thinking

Why do multinational corporations often use expatriate leaders?

• To reduce costs

• To ensure cultural consistency with headquarters

• To avoid local cultural clashes

• To promote local talent

What is a potential downside of using home-grown talent in subsidiaries?

• It simplifies communication

• It reduces cultural diversity

• It pushes cultural clashes to higher organizational levels

• It increases operational costs