Power distance
The degree in which the less powerful members of groups accept that power is distributed
unequally.
Low power distance
- People are treated equally
- Opinions are valued
- Don’t have to ask permission / You are allowed to take initiative.
- Employees are consulted when making decisions
High power distance
- People accept that superiors (parents, teachers, bosses, older people) have more power
- Not allowed to argue
- Only give opinion in a very respectful and sometimes indirect way
- Will only do things when given instructions
- Takes no initiative, bosses are hard to approach
- Autocratic leadership
Individualism vs Collectivism
Individualism
- Mainly responsible for yourself, and for your direct, nuclear family.
- Direct family like parents are close, others like grandparents live at a distance.
- Highly independent!!
- Being able to do things on your own is of high importance
- Prefer direct, honest, open and low context communication
- Learn from criticism
- Speaking your mind, honest and open
- Individual performance, privacy and originality
- Giving family special treatment is seen as nepotism
Collectivism
- Grow up in large families
- Are a responsible member of the group
- Taking care of the group members is of high importance
- Keeping harmony with the group members is important
- Confronting and criticizing is seen as downright rude
- People say ‘no’ in a subtle way to not make anyone lose face (blurring)
- Prefer high context communication
- Interdependence, sharing, supporting group.
- Prefer to hire people with inside relations because this causes less risk (due to loyalty)
- Long working days, lot of chitchat
- As a boss it is necessary to manage and reward collectively, personal trust is important
and build relationships instead of agreements.
The degree in which the less powerful members of groups accept that power is distributed
unequally.
Low power distance
- People are treated equally
- Opinions are valued
- Don’t have to ask permission / You are allowed to take initiative.
- Employees are consulted when making decisions
High power distance
- People accept that superiors (parents, teachers, bosses, older people) have more power
- Not allowed to argue
- Only give opinion in a very respectful and sometimes indirect way
- Will only do things when given instructions
- Takes no initiative, bosses are hard to approach
- Autocratic leadership
Individualism vs Collectivism
Individualism
- Mainly responsible for yourself, and for your direct, nuclear family.
- Direct family like parents are close, others like grandparents live at a distance.
- Highly independent!!
- Being able to do things on your own is of high importance
- Prefer direct, honest, open and low context communication
- Learn from criticism
- Speaking your mind, honest and open
- Individual performance, privacy and originality
- Giving family special treatment is seen as nepotism
Collectivism
- Grow up in large families
- Are a responsible member of the group
- Taking care of the group members is of high importance
- Keeping harmony with the group members is important
- Confronting and criticizing is seen as downright rude
- People say ‘no’ in a subtle way to not make anyone lose face (blurring)
- Prefer high context communication
- Interdependence, sharing, supporting group.
- Prefer to hire people with inside relations because this causes less risk (due to loyalty)
- Long working days, lot of chitchat
- As a boss it is necessary to manage and reward collectively, personal trust is important
and build relationships instead of agreements.
