Geert Hofstede designed Hofstede Framework in response to the need to understand communication across various cultures. The framework is essential as it depicts the different effects of a given society’s cultural practices on the values held by the members of that society. The model also helps understand how various people’s values relate to their behavior (Vollero et al., 2020). The method used in analyzing various social issues is found from factor analysis, a structured model for understanding the issues under investigation (Vollero et al., 2020). From the experiment conducted by Hofstede, he found out that the theory can be used in different settings and organizations with varied cultures (Vollero et al., 2020). He also observed that companies with more employees from different cultures understand each other and contribute to the company’s overall goal (Vollero et al., 2020). The original theory was tested by surveying IBM workers derived from the whole world from 1967 to 1973. However, the model has been revised and refined to help address any inconsistencies in the expected outcomes, making it more relevant in understanding different cultures in modern settings.
The framework has been reevaluated and redefined over the years to capture new and changing concepts in the social realm. In particular, the framework initially consisted of uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity-femininity, and individualism-collectivism. Later studies by Hofstede have added ideas such as long-term orientation and indulgence versus self-restraint (Vollero et al., 2020). At the moment, these are the significant areas that are attributed to communication within different cultures. Hofstede remains active in cross-cultural psychology and is consulted in this particular field (Vollero et al., 2020). Consequently, since no changes or contradictions have been made against his framework, it follows that the model is significant in understanding cultures.
Reference
Vollero, A., Siano, A., Palazzo, M., & Amabile, S. (2020). Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and corporate social responsibility in online communication: Are they independent constructs? Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(1), 53-64.