4.1 The 6 dimensions explained
The following content is adapted from The Culture Factor Group website.
Power distance
Power distance means the extent to which less powerful members of society accept and expect that power is not distributed equally. Essentially it measures inequality and how much those with less power accept this fact.
A higher score, found in countries such as Malaysia or Russia, indicates acceptance of more unequal power relations. A low score, found in countries such as New Zealand or the UK, indicates that power is more widely shared and dispersed.
Individualism
A high score in this dimension can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of only themselves and their immediate families, indicating a more individualistic society such as is found in the UK.
The opposite of this is collectivism. In a collectivist society, found in countries such as Albania and the Philippines, people are part of a strong cohesive in-group which protects them in return for their unquestioning loyalty.
Masculinity versus femininity
This dimension is referred to by The Culture Factor Group as Motivation towards achievement and success but is often referenced as masculinity versus femininity in the wider literature.
A high score is seen as a decisive society, driven by competition, achievement and success. The UK represents a decisive society, but one of the highest scoring countries in this dimension is Japan.
A low score means that society is more consensus orientated, where caring for others and quality of life are dominant values. Spain is an example of a country that is consensus orientated.
Uncertainty avoidance
Uncertainty-avoiding cultures try to minimise the chance for new, surprising and different situations. They like to have laws and rules and rely on safety and security measures. They are more likely to believe in a religious truth. A high score indicates a society where people avoid unpredictable events, such as is found in Russia.
In countries with a low uncertainty avoidance, society is more tolerant of ambiguity and the search for truth. People are more likely to be programmed to feel at ease in uncertain situations. The UK has a low uncertainty avoidance score.
Long-term vs short-term orientation
Every society has to maintain some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and the future. Societies prioritise these two existential goals differently.
Societies that score low on this dimension, Brazil 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. The UK scores relatively highly in this dimension.
Indulgence versus restraint
A high score indicates indulgence, which stands for a society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and natural human drives related to enjoying life and having fun. UK culture is classified as indulgent.
A low score indicates restraint, i.e. a society that suppresses gratification of needs and regulates it by means of strict social norms. Japan has a culture of restraint.