In this theory, Hofstede defines culture as the unique way in which people are collectively taught in their environments. Geert Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist, professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and a former IBM employee, conducted some pioneering research on cross-cultural groups in organizations, which led to his cultural dimensions theory.

It stands to reason that US pay practices might be perceived as unfair in these countries. The equity theory, which we talked about in the first section of this module, is embraced in the US, but in the former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, workers expect their rewards to reflect their personal needs as well as their performance.

What other theories fall short when you stand them up against other cultures? Well, the need to achieve and a concern for performance is found in the US, UK and Canada, but in countries like Chile and Portugal, it’s almost non-existent. If these differences are well understood, managers can adapt accordingly, and understand that group work is more important for their Scandinavian workers, and so on. Greece and Mexico, countries with cultures that look for a significant set of rules and guidelines in their lives, might have safety at the top of their pyramids, while Scandinavian countries, well known for their nurturing characteristics, might have social needs at the top of theirs. Managers working for international companies who have remote international teams may find it difficult to apply the suggestions of these theories to everyone on their team.įor instance, Maslow’s theory, which suggests that humans follow a needs path from physiological needs to needs of safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization, is a typically American point of view. The theories you’ve read about have been developed by American psychologists and scientists for the American workplace, and the behaviors suggested are dictated by the American culture. Discuss the impact of cultural differences on motivationĪ warning for managers everywhere-motivation theories are culture-bound.

Cultural translation theory bassinet