Hofstede Matters

Book excerpt: Hofstede Matters offers an updated presentation of the evolving views of academics and teachers who have worked with Hofstede’s research findings since the publication of the first edition of Culture’s Consequences in 1980. The authors reflect on their changing beliefs about the concept of cultural dimensions that led to a radical change in the way cultures were dealt with in business schools across Europe and beyond. Hofstede’s dimensions made "thinking" about culture more accessible overnight by creating a conceptual framework that teachers, students, managers, and consultants could grasp and easily apply in international comparisons. The book shows the man behind the value dimensions framework through the eyes of teachers and academics many of whom dealt with Hofstede personally. Contemporary contributors as well as younger academic fellow researchers evaluate the past paradigms and look behind the scenes to better understand the developments of the more recent ones. Jointly, they try to decide if Hofstede still helps us to overcome uncertainty when confronted with actions undertaken with different values in mind. Did he nudge us in the desirable direction? Offering a unique analysis of the strengths, criticisms, and legacy of Hofstede’s work, this book will appeal to academics and students across disciplines including cross-cultural management, critical management studies, and international management.