Trompenaars cultural 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 seven
value orientations.
• 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.