1950-1960s – Hall’s Classic Dimensions of Culture

Edward T. Hall, USA “The Silent Language” (1959) and “The Hidden Dimension” (1969). Edward T. Hall was the first anthropologist to introduce two distinguished classic dimensions of culture. (S. Dahl, 2006). After series of interviews with Executives from USA, Japan and some other countries he identified high-context (information is in the environmental setting and in the receiver) and low-context cultures (information is in the message).
According to Hall, the concepts of space and time are tools with which all humans beings may transmit messages. Second concept is polychromic (one thing at a time) versus monochromic time orientation (multiple tasks are handled at a time), and it deals with the ways in which cultures structure their time. Examples of polychromic culture is societies where work time is not clearly separable from personal time and tasks are measured as part of overall organizational goal, while in monochromic cultures personal time is clearly separable from work time and tasks are measured by output in time (per hour/per minute). Luck of empirical/statistical data on this broad concept makes it quite difficult to apply for research.

Edward T. Hall was the first anthropologist to introduce two distinguished classic dimensions of culture. (S. Dahl, 2006). After series of interviews with Executives from USA, Japan and some other countries he identified high-context (information is in the environmental setting and in the receiver) and low-context cultures (information is in the message). Edward T. Hall, USA “The Silent Language” (1959) and “The Hidden Dimension” (1969) According to Hall, the concepts of space and time are tools with which all humans beings may transmit messages. Second concept is polychromic (one thing at a time) versus monochromic time orientation (multiple tasks are handled at a time), and it deals with the ways in which cultures structure their time. Examples of polychromic culture is societies where work time is not clearly separable from personal time and tasks are measured as part of overall organizational goal, while in monochromic cultures personal time is clearly separable from work time and tasks are measured by output in time (per hour/per minute). Luck of empirical/statistical data on this broad concept makes it quite difficult to apply for research.

1960-1970s (2001) – Hofstede’s Cultural Workplace Values Geert Hofstede – Professor of Sociology, Germany

Hofstede analyzed a large data base of employees value scores which was collected by IBM between 1967 and 1973 from employees in 70 countries. As a result of the analyses of data from 40 largest counties of this survey he developed 4 cultural dimensions that characterized cultural specifics of countries: Power Distance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity, and Uncertainty Avoidance.

In 2001 he expanded his work and listed 74 countries and regions, partly based on replications and extensions of the IBM study and some additional studies students, airline pilots, civil workers, ‘up-market’ consumers and ‘elites’ from 23 countries. Fifth dimension, Long-Term Orientation was added later (1991) when additional study was conducted with Chinese workers (via on M. Bond’s work, who built on Hofstede work and carried out a smaller study using Chinese cultural studies) . The Dimension was developed based on Confucian Dynamism concept. When the work of Hofstede provides a useful general framework for analysis and presents easily to understand and implement cultural dimensions to reduce misunderstanding in cultural interactions, it is important to note that Hofstede, like other writers, has his critics. In other words, not all immigrants coming to Canada from countries with high power distance will make poor managers or good team workers if they came from high collectivism society. The study is quite useful to understand potential differences in expected workplace behaviors for both employers and immigrants. More about Hofstede Dimensions Diversity CLUES has developed a comparison chart on Twelve Canadian Top Immigration Counties and Hofstede Cultural Dimensions: Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty Avoidance.

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, Netherlands (1997)

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner classified cultures based on a mix of behavioural and value patterns. Their research focuses on the cultural dimensions of business executives and they provide cross-cultural consulting services in the field of leadership and organizational change. In their book “Riding The Waves of Culture” (1997), Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner identify seven value orientations. Some of these value orientations can be cross-referenced with Hofstede and Hall’s cultural dimensions. The seven value dimensions identified were:

• Universalism vs. Particularism – What is more important – rules or relationships?
• Analyzing vs. Integrating – what is more important – big picture or specific elements of life?
• Individualism vs. Communitarianism – Do we function in a group or as an individual?
• Inner-directed vs. Outer-directed – How do we display our emotions? What drives our decisions – our inner or ‘real’ world?
• Time as sequence vs. Time as synchronization – Do we do things one at a time or several things at once?
• Achieved status vs. Ascribed status – Is status given to us by right or we have to earn it through performance?