Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Geert Hofstede
January 2015
Origin of the term “uncertainty avoidance”
3
Uncertainty Avoiding societies Uncertainty Accepting societies
• The uncertainty inherent in life • Uncertainty is normal, life is
is a threat that must be fought accepted as it comes
• High stress and anxiety • Low stress and anxiety
• Aggression and emotions may • Aggression and emotions
sometimes be vented should be controlled
• What is different, is dangerous • What is different, is curious
• Need for rules, even if not • Fewer rules, which may be
practical and/or not practised broken if necessary
• Formalization • Deregulation
• Adoption of innovations slow • Adoption of innovations fast
• Staying in the same job • Changing jobs easily
• Xenophobia • Tolerance
How is societal uncertainty avoidance measured?
High Low
95 Russia 53 Netherlands
92 Japan 51 Australia
86 France 46 U.S.A.
82 Mexico 40 India
75 Italy 35 Britain
68 Arab ctrs 30 China
65 Germany 23 Denmark
Some examples of what these UAI scores correlate with
Uncertainty Avoiding societies Uncertainty Accepting societies
• Higher speed limits on • Lower speed limits on
motorways motorways
• More alcoholism • Less alcoholism
• Carrying ID card compulsory • Carrying identity card optional
• Fewer nurses per doctor • More nurses per doctor
• In wealthy countries, more • In wealthy countries, less
corruption perceived corruption perceived
• Consumers buy more pure • Consumers buy more ready-
and clean products made convenience products
• In advertising, more “experts” • In advertising, more humor
Uncertainty Avoidance versus Power Distance:
implicit organization models in people’s minds
SMALLER PD, WEAKER UA LARGER PD, WEAKER UA
NORDIC CTRS
CHINA
ANGLO CTRS, USA
INDIA
NETHERLANDS