Scribd
Upload
31 views8 pages

Trompenaars Cultural Dimensions

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner identified seven cultural dimensions that impact business executives, including universalism versus particularism and communitarianism versus individualism. Their findings suggest that multinational corporations (MNCs) must adapt their practices to align with the cultural values of the countries they operate in, such as recognizing the importance of relationships in particularistic cultures. The research emphasizes the need for careful management of cultural differences to avoid misunderstandings in multinational teams.

Uploaded by

DR. PREETI JINDAL
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
31 views8 pages

Trompenaars Cultural Dimensions

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner identified seven cultural dimensions that impact business executives, including universalism versus particularism and communitarianism versus individualism. Their findings suggest that multinational corporations (MNCs) must adapt their practices to align with the cultural values of the countries they operate in, such as recognizing the importance of relationships in particularistic cultures. The research emphasizes the need for careful management of cultural differences to avoid misunderstandings in multinational teams.

Uploaded by

DR. PREETI JINDAL
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

dimensions

Trompenaars and
Hampden-Turner (1997)
classified cultures along a
mix of behavioral and value
patterns. Their research
focuses on the cultural
dimensions of business
executives.
In their book "Riding The
Waves of Culture" (1997),
Trompenaars and
Hampden-Turner identify
•Some of these value
orientations can be
regarded as nearly
identical to Hofstede's
dimensions. Others
offer a somewhat
different perspective.
• The seven value dimensions
identified were:
1)Universalism versus particularism
2)Communitarianism versus
individualism
3)Neutral versus emotional
4)Defuse versus specific cultures
5)Achievement versus ascription
6)Human-Time relationship and
7)Human-Nature relationship
Lessons for MNCs

• The lessons that MNCs can draw from


Trompenaars findings are many. Here
are some examples:
• Universalism versus Particularism:
Companies from universalistic cultures
negotiating with a potential joint
venture partner in China must recognize
that relationships matter and take time
to develop. They form the basis of the
trust that is necessary in order to do
business. In a particularistic culture,
contracts are only a rough guideline or
approximation.
• Communitarianism versus
Individualism: Companies from
individualistic cultures such as the
USA will face difficulties in introducing
methods of individual incentives such
as pay-for-performance and individual
assessment in subsidiaries in
communitarian cultures such as
Germany or Japan.
• Neutral versus Emotional:
Multinational teams consisting of
individuals from highly neutral and
highly affective cultures need careful
management and considerable inter-
cultural understanding. Otherwise, the
affective persons will view the neutral
persons as ice-cold, and the affective
persons will be viewed as out of control
by the neutrals.
• Specific versus Diffuse: Managers from
specific cultures such as Denmark are
much more prone to criticize subordinates
directly and openly without regarding
their criticism as a personal matter. In
the context of a subsidiary in a diffuse
culture such as a personal matter. In the
context of a subsidiary in a diffuse culture
such as Russia, this may constitute an
unacceptable loss of face.
• Achievement versus Ascription:
Sending a young manager to run
a subsidiary in a traditional
culture such as India will involve
difficulty. Likewise promoting
younger people within the
subsidiary on the basis of their
performance.

You might also like