An Empirical Investigation of the Malleability of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions: The Case of the United States and Russia

Abstract

This study investigates the malleability of Hofstede's cultural dimensions for three groups of students. Underlying issues include the convergence, divergence, and crossvergence debates regarding stability of national values. Hofstede's Value Survey Module (VSM, Hofstede, 1994) was administered to three groups of students: U.S. students, Russian students studying in Russia, and Russian students studying in the United States for a minimum of two years. Scores for the five dimensions are reported by country. Responses indicated that U.S. students scored the highest on Individualism and the lowest on Power Distance and Masculinity. Russian students studying in Russia scored the highest on Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Masculinity. Russian students studying in the United States scored the lowest on Uncertainty Avoidance and showed some convergence on dimensions of Individuality, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Power Distance. No differences were found between the three student groups for Long-term Orientation. Support for divergence theory was upheld between the U.S. and Russian groups of students.

KEYWORDS:

• cultural values
• Hofstede's cultural dimensions
• U.S./Russian students

Notes

Source: Compiled by the authors.

Numbers refer to the items in the VSM 94.

*p < .05, **p < .01.

Numbers refer to the items in the VSM 94.

*p < .05, **p < .01.

Numbers refer to the items in the VSM 94.

*p < .05.

Numbers refer to the items of the VSM 94.

*p < .05, **p < .01.

Numbers refer to the items of the VSM 94.

*p < .05, **p < .01.