Power Distance Index Analysis

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a) Power Distance Index Power Distance Index (PDI) refers to the degree of inequality that exists and is accepted between people with and without power. A high-PDI score indicates that a society accepts an unequal, hierarchical distribution of power, and that people understand “their place” in the system. A low-PDI score means that power is shared and widely dispersed, and that society members do not accept situations where power is distributed unequally (refer to figure 1.1.4). Application: According to the model, in a high-PDI country, such as Malaysia (100), team members will not initiate any action; they like to be guided and directed to complete a task. If a manager does not take charge, they may think that the task is not important (as…show more content…
A high-IDV score indicates weak interpersonal connection among those who are not part of a core “family”. Here, people take less responsibility for others’ actions and outcomes. In a collectivist society, however, people are supposed to be loyal to the group to which they belong, and, in exchange, the group will defend their interests. The group itself is normally larger, and people take responsibility for one another’s wellbeing. Application: Central American countries Panama and Guatemala have very low-IDV scores (11 and 6, respectively). In these countries, as an example, a marketing campaign that emphasises benefits to the community would likely be understood and well received, as long as the people addressed, feel part of the same group. c) Masculinity Versus Femininity (MAS) Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS) refers to the distribution of roles between men and women. In masculine societies, the roles of men and women overlap less, and men are expected to behave assertively. Demonstrating success and being strong and fast are seen as positive characteristics for masculine…show more content…
Hofstede argues that you may find people in high-scoring countries who are prepared to engage in risky behaviour, precisely because it reduces ambiguities, or in order to avoid failure. Application: In Hofstede’s model, Greece tops the UAI scale with 100, while Singapore scores the lowest with eight (refer to figure 1.1.4). Therefore, during a meeting in Greece, you might be keen to generate discussion, because you should recognise that there is a cultural tendency for team members to make the discussion safest with most conservative decisions, despite any emotional outbursts. Your aim is to encourage them to become more open to different ideas and approaches, but it may be helpful to provide a relatively limited, structured set of options or solutions. e) Pragmatic versus Normative Pragmatic versus Normative (PRA) dimension is also known as Long-Term Orientation. It refers to the degree to which people need to explain the inexplicable and is strongly related to religiosity and

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