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BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW FROM THE THEORY OF HOFSTEDE &
ITS IMPLICATION IN A MNC FOR STAFFING GLOBALLY
7/18/2014

Brief literature review from the theory of Hofstede & its implication in A&E for Staffing Globally
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Manpower Planning HRM (504)
Instructor: ATM Sayfuddin
Doosto Foring
Group Member:
Name ID Signature
Synthia Alam Orin 13104089
Tasnim Alam Smita 13104071
Rownak Jahan Moon 13204027
Hasiba Chowdhury 13204028
Shahidur Rahman Talukder 13204056

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Answer to Quiz # 1: Demonstrate a brief literature review from the theory of Hofstede & its
implication in your chosen context
2. Answer to Quiz # 2: Illustrate the significance of cultural awareness training program in the
context of business
3. Answer to Quiz # 3: Choose countries you want to send the team
4. Answer to Quiz # 4: Design the training program based on the differences of cultures among
your chosen countries as to enable the team to adapt their behavior accordingly
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Abstract
As a Manager of HR department of an MNC which has operations in various continents
including Asia-Pacific, Europe, Australia, America and Africa had to decide to send a team of 6
employees to Bangladesh, USA and UK of three different continents to observe operations.
Considering the brief literature review from the theory of Hofstede & its implication.
Considering the significance of cultural awareness training program. Considering the cultural
aspect survey for the target countries to be staffed. Considering the designing the training
program based on the differences of cultures among these three countries as to enable the team to
adapt their behavior accordingly.

Answer to Quiz # 1: Demonstrate a brief literature review from the theory of Hofstede &
its implication in your chosen context
As a Manager of HR department of A&E, which has operations in 44 counties of various
continents including Asia-Pacific, Europe, Australia, America and Africa had decided to send a
team of 6 employees to Bangladesh, USA and United Kingdom of three different continents to
observe operations. Beforehand I have to consider the brief literature review from the theory of
Hofstede & its implication as follows:
National Cultural Dimensions
Culture is defined as the shared traditions, beliefs, customs, history, folklore, and institutions of a
group of people. Culture is shared by people of the same ethnicity, language, nationality, or
religion. It's a system of rules that are the base of what we are and affect how we express
ourselves as part of a group and as individuals.
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“Professor Geert Hofstede conducted one of the most
comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace
are influenced by culture. He analyzed a large data base
of employee values scores collected by IBM between
1967 and 1973 covering more than 70 countries, from
which he first used the 40 largest only and afterwards
extended the analysis to 50 countries and 3 regions.
The values that distinguished countries from each other
could be grouped statistically into four clusters. These
four groups became the Hofstede dimensions of national culture:
 Power Distance (PDI)
 Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV)
 Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS),
 Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)
A fifth Dimension was added in 1991 based on research by Michael Bond, which is termed as
Long-Term Orientation (LTO) and was applied to 23 countries.
Power Distance (PDI)
Power distance is correlated with income inequality in a country. This dimension expresses the
degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is
distributed unequally. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among
people. People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order
in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification
Individualism versus collectivism (IDV)
Individualism is correlated with national wealth. The high side of this dimension, called
Individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which
individuals are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families only. Its
opposite, Collectivism, represents a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which

individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in-group to look after them in
exchange for unquestioning loyalty. A society's position on this dimension is reflected in
whether people’s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “we.”
Masculinity versus femininity (MAS)
Masculinity is correlated negatively with the percent of women in democratically elected
governments. The masculinity side of this dimension represents a preference in society for
achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material reward for success. Society at large is more
competitive. Its opposite, femininity, stands for a preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for
the weak and quality of life. Society at large is more consensus-oriented.
Uncertainty avoidance (UAI)
Uncertainty avoidance is associated with the legal obligation in developed countries for citizens
to carry identity cards. The uncertainty avoidance dimension expresses the degree to which the
members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. Countries exhibiting
strong UAI maintain rigid codes of belief and behavior and are intolerant of unorthodox behavior
and ideas. Weak UAI societies maintain a more relaxed attitude in which practice counts more
than principles.
Long-term versus short-term orientation (LTO)
Long-term orientation is correlated with school results in international comparisons. The long-term
orientation dimension can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue.
Societies with a short-term orientation generally have a strong concern with establishing the
absolute Truth, which is normative in thinking and exhibit great respect for traditions, a
relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving quick results.
Societies with a long-term orientation, people believe that truth depends very much on situation,
context and time and show an ability to adapt traditions to changed conditions, a strong
propensity to save and invest thriftiness, and perseverance in achieving results.
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Answer to Quiz # 2: Illustrate the significance of cultural awareness training program in
the context of business
Cultural awareness becomes central when we have to interact with people from other cultures.
People see, interpret and evaluate things in a different ways. What is considered an appropriate
behavior in one culture is frequently inappropriate in another one. Misunderstandings arise when I
use my meanings to make sense of others reality.
Increasing cultural awareness means to see both the positive and negative aspects of cultural
differences. Cultural diversity could be a source of problems, in particular when the organization
needs people to think or act in a similar way. Diversity increases the level of complexity and
confusion and makes agreement difficult to reach. On the other hand, cultural diversity becomes
an advantage when the organization expands its solutions and its sense of identity, and begins to
take different approaches to problem solving. Diversity in this case creates valuable new skills
and behaviors.
In becoming culturally aware, people realize that:
 We are not all the same
 Similarities and differences are both important
 There are multiple ways to reach the same goal and to live life
 The best way depends on the cultural contingency. Each situation is different and may
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require a different solution.
Diversity is reality. We are all connected through the increasing globalization of
communications, trade, and labor practices. Changes in one part of the world affect people
everywhere. Considering our increasing diversity and interconnected problems, working together
seems to be the best strategy for accomplishing our goals. Because social and economic change
is coming faster and faster, organizations understand the need for cultural competence. We're
realizing that if we don't improve our skills we're asking for organizational and cultural gridlock.

Studies show that new entrants to the workforce and communities increasingly will be people of
color, immigrants, and white women because of differential birth rates and immigration patterns.
There are many benefits to diversity, such as the rich resource of alternative ideas for how to do
things, the opportunity for contact with people from all cultures and nationalities that are living
in your community, the aid in strategizing quick response to environmental change, and a source
for hope and success in managing our work and survival.
Benefits of building an organization's cultural competence are:
 Increases respect and mutual understanding among those involved.
 Increases creativity in problem-solving through new perspectives, ideas, and strategies.
 Decreases unwanted surprises that might slow progress.
 Increases participation and involvement of other cultural groups.
 Increases trust and cooperation.
 Helps overcome fear of mistakes, competition, or conflict. For instance, by understanding
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and accepting many cultures, everyone is more likely to feel more comfortable in general
and less likely to feel the urge to look over their shoulders to be sure they are being
"appropriate" in majority terms.
 Promotes inclusion and equality.
.

Answer to Quiz # 3: Choose countries you want to send the team
If we explore the Bangladesh, USA and UK culture through the lens of the 5-D Model, we can
get a good overview of the deep drivers of its culture relative to other world cultures.
http://geert-hofstede.com/cultural-survey.html
Power distance This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are
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not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these
inequalities amongst us. Power distance is defined as the extent to
which the less powerful members of institutions and
organizations within a country expect and accept that power is
distributed unequally. It has to do with the fact that a society’s
inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders.
Bangladesh USA UK
Bangladesh scores high on
PDI (score of 80) which
means that people accept a
hierarchical order in which
everybody has a place and
which needs no further
justification. Hierarchy in an
organization is seen as
reflecting inherent
inequalities, centralization is
popular, subordinates expect
to be told what to do and the
ideal boss is a benevolent
autocrat
The United States score low
on PDI (40) which
underscores the American
premise of “liberty and
justice for all.” Within
American organizations,
hierarchy is established for
convenience, superiors are
always accessible and
managers rely on individual
employees and teams for
their expertise. Both
managers and employees
expect to be consulted and
information is shared
frequently. At the same time,
communication is informal,
direct and participative.
At 35 Britain sits in the lower
rankings of PDI – i.e. a
society that believes that
inequalities amongst people
should be minimized.
Interestingly is that research
shows PD index lower
amongst the higher class in
Britain than amongst the
working classes.
The PDI score at first seems
incongruent with the well-established
and historical
British class system and its
exposes one of the inherent
tensions in the British
culture. A sense of fair play
drives a belief that people
should be treated in some
way as equals.
Individualism The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of
interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to
do with whether people´s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or
“We”.
In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after
themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies

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people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for
loyalty.
Bangladesh USA UK
Bangladesh, with a score of
20 is considered a
collectivistic society. This is
manifest in a close long-term
commitment to the member
'group', be that a family,
extended family, or extended
relationships. Loyalty in a
collectivist culture is
paramount, and over-rides
most other societal rules and
regulations. The society
fosters strong relationships
where everyone takes
responsibility for fellow
members of their group. In
collectivist societies offence
leads to shame and loss of
face, employer/employee
relationships are perceived in
moral terms (like a family
link), hiring and promotion
decisions take account of the
employee’s in-group,
management is the
management of groups
The United States, with a
score of 91 on this
dimension, is a highly
individualistic culture. This
translates into a loosely-knit
society in which the
expectation is that people
look after themselves and
their immediate families.
There is also a high degree of
geographical mobility in the
United States and most
Americans are accustomed to
doing business with, or
interacting, with strangers.
Consequently, Americans are
not shy about approaching
their prospective counterparts
in order to obtain or seek
information. In the business
world, employees are
expected to be self-reliant
and display initiative. Also,
within the exchange-based
world of work, hiring and
promotion decisions are
based on merit or evidence of
what one has done or can do.
At a score of 89 the UK is
amongst the highest of the
individualistic scores, beaten
only by some of the
commonwealth countries it
spawned i.e. Australia and
the USA.
The British are a highly
individualistic and private
people. Children are taught
from an early age to think for
themselves and to find out
what their unique purpose in
life is and how they uniquely
can contribute to society. The
route to happiness is through
personal fulfillment. As the
affluence of Britain has
increased throughout the last
decade, with wealth also
‘spreading North’, a much
discussed phenomenon is the
rise of what has been seen as
rampant consumerism and a
strengthening of the ‘ME’
culture.
Masculinity /
Femininity
A high score (masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society
will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success
being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts
in school and continues throughout organizational behavior.
A low score (feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant
values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A feminine
society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing

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out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is
what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or
liking what you do (feminine).
Bangladesh USA UK
Bangladesh scores 55 on this
dimension and can be
considered a masculine
society. In masculine
countries people “live in
order to work”, managers are
expected to be decisive and
assertive, the emphasis is on
equity, competition and
performance and conflicts are
resolved by fighting them
out.
The United States score 62
on this dimension and is
considered a “masculine”
society. Behavior in school,
work, and play are based on
the shared values that people
should “strive to be the best
they can be” and that “the
winner takes all”. As a result,
Americans will tend to
display and talk freely about
their “successes” and
achievements in life, here
again, another basis for
hiring and promotion
decisions in the workplace.
Typically, Americans “live to
work” so that they can earn
monetary rewards and attain
higher status based on how
good one can be. Conflicts
are resolved at the individual
level and the goal is to win.
At 66 Britain is a masculine
society – highly success
oriented and driven. A key
point of confusion for the
foreigner lies in the apparent
contradiction between the
British culture of modesty
and understatement which is
at odds with the underlying
success driven value system
in the culture. Critical to
understanding the British is
being able to “read between
the lines’’ What is said is not
always what is meant. In
comparison to feminine
cultures such as the
Scandinavian countries,
people in the UK live in
order to work and have a
clear performance ambition.
Uncertainty
avoidance
The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a
society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should
we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity
brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with
this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of
a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations
and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is
reflected in the UAI score.
Bangladesh USA UK
Bangladesh scores 60 on this
dimension and thus has a
high preference for avoiding
uncertainty. Countries
exhibiting high uncertainty
avoidance maintain rigid
The US scores 46 on this
dimension and therefore,
American society is what one
would describe as
“uncertainty accepting.”
Consequently, there is a
At 35 the UK has a low score
on uncertainty avoidance
which means that as a nation
they are quite happy to wake
up not knowing what the day
brings and they are happy to

codes of belief and behavior
and are intolerant of
unorthodox behavior and
ideas. In these cultures there
is an emotional need for rules
(even if the rules never seem
to work) time is money,
people have an inner urge to
be busy and work hard,
precision and punctuality are
the norm, innovation may be
resisted, security is an
important element in
individual motivation.
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larger degree of acceptance
for new ideas, innovative
products and a willingness to
try something new or
different, whether it pertains
to technology, business
practices, or foodstuffs.
Americans tend to be more
tolerant of ideas or opinions
from anyone and allow the
freedom of expression. At the
same time, Americans do not
require a lot of rules and are
less emotionally expressive
than higher-scoring cultures.
‘make it up as they go along’
changing plans as new
information comes to light.
As a low UAI country the
British is comfortable in
ambiguous situations - the
term ‘muddling through’ is a
very British way of
expressing this. There are
generally not too many rules
in British society, but those
that are there are adhered to
(the most famous of which of
course the British love of
queuing which has also to do
with the values of fair play).
Most importantly the
combination of a highly
individualistic and curious
nation is a high level of
creativity and strong need for
innovation. What is different
is attractive! This emerges
throughout the society in
both its humor, heavy
consumerism for new and
innovative products and the
fast highly creative industries
it thrives in – advertising,
marketing, financial
engineering.
Long term
orientation
The long term orientation dimension is closely related to the
teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with
society’s search for virtue, the extent to which a society shows a
pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional
historical short-term point of view.
Bangladesh USA UK
Bangladesh scores 40,
making it a short term
orientation culture. Societies
with a short-term orientation
The United States scores 29
on this dimension and is a
short-term oriented culture.
As a result, it is a culture
At 25 the UK scores as a
short term oriented society
which drives a great respect
for history and tradition as

generally exhibit great
respect for traditions, a
relatively small propensity to
save, strong social pressure
to “keep up with the
Joneses”, impatience for
achieving quick results, and a
strong concern with
establishing the Truth i.e.
normative.
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focused on traditions and
fulfilling social obligations.
Given this perspective,
American businesses
measure their performance
on a short-term basis, with
profit and loss statements
being issued on a quarterly
basis. This also drives
individuals to strive for quick
results within the work place.
There is also a need to have
the “absolute truth” in all
matters.
well as a focus on quick
results in the future. As
mentioned above, planning
horizons tend to be short and
business particularly is very
focused on short term
quarterly goals and quick
results. The notion of giving
up something today for the
promise of something bigger
in the future is not a widely
held notion, more usual is the
belief that ‘a bird in the hand
is worth two in the bush’.

Answer to Quiz # 4: Design the training program based on the differences of cultures
among your chosen countries as to enable the team to adapt their behavior accordingly
I have to consider designing the training program based on the differences of cultures among
these three countries as to enable the team to adapt their behavior accordingly as follows:
Culturally Competent Program Evaluation
Defining Program Characteristics An evaluation for either a program or a system of care begins
with defining consumer/population process and outcome characteristics. This gives the
evaluation the data it needs to answer the key questions of which interventions work, for whom
and how.
Program characteristics are also key in designing an evaluation. The philosophy of the program
or system determines the service model and the associated process characteristics to be
examined. Process characteristics can include type and frequency of interventions, length of stay
and attainment of individual treatment goals in care plans, staff involved in interventions and
behaviors that change as a result of applying interventions. Culturally relevant process questions
include:
Culturally related outcome questions include:
 How do outcomes differ across cultural, racial or ethnic groups’?
 What outcomes are expected from the program and how do they compare to the
functional expectations of individuals of the cultures/ethnicities/socioeconomic status
being served?
 How does the program relate to the community organizations/leadership that represent
minority groups served‘?
Evaluation Design and Sampling
The nature of the actual design chosen has significant implications for culturally diverse groups.
 Pre-post or multiple baseline designs are commonly used. However, culturally diverse
populations sewed frequently change overtime for reasons other than interventions
provided.
 Single case methodology, which tracks ratings of selected target behaviors before and
after intervention to determine effects, is useful in evaluations involving groups which
have only small numbers of people available.
 Longitudinal designs following a cohort of clients over time to measure outcome can be
useful.
Training Strategies for Cultural training programs for Bangladesh, USA & UK
Selection of instruments and measurement strategies introduces many cultural considerations.
Few instruments are appropriate for use across different cultural groups, and some have subtle
but distinct cross-cultural biases (Purnariega Holzer & Swanson, I991) for and designed the
training for the staffs, who are to be posted in Bangladesh, USA.
The staffs were chosen for Bangladesh, USA & UK were given training for National Cultural
dimensions for their easiest and quickest adaption with the culture of the posted countries
according to the following criterion for Bangladesh, USA and UK staffs as per their staffing
area.
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Semantic equivalence: both translation across language as well as idioms and expressions of the
groups being studied are accounted for and designed the training on this issues for Bangladesh,
USA and UK staffs as per their staffing area.
Content equivalence: the content of each item in the instrument is relevant to the phenomenon
being studied in that culture and designed the training on these issues for Bangladesh, USA and
UK staffs as per their staffing area.
Criterion equivalence: the variable measured is interpreted based on the norms for that culture
and designed the training on this issues for Bangladesh, USA and UK staffs as per their staffing
area.
Methodological equivalence: methods of assessment and data collection yield comparable
responses across culture and designed the training on this issues for Bangladesh, USA and UK
staffs as per their staffing area.
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