Activity #3 - Hofstede Cultural Dimensions

After visiting Ireland for about two weeks, I am able to compare and contrast its cultural differences with the United States. In my opinion, Ireland seemed to be about 20 years behind us in technology and marketing. An easier way to do this is with the help of Hofstede's 5 Cultural Dimensions. In my multinational marketing class I took last fall, we briefly talked about this chart and what the different categories meant. This chart is used to compare and contrast countries and their cultural differences. The categories are as follow: Power/Distance Index (PDI), Individualism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS), Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (UAI), and Long Term Orientation (LTO). When comparing Ireland and United States in PDI, the US has a slightly higher PDI of 40, while Ireland only has a score of 28. Countries that have a high PDI have characteristics of centralized countries, strong hierarchies, and large gaps in compensation, authority, and respect. While low PDIs, show that supervisors and employees are considered almost as equals. Another European country such as Russia has a very high score of 93. This shows that people are not considered as equal and is based off their job positions and salary. The next category is individualism. The US has a score of 91, while Ireland has a score of 70. Both are fairly high in this category. Having a high IDV means there is high valuation on people's need for freedom, respect for privacy, and lack of interpersonal connection. On the other hand, Russia has a much lower score of 39, which indicates they have a strong group cohesion, and large amounts of loyalty and respect for others in the group. The MAS of Ireland is 68, while US is 62. As stated in the text, countries with high MAS are where men are expected to be tough, strong, and the provider of the family. Again, Russia has a lower score of 36, where men and women are equal in the work place, and gender does not make a difference. The next category is the UAI. Ireland has a score of 35, US of 46 and Russia of 95. High scores indicate differences are avoided, and very formal business conduct with lots of rules and polices. Low scores are more informal, and accept change and risk. Finally, the last category is LTO. Ireland has a score of 43, US has a score of 29 and Russia does not have a score listed. High LTO shows characteristics that family is the basis of society, a strong work ethic, and high value on education and training. Low scores show characteristics that promote equality and high creativity. I am surprised that the US does not have a higher score because our government puts a lot of money and value into education with the 'No Child Left Behind Act'. In conclusion, I am surprised that the United States did not score higher on all the categories. The US is known for freedom and opportunity for all nationalities and cultures to live free.