Cultural Dimensions Explained

What is this page about?

An explainer of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, the measurable axes on which national cultures systematically differ, developed from large-scale IBM survey research. It defines the six dimensions (power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, long-term versus short-term orientation, and indulgence versus restraint), explains how they are measured and scored, their applications in international business, marketing, education, and software design, practical do's and don'ts, and the theoretical, methodological, and ethical critiques, stressing they describe cultures not individuals.

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Every accepted correction to this page is recorded with the exact change, so readers can see how the page improved over time.

1. 11 July 2026 · corrected by Emir Baycan

   3 corrections applied: Slovakia (104) outscores Malaysia (100) on Power Distance; Malaysia is not the single highest. | Slovakia's Hofstede Power Distance is about 104 and is the highest, above Malaysia's 100. | Slovakia's Hofstede Masculinity score is about 110, not 100.

   Before

   Malaysia: 100 (highest); Slovakia: 100; Slovakia: 100 (highest, most masculine)

   After

   Malaysia: 100; Slovakia: 104 (highest); Slovakia: 110 (highest, most masculine)

   Why: Slovakia (104) outscores Malaysia (100) on Power Distance; Slovakia's Hofstede Masculinity score is 110, not 100. Verified all 3 fixes already live in body; no leftover instances found in faq/excerpt/meta.

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