Cultural Difference Map

The map on the left shows the cultural distance between a selected country and the other countries on the map. The darker a country is, the closer it is to the selected country.The distance is computed as a vector distance between the values that each country scores along the six dimensions explained below. The distances are scaled to 0-100, so the maximum culture distance is 100.0. Countries that don't have data for the six dimensions are shown in light blue.

The cultural differences are based on data derived from Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory. There are six dimensions in this theory, which attempts to quantify various characteristics of national cultures. Here are the dimensions:

• Power distance index (PDI): "Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally."
• Individualism (IDV) vs. collectivism: "The degree to which individuals are integrated into groups".
• Uncertainty avoidance index (UAI): "a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity".
• Masculinity (MAS), vs. femininity: "The distribution of emotional roles between the genders". Also known as "Quantity of Life vs. Quality of Life"
• Long-term orientation (LTO), vs. short term orientation: The time horizon of the society.
• Indulgence versus restraint (IVR): The extent to which member in society try to control their desires and impulses.

If you would like to comment on this map, see my blog entry discussing it at Nueva Lengua Translation and leave a comment there.

 

Original version 3/5/2014.
Last updated 3/30/2014.
e-mail: alkaline at alkaline.org
copyright 2014 by Garrett Jones

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