七个文化维度

七个文化维度UNIVERSALISMversusPLURALISM“Whatismoreimportant-rulesorrelationships?”Thedegreeofimportanceacultureassignstoeitherthelawortopersonalrelationships.Inauniversalisticculture,peoplesharethebeliefthatgeneralrules,codes,valuesandstandardstakeprecedenceovertheneedsandclaimsoffriendsandotherrelationships.Inapluralisticculture,peopleseecultureintermsofhumanfriendshipandintimaterelationships.Whilerulesdoexistinapluralisticculture,theymerelycodifyhowpeoplerelatetooneanother.INDIVIDUALISMversusCOMMUNITARISNISM“Dowefunctionasagrouporasindividuals?”Thedegreetowhichpeopleseethemselvesfunctionmoreasacommunityormoreasindividuals.Inaprincipallyindividualisticculture,peopleplacetheindividualbeforethecommunity.Thismeansthatindividualhappiness,fulfilmentandwelfareprevailsandpeopletaketheirowninitiativeandtakecareofthemselves.Inaprincipallycommunitarianculture,peopleplacethecommunitybeforetheindividual.Thus,itistheresponsibilityoftheindividualtoactinwayswhichservesociety.Indoingso,individualneedsareautomaticallyattended.SPECIFICversusDIFFUSE“Howfartowegetinvolved?”Thedegreetowhichresponsibilityisspecificallyassignedorisdiffuselyaccepted.Inaspecificculture,peoplefirstanalysetheelementsindividuallyandthenputthemtogether,thewholeisthesumofitsparts.People'slivesaredividedaccordinglyand,onlyasinglecomponentcanbeenteredatatime.Interactionsbetweenpeopleareverywell-defined.Specificindividualsconcentrateonhardfacts,standardsandcontracts.Adiffuselyorientedculturestartswiththewholeandseesindividualelementsfromtheperspectiveofthetotal.Allelementsarerelatedtooneanother.Relationshipsbetweenelementsaremoreimportantthanindividualelements.AFFECTIVITYversusNEUTRALITY“Dowedisplayouremotions?”Thedegreetowhichindividualsdisplaytheiremotions.Inanaffectiveculture,peopledisplaytheiremotionsanditisnotdeemednecessarytohidefeelings.However,inaneutralculture,peoplearetaughtnottodisplaytheirfeelingsovertly.Thedegreetowhichfeelingsbecomemanifestedisthereforeminimal.Whileemotionsarefelt,theyarecontrolled.INNERDIRECTEDversusOUTERDIRECTED“Dowecontrolourenvironmentorworkwithit?”Thedegreetowhichindividualsbelievetheenvironmentcanbecontrolledversusbelievingthattheenvironmentcontrolsthem.Inaninner-directedculture,peoplehaveamechanisticviewofnature;natureiscomplexbutcanbecontrolledwiththerightexpertise.Peoplebelievethathumanscandominatenature,iftheymaketheeffort.Inanouter-directedculture,peoplehaveanorganicviewofnature.Mankindisviewedasoneofnature'sforcesandshouldthereforeliveinharmonywiththeenvironment.Peoplethereforeadaptthemselvestoexternalcircumstances.ACHIEVEDSTATUSversusASCRIBEDSTATUS“Dowehavetoproveourselvestoreceivestatusorisitgiventous?”Thedegreetowhichindividualsmustprovethemselvestoreceivestatusversusstatussimplygiventothem.Inaculturewithachievedstatus,peoplederivetheirstatusfromwhattheyhaveaccomplished.Achievedstatusmustbeproventimeandtimeagainandstatuswillbegivenaccordingly.Inaculturewithascribedstatus,peoplederivetheirstatusfrombirth,age,genderorwealth.Herestatusisnotbasedonachievementbutitisaccordedonthebasisoftheperson'sbeing.SEQUENTIALTIMEversusSYNCHRONICTIME“Dowedothingsoneatatimeorseveralthingsatonce?”Thedegreetowhichindividualsdothingsoneatatimeversusseveralthingsatonce.Culturesdevelopedtheirownresponsetotime.Timeorientationhastwoaspects:therelativeimportanceculturesassigntothepast,presentandfuture,andtheirapproachtostructuringtime.Inasequentialculture,peoplestructuretimesequentiallyanddothingsoneatatime.Inasynchronictimeculture,peopledoseveralthingsatonce,believingtimeisflexibleandintangible.Past-orientedculturesAculturethatisorientedtowardsthepastviewsthefutureasarepetitionofpreviouseventsandexperiences.Characteristicsinclude:respectforancestorsandcollectivehistoricalevents.Present-orientedculturesAcultureprimarilydirectedtothepresentdoesnotattachgreatvaluetothepastorfuture.Instead,individualsaredirectedbythedailydemandsofeverydaylife.Future-orientedculturesAcultureconcentratedonfutureprospectsanddoesnotdeemthepastassignificantforfutureevents.Planningisamajoractivityamongindividualsinthisculture.