How to read this Cultural Reference Sheet
HI: Hierarchy
Level of acceptance of people, who have no power, of the unequal spread of power in their society.
| HI – | HI + |
| independence | dependence |
| good reason for hierarchy | hierarchy is just there |
| what goes for you goes for me | special treatment |
| open door policy | gate keepers |
WI : We versus I
I+ : My loyalty lies with me first. Nuclear families.
I- : My loyalty lies with my group first. Extended families.
| We (I-) | I (I+) |
| we versus them | me, myself & I |
| group opinion important | own opinion important |
| indirect communication | direct communication |
| loss of ‘face’, shame | loss of self-respect, guilt |
| relationship over task | task over relationship |
PG : Process versus Goals
PG+ : Goals; Winning & decisiveness are important in society.
PG- : Process; Process & consensus are important in society.
| Process (PG -) | Goals (PG -) |
| sticking out your head out is not appreciated (socially, nor materially) | winning is good and gets rewarded |
| equal | standing |
| consensus | competition |
| sympathy for the loser | admiration for the winner |
AA: Anxiety Avoidance
How cultures adapt to changes and cope with uncertainty. Emphasis on the extent to which a culture feels threatened by or is anxious about ambiguity.
| Low avoidance (AA-) | High avoidance (AA+) |
| few rules, little structure | structure, rules, expertise |
| entrepreneurial | security (avoiding the unfamiliar) |
| stress-free | hectic |
| cool, calm & collected | emotions / passion |
Country Overview
Legend:
- H+ = a very high score
- H = a medium high score
- M = a medium score
- L = a medium low score
- L+ = a very low score
Country |
HI |
WI |
PG |
AA |
| Albanië |
H+ |
L |
H |
H |
| Angola |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Arab Emirates |
H+ |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Argentina |
M |
M |
M |
H+ |
| Australia |
L |
H+ |
H |
M |
| Austria |
L |
M |
H |
H |
| Bangladesh |
H+ |
L |
M |
H |
| Belgium |
H |
H |
M |
H+ |
| Brazil |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Bulgaria |
H |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Bhutan |
H+ |
M |
L |
L |
| Burkina Faso |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Canada |
L |
H+ |
M |
M |
| Cape Verde |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Caucasus |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Chile |
H |
L |
L |
H |
| China |
H+ |
L |
H |
L |
| Colombia |
H |
L |
H |
H |
| Costa Rica |
M |
L |
L |
H+ |
| Croatia |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Czech Republic |
M |
M |
M |
H |
| Denmark |
L |
H |
L+ |
L |
| Dominican Republic |
H |
L |
H |
M |
| East Africa |
H |
L |
H |
M |
| Ecuador |
H |
L+ |
H |
H |
| Egypt |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| El Salvador |
H |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Estonia |
M |
H |
L |
H |
| Ethiopia |
H |
L |
H |
M |
| Fiji |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Finland |
M |
H |
L |
M |
| France |
H |
H |
M |
H+ |
| Germany |
M |
H |
H |
H |
| Ghana |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Greece |
H |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Guatemala |
H+ |
L+ |
L |
H+ |
| Honduras |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Hong Kong |
H |
L |
H |
L |
| Hungary |
M |
H |
H |
H |
| Iceland |
L |
H |
L+ |
M |
| India |
H |
M |
H |
M |
| Indonesia |
H |
L+ |
M |
M |
| Iran |
M |
M |
M |
H |
| Iraq |
H+ |
L |
L |
H+ |
| Ireland |
L |
H |
H |
L |
| Israel |
L |
M |
M |
H |
| Italy |
M |
H |
H |
H |
| Jamaica |
M |
M |
H |
L+ |
| Japan |
M |
M |
H+ |
H+ |
| Jordan |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| kenya |
H |
L |
H |
M |
| Kuwait |
H+ |
L |
M |
H |
| Lebanon |
H |
M |
H |
M |
| Luxembourg |
M |
H |
M |
H |
| Malawi |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Malaysia |
H+ |
L |
M |
L |
| Malta |
M |
M |
M |
H+ |
| Mexico |
H |
L |
H |
H+ |
| Morocco |
H |
M |
M |
H |
| Namibia |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Nepal | H |
L |
L |
M |
| Netherlands |
L |
H+ |
L+ |
M |
| New Zealand |
L |
H |
M |
M |
| Nigeria |
H+ |
L |
H |
M |
| Norway |
L |
H |
L+ |
M |
| Pakistan |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Panama |
H+ |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Peru |
H |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Philippines |
H+ |
L |
H |
M |
| Poland |
H |
H |
H |
H+ |
| Portugal |
H |
L |
M | H+ |
| Romania |
H+ |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Russia |
H+ |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Saudi Arabia |
H+ |
L |
H |
H |
| Senegal |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Serbia |
H+ |
L |
M |
H+ |
| Sierra Leone |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Singapore |
H |
L |
M |
L+ |
| Slovakia |
H |
M |
H |
M |
| Slovenia |
H |
L |
L |
H+ |
| South Africa |
M |
H |
H |
M |
| South Korea |
H |
L |
L |
H+ |
| Spain |
M |
M |
M |
H+ |
| Sri Lanka |
H |
L |
L |
M |
| Surinam |
H+ |
M |
L |
H+ |
| Sweden |
L |
H |
L+ |
L |
| Switzerland |
L |
H |
H |
M |
| Syria |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Taiwan |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Tanzania |
H |
L |
M |
M |
| Thailand |
H |
L |
M |
H |
| Trinidad |
M |
L |
M |
M |
| Turkey |
H |
L |
M |
H+ |
| United Kingdom |
L |
H+ |
H |
L |
| United States |
L |
H+ |
H |
M |
| Uruguay |
H |
L |
L |
H+ |
| Venezuela |
H+ |
L |
H |
H |
| Vietnam |
H |
L | M |
L |
| West Africa |
H |
L |
M |
M |
Legend:
- H+ = a very high score
- H = a medium high score
- M = a medium score
- L = a medium low score
- L+ = a very low score
This Cultural Reference Sheet gives you a practical and applicable overview of the majority of the countries in the world, and their estimated scores partly inspired on the cultural dimension of Professor Geert Hoftstede.
