Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory

I decided I wanted to look at some of the empirical / positivist models of cultural difference. I think they will be of limited use being quite top down in nature, but they might either foster a sensitivity to the environment (possibly a negative) or alternatively suggest blind spots or arrogances of the west.

So in the fields of organisational studies, management, psychology, marketing and cultural studies, one framework academics use to look at cross cultural communication is Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory which posits up to 6 factors with which to compare cultures:  

(1) power distance (strength of social hierarchy) --> "ways of coping with inequality". Low power distance cultures expect power relations that are more consultative or democratic.

(2) individualism - collectivism  --> "the relationship of the individual with her or his primary group / degree of integration of people into social groups". It has been suggested that as countries become more wealthy they become more individualistic.

(3) uncertainty avoidance --> "ways of coping with uncertainty". People in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance tend to be more emotional and implement more rules and regulations, while those that accept uncertainty are pragmatist.

(4) task orientation versus person-orientation (also called masculine feminine or Quantity of Life vs. Quality of Life) --> "emotional implications of having been born as a girl or as a boy " ie competitiveness, assertiveness, materialism, strict gender roles vs value on relationships and quality of life.

and he later added:

(5) long-term orientation (initially called "Confucian dynamism" following Chinese field work). Reward oriented, persistence, saving and capacity for adaptation (long term) vs short term values on  steadiness, respect for tradition, preservation of one's face, reciprocation and fulfilling social obligations.

(6) indulgence versus self-restraint. (less commonly used) . Relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires related to enjoying life and having fun vs conviction that such gratification needs to be curbed and regulated by strict norms.

Hofstede is an international business sociologist and is concerened with international organisational management. He worked for the personnel research department of IBM who wanted to look at differences in values across their offices in different countries which caused him to produce this model.  Obviously its a reductionist, generalised, positivist empirical type model, mostly suited to instrumental (ie business) uses.