Cultural+Dimensions


 * Due for Class of April 5th**


 * Good observations! Check out this link on Religions in China from the Council for Foreign Relations. The communist party is athiest, but I wonder how many citizens really are non-religious, or just afraid to say publicly what their beliefs are? **

[|http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_united_states.shtml] [|http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_china.shtml]

//In what areas does it seem the US and China differ most?// //Where do they seem similar?//

//**Post** a brief response here and compare your responses with your team members. (75-100 word minimum)//

It seems that the US has way more individualism than China. Chinese people value teamwork more than people in the US who value individualism. On the other hand, China has greater long-term orientation than the US. Long term orientation deals with virtue regardless of truth. Values associated with long-term orientation are thrift and perseverance. Furthermore, China is predominately Atheist and the US has many different religions. The US and China are similar in that they both have relatively the same level of uncertainty avoidance index. This is a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity and refers to a man's search for truth.

﻿The United States and China have some clear similarities and differences. Both of them have mediocure levels of masculinity and uncertainty awareness index, with masculinity being slighter higher in both cultures. In contrast, the US sees low levels of power distant index, while China has a very large power distant index. This shows that US has a much more equal society than China. Therefore the US favors individualism much more than China, which seems more teamwork oriented. China is more long-term oriented, thrift and preserverance, while the US favors a short-term orientation focused on tradition and social obligations.

﻿The first thing that comes to mind when you see the graphs are the differences. It seems that the United States is significantly more Individualist than China, that means that people in the U.S tend to take care of themselves and close family but not as a group or society, unlike China where everyone takes the responsibilities of everyone, very influenced by the communism. The other two differences, are Power Distance and Long-Term Orientation; China has a high level of both those areas, meaning that has a larger inequality of power and wealth than the U.S, but also they are more persevering and overcome obstacles instead of the U.S that has low LTO. The areas in which both countries seem similar are Masculinity and Uncertainty Avoidance; both have a very male chauvinistic society and have a similar tolerance for new ideas and beliefs.