Mujtaba, (2007) mentions that global managers need to pay attention to the work of Geert
Hofstede, as he studied values in many countries through his work with the IBM organization in
the early 1980’s. He found that countries could be profiled on at least four variables (his original
profile): individualism, power distance, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede, 1980).
The masculinity-femininity dimension has been renamed the “achievement versus nurturing
orientation” to be more politically correct. Hofstede (1993) also later added a fifth dimension,
long-term versus short-term orientation.
For the purpose of research and further study, the following are the commonly applied
definitions for the various dimensions as mentioned by Professor Hofstede (Mujtaba, 2007):