What did GLOBE really measure? Researchers’ minds versus respondents’ minds

Abstract

The GLOBE research program expanded the Hofstede model of five dimensions of national cultures to 18. A re-analysis based on GLOBE's 2004 summary book produced five meta-factors. One was significantly correlated with GNP/capita and, from the Hofstede dimensions, primarily with Power Distance. Three more correlated significantly with Hofstede's Individualism, Uncertainty Avoidance and Long-Term Orientation. The fifth included the few GLOBE questions that related to Hofstede's dimension of Masculinity versus Femininity. GLOBE's respondents’ minds classified the questions in a way that the researchers’ minds did not account for and which closely resembles the original Hofstede model. Journal of International Business Studies (2006) 37, 882–896. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400233

Negative practice–value correlations in the GLOBE data: Unexpected findings, questionnaire limitations and research directions

“…In his debate with Javidan et al (2006), Hofstede (2006) pointed out that the GLOBE study differs from other questionnaires of its kind in that it asks respondents to evaluate country-level constructs. Hofstede argues that because the GLOBE study items start with "In this society …", they shift the focus from the individual to the country, which might limit the respondent's ability to provide an accurate assessment of the phenomenon.…”

South Korean business owners' perceptions of community policing in the Baltimore City

“…While human societies have universal problems, answers to human problems can be varied depend on their national cultures (Hofstede, 2006). In this chapter, the researcher attempted to find themes by analyzing his observations and interview details of South Korean business owners in the City of Baltimore to demonstrate sense-making implications of South Korean business owners' perceptions about community policing in the Baltimore City.…”

“…In this chapter, the researcher attempted to find themes by analyzing his observations and interview details of South Korean business owners in the City of Baltimore to demonstrate sense-making implications of South Korean business owners' perceptions about community policing in the Baltimore City. The researcher's interview questions were geared to explore South Korean business owners' perceptions of community policing in the Baltimore City within the purview of Korean culture mainly through, but not limited to, the four lenses of Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory such as power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, and masculinity-femininity (Hofstede, 2006). The participants' interview responses were analyzed and coded based on how each participant interpreted the interview questions rather than the verbatim significances of researcher's interview questions themselves and that the researcher attempted to explore their vague, inconsistent, and self-conflicting responses.…”

“…Hofstede's (2006) cultural dimensions theory has been applied in understanding and differentiating consumer behaviors of diverse national cultures. Hofstede (2006) analyzed the values of multinational IBM employees and revealed that while human societies have universal problems, answers to human problems can be varied depend on their national cultures.…”

“…Hofstede's (2006) cultural dimensions theory has been applied in understanding and differentiating consumer behaviors of diverse national cultures. Hofstede (2006) analyzed the values of multinational IBM employees and revealed that while human societies have universal problems, answers to human problems can be varied depend on their national cultures. Hofstede (2006) distinguished the national cultures in the following four IBM dimensions: "Power Distance (related to the problem of inequality), Uncertainty Avoidance (related to the problem of dealing with the unknown and unfamiliar), Individualism-Collectivism (related to the problem of interpersonal ties) and Masculinity-Femininity (related to emotional gender roles)" (p. 883).…”