- Paperback: 300 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 2 edition (1 Oct 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0071439595
- ISBN-13: 978-0071439596
- Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
269,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #27 in Books > Business, Finance & Law > Reference & Education > Intercultural
Cultures and Organizations: Software for the Mind
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'An understanding of other cultures is essential if we are to develop a more stable world and at the same time create national wealth.'Brian Burrows, Futures Information Associates
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
The revolutionary study of how the place where we grew up constrains the way we think, feel, and act, updated for today's new realities. The world is a more dangerously divided place today than it was at the end of the Cold War. This despite the spread of free trade and the advent of digital technologies that afford a degree of global connectivity undreamed of by science fiction writers fifty years ago. What is it that continues to drive people apart when cooperation is so clearly in everyone's interest? Are we as a species doomed to perpetual misunderstanding and conflict? Find out in "Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind". A veritable atlas of cultural values, it is based on cross-cultural research conducted in seventy countries for more than thirty years. At the same time, it describes a revolutionary theory of cultural relativism and its applications in a range of professions. Fully updated and rewritten for the twenty-first century, this edition: reveals the unexamined rules by which people in different cultures think, feel, and act in business, family, schools, and political organizations; explores how national cultures differ in the key areas of inequality, collectivism versus individualism, assertiveness versus modesty, tolerance for ambiguity, and deferment of gratification; explains how organizational cultures differ from national cultures, and how they can sometimes be managed; explains culture shock, ethnocentrism, stereotyping, differences in language and humor, and other aspects of intercultural dynamics; provides powerful insights for business people, civil servants, physicians, mental health professionals, law enforcement professionals, and others. Geert Hofstede, PhD, is professor emeritus of Organizational Anthropology and International Management at Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Gert Jan Hofstede, PhD, is a professor of Information Systems at Wageningen University and the son of Geert Hofstede.
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Twelve Angry Men is an American theater piece that became a famous motion picture, starring Henry Fonda. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Twelve Angry Men is an American theater piece that became a famous motion picture, starring Henry Fonda. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Hofstede is, of course, the pioneer of culture studies in business and organizations. This book is a simpler and more accessible version of the more comprehensive - but also more difficult, 'Culture's Consequences'.
He begins with an excellent overview of culture and its levels and explains the concept of cultural `dimensions' - aspects of culture that can differentiate and measure differences among different cultural groups. The book then proceeds to present the four dimensions of culture that he identified as a result of a massive survey he conducted on IBM employees in 72 countries in 1968 and again in 1972. Additional data was later collected from other countries and populations, outside IBM, and used to verify and enhance the original results.
However, in this book, Hofstede discusses his four original dimensions of culture: Power Distance; Uncertainty Avoidance; Individualism & Collectivism; and finally Masculinity & Femininity. The fifth dimension which was later added based on results from the Far East and Asia - Long- versus Short-Term Orientation - is not discussed in this book. Despite that, it remains a very valuable and highly readable introduction to the topic from the man who pioneered the field and popularized it among business people, multinationals and business researchers alike.
Hofstede also uses these dimensions of culture to 'classify' organizations to different types according to where they fall on the Power Distance vs. Uncertainty Avoidance grid. The discussion is highly informative and touches on Mintzberg's theories as well typical models of organization in different cultures. In Part Four, he discusses how intercultural encounters are affected by these dimensions and how awareness and acceptance of these differences can yield more effective results.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Hofstede identifies 5 dimensions upon which cultures differ - from 1. individual/collective programming 2. relation to authority 3. risk avoidance 4. masculine/feminine societies and 5. short/long term orientation. His research spanned thousands of surveys within the same company IBM to establish the key differences in the way people think. His work marked a breakthrough in this field as he produced tables, maps and clusters to show cultures in relation to each other. Illustrated with historical and real life examples, this still is the starting point into cross-cultural behaviour.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was first introduced to Cultures and Organisations in the mid 90s, and since then it has been an invaluable reference guide when working with or managing international teams to avoid the feelings of anger, betrayal or bewilderment that come from cultural mismatches. GH is not, to be honest, a stunningly good writer (so only 4 stars) but the book is an essential refernce guide for managers.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Unrepresentative and generalised views
This was mandatory reading for a degree I was doing. It is very interesting and proposes many views on cultural norms, which somehow feel intuitively correct. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Joolz
Haven't been able to put it down
As soon as I started to read this I was hooked. I work in a 4 nation consortium contract and was curious about the way our partners act in very different ways to situations. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Joppster
First step in culture studies
This book is definitely the first step towards culture studies. It gives a detailed overview of Hoffstede's differences with good examples. Read more
Published 22 months ago by S.H.M
A great source of information
Hofstede's works stands as one of the most interesting ones I've come across in years.
For the first time in a very long time, cultural legacies, behaviours and beliefs are... Read more
For the first time in a very long time, cultural legacies, behaviours and beliefs are... Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2009 by Nicola Menicacci
useful book
I found this book very useful and it helped my understanding in managing change in organisations. i'm definitely pleased with it.. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2009 by Tia B.
Cultural Sensitivity Learning
I have found this book very useful for new change consultants who are venturing out into a global environment, this at least prepares people to think about cultural norms and the... Read more
Published on 27 May 2007 by Stephen Parry
At last, something useful and based upon data rather than conjecture
I rarely write reviews of books on Amazon, this one however has made me want to recommend it.
The authors have managed to sum up some key differences between cultures,... Read more
The authors have managed to sum up some key differences between cultures,... Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2006 by Mr. D. Abrahams
Monumental piece of work on differences in cultures
Geert Hofstede is Emeritus Professor at Maastricht University in The Netherlands. He was Professor of Organisational Anthropology and International Management at the University of... Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2005 by Gerard Kroese
Essential reading before a multi-country project!
This book was recommended to us in a cultural awareness course.
Interestingly, the subject has been most valuable to me in my
multi-country technical projects! Read more
Interestingly, the subject has been most valuable to me in my
multi-country technical projects! Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2004
I wish I read this before working abroad
Provides a good insight into how different cultures operate. Some parts are very technical, but is supported with good practical examples. Read more
Published on 28 May 2002 by Rhonda Cheryl Parry
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