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Avoiding uncertainty in Hofstede and GLOBE

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Abstract

This paper compares the Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) dimension of national culture across the Hofstede and GLOBE models, looking at relationships in both data and analysis. Rather than mutual support, we detail major differences and anomalies across the studies. We show how these anomalies are resulting in contradictory explanations in research on national differences across a range of individual-, firm- and country-level phenomena. We clarify the UA measurement in both Hofstede and GLOBE, and find that the two models are measuring different components of the UA construct. We propose a two-component model of UA, namely, UA-stress and UA-rule orientation, and confirm its validity with national culture data from the Hofstede and GLOBE studies, and economic data from the World Bank. We also explain the negative GLOBE UA practices–values relationship using motivational theories. A way forward in future UA-related research is suggested. The Hofstede UA index, the GLOBE UA practices scores and the GLOBE UA values scores should be used within the specific domains that they represent: that is, stress, rule orientation practices and rule orientation aspirations, respectively. Resolving the contradictions in UA between and within Hofstede and GLOBE will help cross-cultural researchers develop more robust theories and more practical recommendations for international business management.

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Notes

  1. In the GLOBE book, Javidan et al. (2004: 45) report that UA values are positively related to self-protective, team-oriented and humane-oriented leadership and negatively related to participative leadership.

  2. The importance of the “stress” item vis-à-vis the “rule orientation values” item is inflated by 63% ((40 × 0.76)/(30 × 0.62)) (based on weights in principal components analysis, which are proportional to the loadings), or higher (based on weights in factor analysis, which are higher relative to loadings for items with high loadings and lower relative to loadings for items with low loadings).

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to our Area Editor, Professor Rosalie Tung, and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions, which helped greatly in improving the manuscript. The authors are solely responsible for all errors and omissions.

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  1. UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Sunil Venaik & Paul Brewer

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  1. Sunil Venaik
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Correspondence to Sunil Venaik.

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Accepted by Rosalie Tung, Area Editor, 24 August 2009. This paper has been with the authors for three revisions.

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Hofstede and GLOBE Uncertainty Avoidance Survey Questions

Hofstede UA questions across different survey instruments

illustration

figure a

Hofstede question information has been extracted from his 1980 book and his website at http://feweb.uvt.nl/center/hofstede/VSMChoice.html.

GLOBE UA practices and values questions

GLOBE measures societal norms, values and practices in two ways: “the way things ARE in society,” and “the way things SHOULD BE in society” (Form Beta, pp. 5 and 14).

GLOBE UA practices (as is) are measured with the following four questions: 1−1, 1−16, 1−19 and 1−24. These are extracted from GLOBE Research Survey, Form Beta, section 1 (available at http://www.thunderbird.edu/wwwfiles/ms/globe/instruments.asp).

All items are measured on seven-point Likert scales. The first three items range from strongly agree to strongly disagree, and the fourth item from almost all situations to very few situations.

  1. 1)

    In this society, orderliness and consistency are stressed, even at the expense of experimentation and innovation.

  2. 2)

    In this society, most people lead highly structured lives with few unexpected events.

  3. 3)

    In this society, societal requirements and instructions are spelled out in detail so citizens know what they are expected to do.

  4. 4)

    This society has rules or laws to cover situations.

GLOBE UA values (should be) are measured with the following five questions: 3−1, 3−16, 3−19, 3−24 and 3−25. These are extracted from GLOBE Research Survey, Form Beta, section 3 (available at http://www.thunderbird.edu/wwwfiles/ms/globe/instruments.asp).

  1. 1)

    I believe that orderliness and consistency should be stressed, even at the expense of experimentation and innovation (1. strongly agree … to 7. strongly disagree).

  2. 2)

    I believe that a person who leads a highly structured life that has few unexpected events (1. has a lot to be thankful for … to 7. is missing a lot of excitement).

  3. 3)

    I believe that societal requirements and instructions should be spelled out in detail so citizens know what they are expected to do (1. strongly agree … to 7. strongly disagree).

  4. 4)

    I believe that society should have rules or laws to cover situations (1. almost all situations … to 7. very few situations).

  5. 5)

    I believe that leaders in this society should provide plans to achieve goals (1. provide detailed plans concerning how to achieve goals … to 7. allow the people freedom in determining how best to achieve goals).

All items are reverse-coded. The mean of country scores across all items is the country UA score.

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Venaik, S., Brewer, P. Avoiding uncertainty in Hofstede and GLOBE. J Int Bus Stud 41, 1294–1315 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2009.96

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