Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Individualism
Masculinity
Uncertainty Avoidance
Germany 31LOW
Germany 35
China 80
World Average 55
Democratic management
Autocratic management
Power is de-centralised
Power is centralised
Status is disapproved
Despite a large difference in PDI scores, Germany and China share some similarities
with how workers accept authority and power. The above table shows typical
examples of low power distance cultures however, Germany does not necessarily
follow these traits despite having a low PDI score. Germans like order and
regulations and in a both business and society people tend to know what is allowed
and what is forbidden.
In China, greetings are always done in age order, so ensure the eldest in the
room is greeted first.
Do not expect senior management to accept your ideas. Whilst they most
likely will have no intention of accepting any ideas you may offer, they may
politely say they will consider them to save face. Let us think about it is the
Chinese way of saying no
Individualism
Individualism refers to how independent people are. Countries with high scores
indicate people are self- motivated, more self-reliant and self-concerned whereas
countries with lower scores suggest citizens conform to societys norms and consider
group needs as more important than their own.
Germany 67
China 20
World Average 43
Focus on how change is good for the group (appeal to the common interest).
Allow the group to consult with each other and spend time working out their
responses, questions, and concerns
Do not expect decisions made at meetings as meetings are merely forums for
exchange of information
Standing out from the crowd can be viewed as very negative and result in
personal difficulties, therefore try to blend in with the group and put their
needs first.
Masculinity
Masculinity looks at how people react to one another. Countries with high masculine
scores tend to have a society which respects stereotypical male behaviour:
hedonistic, materialistic, dominant, aggressive and competitive, viewing feminine
behaviour as weak. Countries with low masculinity scores tend to have strong
welfare support and more equality between the sexes.
Germany 66
China 66
World Average 50
They may find that, within a delegation, the Chinese defer to male colleagues
regardless of the actual seniority of the western party - the Chinese
assumption being that the male will naturally be the decision-maker.
Therefore a German woman manager must anticipate this and not be
offended by this reaction so she saves face
Gradually over time, this apparent sexism will fade if she takes the time and
gentle grace to build relationships slowly.
Countries with lower scores tend to allow individuals to manage their own risks,
which provide environments with more innovation.
Germany 65
China 30
World average 64
Present a bottom line and an objective, then build your case around questions
Long-term Orientation
Long-term Orientation concerns how cultures view time and perseverance, whether
business and relationships are nurtured over a period of time or if more emphasis is
placed on short-term reward. Long-Term Orientation is the fifth dimension of
Hofstede which was added after the original four to try to distinguish the difference in
thinking between the East and West. From the original IBM studies, this difference
was something that could not be deduced. Therefore, Hofstede created a Chinese
value survey which was distributed across 23 countries
Germany 31
China 118
World Average 45
.
Short-term Orientation
Long-term Orientation
Deferred gratification
Spend
Save or invest
Quick profits
Analytical thinking
Synthetic thinking
while in France like in all other Mediterranean cultures the behaviour is expressive
and gestured, and people like to express their feelings and physical contact.
Chinese culture is marked by respect and loyalty, which makes them reliable
partners. They favour the interest of the group and in particular are extremely
perseverant and formidable business people.
This is arguably the area requiring the most attention from a German
manager.
Try gift giving, as a thank you is often not considered enough, and at worst
rude.
Allow the group to consult with each other and spend time working out their
responses, questions, and concerns
Bing., J.,W., 2011. Hofstedes consequences: The impact of his work on consulting
and business practices, An Executive Summary. ITAP International Inc .
Available from:
http://www.itapintl.com/facultyandresources/articlelibrarymain/hofstedesconsequences-the-impact-of-his-work-on-consulting-and-business-practices.html
[Accessed 17 March 2011].
Burke, R., J., Cultural Values and Womens Work and Career Experiences.
Deresky, H., 2011. International Management Managing Across Borders and
Cultures. 7th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall
Hodgetts, R., M., and Luthans, F., and Doh, J. P., 2006. International Management.
6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill
WorldBusinessCulture.com, 2011. For both China and
Germanyhttp://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Women-in-Business-in-China.html