Type

Essay

Pages

9 pages

Word Count

3614 words

School

K J Somaiya

Course Code

pgdm

Hofstede Model For Middle East

January 11, 2021

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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Middle East Countries

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OBJECTIVE

Recent years have seen increasing interest in the consequences of culture for global marketing and

advertising, communication, organization growth etc. Many recent studies point at the necessity

of adapting branding and advertising strategies to the culture of the consumer. In order to

understand cultural differences, several models have been developed of which the Hofstede model

is the most used. Globalization is still a familiar concept today. All kinds of technological

developments enable people to communicate with each other throughout the world and this also

applies to organizations. Globalization, communication and organizations are therefore

accompanied by different cultures. People who work in international business may be taken by

surprise when they learn how people behave in different cultures. According to Geert Hofstede

culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. This report describes elements of this

model that are most relevant for the Middle East countries.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

According to Geert Hofstede, there is no such thing as a universal management method or

management theory across the globe. Even the word management has different origins and

meanings in countries throughout the world. Management is not a phenomenon that can be isolated

from other processes taking place in society. It interacts with what happens in the family, at school,

in politics and government. It is obviously also related to religions and to beliefs about science. To

understand management in a country, one should have both knowledge and empathy with what's

happening in the society. The scores of the unique statistical survey that Hofstede carried out make

everybody aware that people in other countries may think, feel and act very differently from them

even when confronted with basic problems of society. The area we have focused at in this report

are the Middle East countries. First we will have a brief about how Hofstede ranked the countries

and then will see what the current scenario in Middle East is.

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INDEX

TITLE

PAGE NO

I. Introduction

……………………..05

II. Methodology

……………………..06

III. Comparison of Middle East Countries

……………………..06

IV. What’s going on in Middle East now?

……………………..09

V. Recommendation

……………………..12

VI. References

……………………..13

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I. INTRODUCTION

Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory is a framework for cross-cultural

communication, developed by Geert Hofstede. It describes the effects of a

society's culture on the values of its members, and how these values relate to behavior,

using a structure derived from factor analysis. Hofstede developed his original model as a

result of using factor analysis to examine the results of a worldwide survey of employee

values by IBM between 1967 and 1973. Hofstede's work established a major research

tradition in cross-cultural psychology and has also been drawn upon by researchers and

consultants in many fields relating to international business and communication. The

theory has been widely used in several fields as a paradigm for research, particularly in

cross-cultural psychology, international management, and cross-cultural communication.

It continues to be a major resource in cross-cultural fields. It has inspired a number of other

major cross-cultural studies of values, as well as research on other aspects of culture, such

as social beliefs.

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II. METHODOLOGY

In order to understand the cultural differences between people of different countries, Geert

Hofstede started a large survey study within the IBM organization in 56 countries in 1970. His

survey study has provided us with an insight into other countries and cultures, especially with

respect to effective interactions between people. After more than 1.000 interviews and a variety of

angles, the model of the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions emerged. Initially, four dimensions were

identified; later a fifth and sixth dimension was added to the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. In

successive studies these Hofstede Cultural Dimensions were identified for 76 countries. Each

country has a scale from 1 to 100 for each dimension. The higher the score, the more the dimension

in question emerges in the culture. The Hofstede Cultural Dimensions are set out in a structural

model using a versus construction.

III. COMPARISON OF MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES

Countries in Consideration: United Arab Emirates, Jordan and

Saudi Arabia

Power Distance Index (PDI):

The definition of power distance within the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions refers to the measure

of inequality that exists- and is accepted – by people with and without power. This represents the

inequality (high versus low), but in the sense of acceptance. A high PDI score indicates that a high

power distance can be observed in which the conclusion can be drawn that there is great inequality

in society (culture). Strong hierarchical relationships, displays of little respect and authority can

be traced back to most Asian countries. A low score represents a low power distance. Here equality

can be perceived and this can mainly be traced back to European countries.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with a score of 95 and 90 respectively, Jordan with

a score of 70 is considered high in PDI dimension it means that people accept a hierarchical order

in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification.

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. In societies with low Power

Distance, people strive to equalize the distribution of power and demand justification for

inequalities of power.

Individualism versus collectivism (IDV):

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