MGMT-201 Lecture 4: Hofstede Country Comparison
WHAT ABOUT HONDURAS?
If we explore Honduras’ culture through the lens of the 6-D Model©, we can get a good
overview of the deep drivers of Honduran culture relative to other world cultures.
POWER DISTANCE
This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it
expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power
Distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and
organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.
Honduras, with a high score of 80, is shown to have a hierarchical society. This means
that people accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs
no further justification. Hierarchy in an organisation is seen as reflecting inherent
inequalities, centralisation is popular, subordinates expect to be told what to do and the
ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat.
INDIVIDUALISM
The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a
society maintains among its members.
It has to do with whether people´s self-image is
defined in terms of “I” or “We”. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look
after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in
groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty.
In this dimension, Honduras has a very low score of 20 which shows that it is considered
a collectivistic society. This is evident in a close, long-term commitment to the member
‘group’, be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a
collectivist culture is paramount and overrides most other societal rules and regulations.
The society fosters strong relationships where everyone takes responsibility for fellow
members of their group. In collectivist societies: offence leads to shame and the loss of
face, employer/employee relationships are perceived in moral terms (like a family link),
hiring and promotion decisions take account of the employee’s in-group and
management is the management of groups.
MASCULINITY
A high score (Masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by
competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best
in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational
life.
A low score (Feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are
caring for others and quality of life. A Feminine society is one where quality of life is the
sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue
here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (Masculine) or liking what you do
(Feminine).
A low score of 40 indicates that Honduras can be considered a relatively Feminine
society. In Feminine countries the focus is on “working in order to live”, managers strive
for consensus, people value equality, solidarity and quality in their working lives.
Conflicts are resolved by compromise and negotiation. Incentives such as free time and
flexibility are favoured. Focus is on well-being and status is not shown or emphasised.
UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
This dimension, Uncertainty Avoidance, has to do with the way that a society deals with
the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just
let it happen? This ambiguity brings anxiety with it, and different cultures have learnt to
deal with this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture
feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and
institutions that try to avoid these
is reflected in the score on Uncertainty Avoidance.
Honduras’ low score of 50 on this dimension means that it is a fairly pragmatic culture in
terms of Uncertainty Avoidance. This means that both generalists and experts are
needed. There is a focus on planning, and these plans can be altered at short notice and
improvisations made. Emotions are not shown much in these societies; people are fairly
relaxed and not averse to taking risks. Consequently, there is a larger degree of
acceptance for new ideas, innovative products and a willingness to try something new
or different, whether it pertains to technology, business practices, or food.
LONG TERM ORIENTATION
This dimension describes how every society has to maintain some links with its own past
while dealing with the challenges of the present and future
, and societies prioritise these
two existential goals differently. Normative societies. which score low on this
dimension, for example, prefer to maintain time-honoured traditions and norms while
viewing societal change with suspicion. Those with a culture which scores high, on the
other hand, take a more pragmatic approach: they encourage thrift and efforts in
modern education as a way to prepare for the future.
Document Summary
If we explore honduras" culture through the lens of the 6-d model , we can get a good overview of the deep drivers of honduran culture relative to other world cultures. Distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Honduras, with a high score of 80, is shown to have a hierarchical society. This means that people accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. Hierarchy in an organisation is seen as reflecting inherent inequalities, centralisation is popular, subordinates expect to be told what to do and the ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat. In this dimension, honduras has a very low score of 20 which shows that it is considered a collectivistic society. This is evident in a close, long-term commitment to the member.
