This value is concerned with looking out for oneself as opposed to one’s group or organisation. In high-individualism cultures, such as Australia and the USA, personal initiative and competitiveness are valued strongly. Organisations in individualistic cultures often have high turnover rates and individual rather than group decision-making processes. Employee empowerment is supported when members believe that it improves the probability of personal gain. These cultures encourage personal initiative, competitiveness and individual autonomy. Conversely, in low individualism countries, allegiance to one’s group is paramount. Organisations operating in these cultures tend to favour cooperation among employees and loyalty to the company.
This value concerns the extent to which the culture favours the acquisition of power and resources. Employees from achievement-oriented cultures place a high value on career advancement, freedom and salary growth. Workers in culture where achievement is less of a driving value prize the social aspects of work, including working conditions and supervision, and typically favour opportunities to learn and grow at work.
This value reflects a preference for conservative practices and familiar and predictable situations. People in high uncertainty-avoidance regions prefer stable routines over change and act to maintain the status quo. They do not like conflict and believe that company rule should not be broken. In regions where uncertainty is low, ambiguity is less threatening. Organisations in these cultures tend to favour fewer rules, higher levels of participation in decision making, more organic structures and more risk taking. this value concerns the way people view authority, status differences and influences patterns. People in high power-distance regions tend to accept unequal distributions of power and influences, and consequently autocratic and paternalistic decision-making practices are the norm. Organisations in high power-distance cultures tend to be centralised, with several hierarchical levels and a large proportion of supervisory personnel. Subordinates in these organisations represent a lower social class. They expect to be supervised closely and believe that power holders are entitled to special privileges. Such practices would e inappropriate in low-power distance regions,