Software of the Mind - Essay Example

Hofstede has revealed the rules by which people think, feel, and act in a business environment and why there are differences between the countries. He has explored how national cultures differ in their inequality, individualism, and assertiveness. His studies explain that organizational cultures are different from national cultures. Special attention is being paid to cultural shock, stereotyping, and even humor differences. The results of Hofstede's work are useful not only for the businesspersons but for the health professionals, law enforcement representatives, and other groups of people.

Example - AsiaHofstede has applied the Chinese Value Survey to investigate the cultural peculiarities of Asian people and he found out that his dimensions cannot be directly used to explain their culture. He developed the so-called Confucian Dynamism dimension that is linked to economic growth - the search for social well-being. In particular, he has noted that Asian people possess persistence in pursuing their goals (Hofstede 2004). These people are not afraid of difficult problems and once they have set the goal, there is nothing that can stop them from reaching it.

In addition, Hofstede noticed that there is a strong hierarchy of relationships and people observe it very carefully. This is the unofficial but clear power relations that are rarely questioned. Thrift and the dislike of waste is another element of the Confucian Dynamism dimension - the economic production and reliable products are the results of this cultural peculiarity (Hofstede 2004). Organizations have stable financial standing because of the high savings level and reduced borrowings.