Cultures and Organizations - Software of the mind – by Geert Hofstede, Gert jan
Hofstede and Michael Minkov
CCA year 1 semester 1
Chapter 1-3-4-5-6-7
The focus of our study we want to know the basic values of a country so we can
predict or business practice to suit the majority.
- Culture: is language, history, arts, music, architecture, important people,
mindsets..
- We can categorize all these cultural elements in to the Onion model and
separate 4 groups Symbols, rituals, heroes, values.
- What is culture and what is not? pyramid model.
a. The bottom layer is Human Nature. This is not culture.
b. The second layer is (NATIONAL) culture. This applies to the majority
of the people in a certain country, but not everybody.
c. The third layer is personality, or case. Each person, each situation,
each case has a different value. This is not culture. The value in each
case, can overlap with the national culture, can be totally opposite.
- How the pyramid and the onion integrate with each other.
- How onion model works: value is very stable and not likely to change.
Hero’s, rituals, symbols change fast.
, - 6 value dimensions
1. Power distance (PD): How people think about the difference between
boss and subordinate
2. Individualism- Collectivism (IDV): How people think about the
importance of in-groups
3. Femininity- Masculinity (MAS): How people think about ways of life and
gender’s role
4. Uncertainty Avoidance (UA): How people think about rules and
regulations
5. Time Orientation (LTO): How people think about vision and planning
6. Happiness: How people think about the optimistic aspects of life (not
included in course)
The ‘onion diagram’: Manifestations of culture at different
Hofstede and Michael Minkov
CCA year 1 semester 1
Chapter 1-3-4-5-6-7
The focus of our study we want to know the basic values of a country so we can
predict or business practice to suit the majority.
- Culture: is language, history, arts, music, architecture, important people,
mindsets..
- We can categorize all these cultural elements in to the Onion model and
separate 4 groups Symbols, rituals, heroes, values.
- What is culture and what is not? pyramid model.
a. The bottom layer is Human Nature. This is not culture.
b. The second layer is (NATIONAL) culture. This applies to the majority
of the people in a certain country, but not everybody.
c. The third layer is personality, or case. Each person, each situation,
each case has a different value. This is not culture. The value in each
case, can overlap with the national culture, can be totally opposite.
- How the pyramid and the onion integrate with each other.
- How onion model works: value is very stable and not likely to change.
Hero’s, rituals, symbols change fast.
, - 6 value dimensions
1. Power distance (PD): How people think about the difference between
boss and subordinate
2. Individualism- Collectivism (IDV): How people think about the
importance of in-groups
3. Femininity- Masculinity (MAS): How people think about ways of life and
gender’s role
4. Uncertainty Avoidance (UA): How people think about rules and
regulations
5. Time Orientation (LTO): How people think about vision and planning
6. Happiness: How people think about the optimistic aspects of life (not
included in course)
The ‘onion diagram’: Manifestations of culture at different
