A country will adopt a particular culture that suits it. In business management, a nation's culture has a significant impact on the production rate. Hofstede came up with a 5 D model of cultural dimension, which categorizes countries based on their specific cultures and ranks them based on the degree to which they have impressed those cultures. This paper compares the cultures of two countries, China and the UK, at different levels and ranks them according to the degree to which they have impressed these cultures.
Participative Approach to Management: China vs. UK
Countries differ in the way they view management, especially in companies and organizations. Some embrace participative approach while others opt for non-participative approach. The type of countries expected to be more participative in management can be answered by Hofstede’s fourth aspect on cultural dimension of masculinity versus femininity. The aspect describes the distribution of roles between genders. Values in masculine cultures are usually oriented to competitiveness, materialism, assertiveness, power, and ambitions, while feminine cultures emphasize the worth of life and relationships ( Hofstede, 2021). There is a significant difference in the roles in masculine cultures, while in feminine cultures, males and females are given equal values that emphasize caring and modesty. Unlike in feminine cultures, countries with masculine cultures discourage a participative approach. Hofstede ranks China and UK on the same scale regarding this dimension. In comparing China and UK on management grounds, the two countries lie on the same level. If the production level were to be measured using the degree to which countries employ a participative approach, both UK and China would have equal production. Both counties allow equal distribution of roles regardless of gender. This implies that there is a likelihood to find equal gender ratios in all levels of power in these nations.
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Degree of Training Emphasis and Workforce Development: China vs. UK
When it to training, Hofstede’s fifth aspect on cultural dimensions that compare long-term orientation vs. short term orientation is handy in explaining the difference between these two countries. The dimension describes the time horizon of society. According to Hofstede (2021), societies with long-term orientations give greater significance to the future, and foster pragmatic values focused on rewards. Societies with short-term orientations foster values related to the present and the past, such as respecting traditions, preserving one’s dignity, and fulfilling social obligations. Findings by Hofstede (2021) indicates that China encourages long-term orientations while the UK encourages short term orientations. This means China will emphasize training its members with a target of coming up with a more cohesive workforce due to the fear of tomorrow. On the other hand, the UK, with less consideration of future, has little expectation of training its members in preparation for tomorrow as most of their values are based on the present and the past.
Power Hierarchy: China vs. the UK
Hofstede’s cultural dimension of power distance index answers issue of power hierarchy. Power distance refers to the degree to which power is shared unequally across the organization. Here, the less powerful individuals agree and expect to receive orders from above (Hofstede, 2021). There are countries whose cultures endorse high power distance while others accrue low power distance. In low power distance, members will only accept and expect more democratic and consultative power relations. There is equity in the way people interact in societies regardless of their formal positions. The subordinate staff is given a chance to critique and contribute to decision-making, bringing more comfort and satisfaction.
On the other hand, power is autocratic in a high power distance society, leaving the less powerful with no choice but to accept and expect instructions and orders from those with more powers. The subordinate staff members acknowledge their position in the hierarchy of power. Given this, the power distance index defines people’s perception of power differences and not a reflection on objective differences regarding power distribution. Hofstede’s research indicates that China has a high power distance index while the UK has a low power distance index. There is a high likelihood of finding supervisors giving instructions to employees in China than in the UK.
Level of Teamwork: China vs. the UK
Some counties have managed to incorporate teamwork in workplaces to achieve their goals, while others have failed terribly. Hofstede's first aspect on cultural dimensions groups human society into two: Collectivists and individualistic. In collectivistic nations, members possess a collective mentality seeking mutual accommodation to uphold the group's unity (Hofstede, 2021) . In individualistic society, members are self-centered and strive to satisfy their own needs. China scores high ratings on collectivism as per Hofstede's research, while the UK scores highly in individualism. Teamwork increases the productivity of any nation. Countries where teamwork is encouraged experience high production compared to those with the individualistic type of culture. This is evident as China, with its collectivistic culture, has shown a high rate of economic growth in recent years as compared to other countries. Teamwork brings together diverse ideas, skills, and experiences, leading to creativity and competence in many fields. Since the UK endorses individualistic culture, it is challenging to introduce teamwork in this nation effectively.
In conclusion, different countries adopt different cultures specific at different levels. Some of these cultures might have been inherited from the past or introduced by those in power. It is evident that some cultures are positive and enable the nation to achieve its goals, while others are negative and acts as barriers to a nation's success. A country that is dreaming of becoming economically superior must come up with the best cultures that will work towards improving its productivity.
Reference
Hofstede Insights (2021 ). Country comparison: China vs. United Kingdom . https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/china,the-u k /
