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.