Intercultural Communication: a joint project between Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Hope College, Holland, MI, USA
Power Distance Index (PDI)
By: Gloria Holder
Imagine walking into your first day of work. People are sitting quietly in their cubicles, quickly typing away on their computers. As you finish setting up your workstation, your new boss stomps into the room and begins yelling at you. After what seems like hours of unfair and judgmental remarks being said to you, he walks away, and you are left there to silently turn back to your work, unable to say a word.
While this scene may be considered overdramatic, this example portrays what it would be like to work in a company with a high power distance. Cultural researcher Geert Hofstede conducted an all-inclusive study of how certain standards and principles in the workplace are persuaded by the culture. Evaluating more than 70 countries between 1967 and 1973, he analyzed the employee value scores and created the Power Distance Index (PDI).
Power Distance varies from culture to culture. For example, the scene depicted above would be unlikely to see in the United States. But if one were to be in Saudi Arabia, a country with an extremely high power distance, this scene may not be out of the ordinary. In this section, you will learn what power distance is, the difference between power distance in the United States and Saudi Arabia, and why understanding power distance is crucial to intercultural communication.
What is Power Distance?
Power Distance is the “extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.” The United States has a lower power distance, where all people feel entitled to a certain amount of power. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has a higher power distance, where people recognize that some are given little, or no, power and others are in extremely high powered positions.
Culture’s that have a low power distance “expect and accept power relations that are more consultative or democratic. People relate to one another more as equals regardless of formal positions.” Those holding inferior positions are willing to question and challenge those in superior positions, whether it comes to decisions making or suggesting a new idea. For example, in a lower power distance culture, if one was to want a promotion at their job, they would be willing to confront their boss and ask for one.
In countries with high power distance, the “less powerful accept power relations that are more autocratic and paternalistic. Subordinates acknowledge the power of others simply based on where they are situated in certain formal, hierarchical positions.” As a whole, higher power distance countries believe that inequality is good, everyone has a specific place, people should depend on their leader, and that the powerful should not hide their power and are entitled to many privileges. For example, even if one was to want a promotion at their job, it would simply be out of the question to ask their boss for it. If the boss wanted to give their employee a promotion, they would, and the employee has absolutely no say in the matter.
The Power Distance Index Hofstede has created “does not reflect an objective difference in power distribution, but rather the way people perceive power differences.” By looking at the power distance index, we can begin to understand why certain cultures have the values and rules that they do.
Power Distance in The United States
While all societies and cultures are not equal, the range of inequality varies from culture to culture. The United States score is a low 40, which is no surprise. We value the American premise of “liberty and justice for all.” This is also shown through the importance of equal rights in every aspect of the United States government and society. Within American organizations, “hierarchy is established for convenience, superiors are always accessible and managers rely on individual employees and teams for their expertise.” Managers and employees expect to be discussed with during decision-making, and information is shared between the different levels of leadership and power. Along with this, communication is “informal, direct and participative.“
Power Distance in Saudi Arabia
The power distance level in Saudi Arabia is one of the highest in the world, being ranked at 80. There are many different reasons for this power distance, the main one being religion. Saudi Arabia is a monarchy. If you are not Muslim, you are not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia without an invitation. You also may not leave Saudi without an exit permit. Those who visit Saudi Arabia are expected to follow the same thorough Islamic laws as Saudis. The Islamic faith allows this power distance, and it could be said that it even promotes that people be in superior positions without question. Many Muslims believe in this idea of power and unquestioned superiority based off of verses in the Koran.
Besides the religious influence, some sociological and psychological reasons also promote the higher power distance. By a certain age children have obtained a specific mindset based on their cultural practices and norms, and they have ingrained beliefs of what their place and role in society is. For example, Saudi Arabians believe that obeying your superiors and supporting your government is of the upmost importance. Saudi Arabians accept this high power distance as part of their cultural heritage.
Because of this high power distance, Saudi Arabia has many inequalities with the most prominent one being unequal wealth distribution. While the estimated GDP for 2008 was $576.5 billion and Saudi Arabia was ranked 23rd on Purchasing Power Parity, “roughly 5,000 people are considered “rich” while the rest of the population does not benefit from the growth of the economy.” Some of the effects of the unequal distribution are things including a “caste system that also inhibits upward mobility, stifling innovations and free thinking, and less job opportunities.”
The PDI also affects the laws and regulations due to the unlimited power and authority the government has in Saudi Arabia. Saudis have an expectation and acceptance that the leaders will “separate themselves from the group and this condition is not necessarily subverted upon the population, but rather accepted by the society.” Laws are so strictly enforced that thieves can have their hands amputated and public beheadings are still held for capital punishments.
The power distance index not only affects the relationships between the government and citizens, but also has an impact on employer-employee relationships. An article discussing power distance in the workplace in Egypt, a country with the same PDI as Saudi, compared to that in the U.S. states that, "In a comparative survey of 191 Egyptian and 92 U.S. executives, we explore the relationship between national culture and ethical decision-making within the context of business. Using Reidenbach and Robin's (1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument, we examine how differences on two of Hofstede's national culture dimensions, individualism/collectivism, and power distance, are related to the manner in which business practitioners make ethical decisions. Egypt and the U.S. provide an interesting comparison because of the extreme differences in their economies and related business development. Our results indicate that respondents from the U.S, individualistic and low in power distance, were likely to view the decision making outcome in ethics scenarios as more unethical than the more collectivistic and high power distance Egyptians, when applying ethical criteria based on justice, utilitarianism, relativism, and (contrary to our predictions) egoism. However, we also found that both Egyptians and Americans rely on justice, utilitarianism, and relativism in predicting their intentions to behave ethically, and that Americans substitute egoism for justice, when the behavioral intentions of peers are examined."
Intercultural Communication & Power Distance
While power distance may not seem like a necessity when traveling to a new culture, understanding how it affects an individual may actually be lifesaving. The article The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes discusses the importance of understanding power distance when having to communicate how to land a plane, and the catastrophes that come with not knowing how to properly communicate between pilots, air traffic controllers and cockpits.
The following are excerpts from the article:
"Power distance is concerned with attitudes toward hierarchy specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority. To measure it, Hofstede asked questions like "How frequently, in your experience, does the following problem occurs; employees being afraid to express disagreement with their managers?" To what extent do the "less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally?" How much are older people respected and feared? Are power holders entitled to special privileges?" (204).
"In low-power distance index countries," Hofstede wrote in his classic text Culture's Consequences:
Power is something of which power holders are almost ashamed and they will try to underplay. I once heard a Swedish (low PDI) university official state that in order toe exercise power he tried not to look powerful. Leaders may enhance their informal status by renouncing formal symbols. In (low PDI) Austria, Prime Minister Bruno Kreisky was known to sometimes take the streetcar to work. In 1974, I actually saw the Dutch (low PDI) prime minister, Joop den Uyl, on vacation with his motor home at a camping site in Portugal. Such behavior of the powerful would be very unlikely in high-PDI Belgium or France" (205).
"You can imagine the eff
Intercultural Communication: a joint project between Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Hope College, Holland, MI, USA
Power Distance Index (PDI)
By: Gloria Holder
Imagine walking into your first day of work. People are sitting quietly in their cubicles, quickly typing away on their computers. As you finish setting up your workstation, your new boss stomps into the room and begins yelling at you. After what seems like hours of unfair and judgmental remarks being said to you, he walks away, and you are left there to silently turn back to your work, unable to say a word.
While this scene may be considered overdramatic, this example portrays what it would be like to work in a company with a high power distance. Cultural researcher Geert Hofstede conducted an all-inclusive study of how certain standards and principles in the workplace are persuaded by the culture. Evaluating more than 70 countries between 1967 and 1973, he analyzed the employee value scores and created the Power Distance Index (PDI).
Power Distance varies from culture to culture. For example, the scene depicted above would be unlikely to see in the United States. But if one were to be in Saudi Arabia, a country with an extremely high power distance, this scene may not be out of the ordinary. In this section, you will learn what power distance is, the difference between power distance in the United States and Saudi Arabia, and why understanding power distance is crucial to intercultural communication.
What is Power Distance?
Power Distance is the “extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.” The United States has a lower power distance, where all people feel entitled to a certain amount of power. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has a higher power distance, where people recognize that some are given little, or no, power and others are in extremely high powered positions.
Culture’s that have a low power distance “expect and accept power relations that are more consultative or democratic. People relate to one another more as equals regardless of formal positions.” Those holding inferior positions are willing to question and challenge those in superior positions, whether it comes to decisions making or suggesting a new idea. For example, in a lower power distance culture, if one was to want a promotion at their job, they would be willing to confront their boss and ask for one.
In countries with high power distance, the “less powerful accept power relations that are more autocratic and paternalistic. Subordinates acknowledge the power of others simply based on where they are situated in certain formal, hierarchical positions.” As a whole, higher power distance countries believe that inequality is good, everyone has a specific place, people should depend on their leader, and that the powerful should not hide their power and are entitled to many privileges. For example, even if one was to want a promotion at their job, it would simply be out of the question to ask their boss for it. If the boss wanted to give their employee a promotion, they would, and the employee has absolutely no say in the matter.
The Power Distance Index Hofstede has created “does not reflect an objective difference in power distribution, but rather the way people perceive power differences.” By looking at the power distance index, we can begin to understand why certain cultures have the values and rules that they do.
Power Distance in The United States
While all societies and cultures are not equal, the range of inequality varies from culture to culture. The United States score is a low 40, which is no surprise. We value the American premise of “liberty and justice for all.” This is also shown through the importance of equal rights in every aspect of the United States government and society. Within American organizations, “hierarchy is established for convenience, superiors are always accessible and managers rely on individual employees and teams for their expertise.” Managers and employees expect to be discussed with during decision-making, and information is shared between the different levels of leadership and power. Along with this, communication is “informal, direct and participative.“
Power Distance in Saudi Arabia
The power distance level in Saudi Arabia is one of the highest in the world, being ranked at 80. There are many different reasons for this power distance, the main one being religion. Saudi Arabia is a monarchy. If you are not Muslim, you are not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia without an invitation. You also may not leave Saudi without an exit permit. Those who visit Saudi Arabia are expected to follow the same thorough Islamic laws as Saudis. The Islamic faith allows this power distance, and it could be said that it even promotes that people be in superior positions without question. Many Muslims believe in this idea of power and unquestioned superiority based off of verses in the Koran.
Besides the religious influence, some sociological and psychological reasons also promote the higher power distance. By a certain age children have obtained a specific mindset based on their cultural practices and norms, and they have ingrained beliefs of what their place and role in society is. For example, Saudi Arabians believe that obeying your superiors and supporting your government is of the upmost importance. Saudi Arabians accept this high power distance as part of their cultural heritage.
Because of this high power distance, Saudi Arabia has many inequalities with the most prominent one being unequal wealth distribution. While the estimated GDP for 2008 was $576.5 billion and Saudi Arabia was ranked 23rd on Purchasing Power Parity, “roughly 5,000 people are considered “rich” while the rest of the population does not benefit from the growth of the economy.” Some of the effects of the unequal distribution are things including a “caste system that also inhibits upward mobility, stifling innovations and free thinking, and less job opportunities.”
The PDI also affects the laws and regulations due to the unlimited power and authority the government has in Saudi Arabia. Saudis have an expectation and acceptance that the leaders will “separate themselves from the group and this condition is not necessarily subverted upon the population, but rather accepted by the society.” Laws are so strictly enforced that thieves can have their hands amputated and public beheadings are still held for capital punishments.
The power distance index not only affects the relationships between the government and citizens, but also has an impact on employer-employee relationships. An article discussing power distance in the workplace in Egypt, a country with the same PDI as Saudi, compared to that in the U.S. states that, "In a comparative survey of 191 Egyptian and 92 U.S. executives, we explore the relationship between national culture and ethical decision-making within the context of business. Using Reidenbach and Robin's (1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument, we examine how differences on two of Hofstede's national culture dimensions, individualism/collectivism, and power distance, are related to the manner in which business practitioners make ethical decisions. Egypt and the U.S. provide an interesting comparison because of the extreme differences in their economies and related business development. Our results indicate that respondents from the U.S, individualistic and low in power distance, were likely to view the decision making outcome in ethics scenarios as more unethical than the more collectivistic and high power distance Egyptians, when applying ethical criteria based on justice, utilitarianism, relativism, and (contrary to our predictions) egoism. However, we also found that both Egyptians and Americans rely on justice, utilitarianism, and relativism in predicting their intentions to behave ethically, and that Americans substitute egoism for justice, when the behavioral intentions of peers are examined."
Intercultural Communication & Power Distance
While power distance may not seem like a necessity when traveling to a new culture, understanding how it affects an individual may actually be lifesaving. The article The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes discusses the importance of understanding power distance when having to communicate how to land a plane, and the catastrophes that come with not knowing how to properly communicate between pilots, air traffic controllers and cockpits.
The following are excerpts from the article:
"Power distance is concerned with attitudes toward hierarchy specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority. To measure it, Hofstede asked questions like "How frequently, in your experience, does the following problem occurs; employees being afraid to express disagreement with their managers?" To what extent do the "less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally?" How much are older people respected and feared? Are power holders entitled to special privileges?" (204).
"In low-power distance index countries," Hofstede wrote in his classic text Culture's Consequences:
Power is something of which power holders are almost ashamed and they will try to underplay. I once heard a Swedish (low PDI) university official state that in order toe exercise power he tried not to look powerful. Leaders may enhance their informal status by renouncing formal symbols. In (low PDI) Austria, Prime Minister Bruno Kreisky was known to sometimes take the streetcar to work. In 1974, I actually saw the Dutch (low PDI) prime minister, Joop den Uyl, on vacation with his motor home at a camping site in Portugal. Such behavior of the powerful would be very unlikely in high-PDI Belgium or France" (205).
"You can imagine the eff
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