Another very effective model for understanding cultural differences in the workplace is in the pioneering work done by Geert Hofstede. Based on extensive empirical surveys and statistical analyses, Hofstede calculates scores for different cultures and classifies them along five major dimensions:

• Power Distance Index (PDI) defines the extent to which less powerful members of the group accept that power is distributed unequally (such as in the family, in business, in political institutions). In the family, the level of power distance in a culture begins with whether children are raised to be “obedient followers” or to demonstrate “individual initiative.” In business, levels of inequality determine such things as who reserves the conference room, who presents the problem, who leads the discussion, and who takes the minutes in the meetings.
• Uncertainty Avoidance defines a group’s tolerance for ambiguity and the extent to which people feel comfortable or uncomfortable in unstructured situations. Uncertainty-avoiding cultures tend to be more emotional, believe in one absolute “Truth” and attempt to control their environment by implementing strict laws, rules, and safety measures. Some European companies, such as France and Germany, demonstrate a high degree of uncertainty-avoidance which can be seen in the strict employment laws and termination conditions you see in those countries, as compared to Denmark and the UK, for example.
• Individualism versus Collectivism defines the extent to which individuals are inte­grated into groups. In collectivist societies people are integrated into strong, cohesive groups, often extended families. In individualist societies, the ties between individuals are loose, and people are expected to look after themselves and their own immediate families. According to Hofstede’s evaluations, China has the lowest score overall for individualism which demonstrates their strong group orientation — a phenomenon which may also have been influenced partially by the years of communist rule.
• Masculinity versus Femininity refers to the distribution of emotional roles between the sexes from very assertive and competitive, typical male values, to modest and caring, typical female values. The women in feminine countries have the same modest, caring values as the men; in masculine countries they are somewhat assertive and competitive, but not as much as the men, so that these countries show a gap between men’s values and women’s values. The Scandinavian countries show the lowest overall rating for masculinity demonstrating a strong equality between the sexes these countries.
• Long-Term versus Short-Term Orientation defines the extent to which a culture tends to take a shorter or longer term view of the world. The values associated with a long-term orientation are thrift and perseverance, whereas those associated with a short-term orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and saving face. The Asian countries overall demonstrate the highest long-term orientation scores, with China and Japan at the highest. Clearly, the difference between these countries and Wall Street’s focus on quarter-on-quarter earnings is a source of potential conflict.

Hofstede’s work on intercultural interaction strongly suggests that success working internationally is largely influenced by the degree and types of cultural differences between the individual’s country of origin and their country of destination. Evaluating the scores of individual countries on each of these dimensions and comparing them to an individual’s home country can point out key differences and hence potential areas of conflict and adjustment for individuals working internationally. HR can better support the development of the global workforce by facilitating these types of analyses and identifying appropriate intervention and development strategies to ensure more successful international work.