An Analytical Study on Hofstede's Dimensions of National Culture: Implications for International Business Management

With increasing globalization, business activities are transcending national boundaries. Multinational corporations are agents of such globalized business operations and catalyze cross border commercial and industrial ventures. Dealing with different nations obviates exposure to different national cultures and managing the complexity arising out of the multiplicity of cultures. Thus management of international business, in essence hinge on compatibility of the management styles with different national cultures. National culture has certain distinguishing dimensions as professed by scholars like Hofstede and Trompenaar & Hampden-Turner. An understanding of these dimensions and the relations in between them will help international business management in monitoring and assessing the cultural environments and in formulating and executing successful and appropriate business strategies. This paper aims to critically examine the correlation between the different dimensions of national culture as identified by Hofstede and to interpret the observations so that the findings may pave the way for successful management of international business.