Hofstede’s Five Dimensions of Culture of China

Hofstede’s five dimensions of culture of China

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Power Distance

At 80 China sits in the higher rankings of PDI.

1.Parents and Children

In China, because of the influence of the traditional culture, parents are the authority at home.Parents will impose their own knowledge, experience on their child instead of child's own idea,no matter the child understand or not.

2.Teachers and Students

In China, the unequal relationship between teachers and students are more outstanding.The students won't contradict or criticize the teachers face to face.The high platform in front of the classroom also reflect the teacher's status.When a student want to answer the teacher’s question,the student must raise the hand first and wait for the teacher calls your name then you can stand up and answer.Besides,students are not allow eating during the class and the fixed sitting seat between the students also limits the students’ active.

3.Boss and employee

Company organization in these cultures tend to play the role of their parents.Managers use the autocratic style of leadership.Bureaucracy to dominate the entire institutions with a strong centralized decision-making.Training staff will stress the importance of obey the command and loyalty. Employees "often afraid do not agree with the boss" and will be fired.

Collectivism / Individualism  

At a score of 20 China is a highly collectivist culture where people act in the interests of the group and not necessarily of themselves.For example,Chinese students are required to wear uniform from the start of primary school to the end of high shool.Every year in primary school and before enter the middle school,high school and university,school will organize several days of army training for students in order to learn collectivism.

Femininity / Masculinity

At 66 China is a masculine society –success oriented and driven. In China,people prefer to give birth to a boy rather than a girl because of the traditional thoughts.The need to ensure success can be exemplified by the fact that many Chinese will sacrifice family and leisure priorities to work. Most industries,especially the catering,will provide services until very late at night. Leisure time is not so important for Chinese people. The migrated farmer workers will leave their families behind in faraway places in order to obtain better work and pay in the cities. Another example is that Chinese students care very much about their exam scores and ranking as this is the main criteria to achieve success or not.

Uncertainty avoidance

At 30 China has a low score on uncertainty avoidance.People are easy to accept uncertainty,with emotional connotation.For example,the Chinese are comfortable with ambiguity.The Chinese language is full of ambiguous meanings that can be difficult for Western people to follow. And people in China are more likely to accept from one place to another place to live and work.

Long-term / Short-term orientation

With a score of 118 China is a highly long term oriented society in which persistence and perseverance are normal. People in China doing everything mainly for the future, more attention to consider about the future.People pay attention to saving, thrift and reserves.Most of the Chinese have saving habits and perseverance.Relationship is really important in China.Once the relationship is settled,it will last long term.And people will leave room to do anythings in China.