4. 3 Collectivism v/s individualism Individualism index measures this dimension and Australia scores highly on this index. Non-western countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America score lowly on this dimension. People have deep ties to their families and communities and gives preference to group interest. The Australian score on this dimension is 90 percent (The Hofstede Center). This high score implies that Australians believe that every person has an individual responsibility to solve his or her own problems instead of relying on other people. The interests of a person are placed first before those of the society.
Once a person reaches the age of 18, he or she is expected to look for a job and fend for themselves. In old age, a person will prefer to live in a nursing home instead of burdening his/her family and relatives. In Pakistan, the situation is the opposite with an index of 14 percent on this cultural dimension. People place great emphasis on the needs of the wider society and extended family. Social ties are the safety nets when a person is in problems. Similarly, when a person meets good fortune, he is expected to lend a hand to his immediate family, extended family and even the wider society (Mead, 1994 p. 6). Children remain under the care of their parents all life and in turn, they are expected to take care of their aged parents.
4. 4 Masculinity v/s femininity A high masculinity dimension means that the society is intensely competitive. In such a highly competitive environment, success is defined by winning and being the best in a competitive environment. This system of competition is usually inculcated in school where students or pupils are ranked based on performance. The candidate who ranks top is considered the best or a winner.
A high score is therefore masculinity and a low score is femininity. A low score under this dimension means that the society values caring for others. Emphasis is given on the overall quality of life as a sign of progress instead of standing out from the rest. While a high score indicates an underlying motivation to be the best, femininity is the desire to achieve good results for the sake or for the betterment of everyone. Australia scores 61 percent on this dimension and Pakistan 50 percent. Compared to Pakistan. Australia is a masculine society.
In Australia, therefore the value system is based on being the best or demonstrating personal competence even if doing that is harmful for the society or group. The winner in Australia takes it all. The opposite is true in Pakistan, where the value system is based on group interest instead of pursuing personal glory. The ability to work with others is valued in Pakistan, but in Australia, what matters is personal achievement and successes. In case of conflict at work, the goal of solving the conflict is to resolve good working relation at work of foster harmony (Pfajfar, 56).
In Australia, the goal of solving conflict at individual level is to win. One group want to feel exonerated of wrongdoing and the other party sanctioned. 4. 5 Long term versus short-term orientation Australian culture is short term oriented at 31 percent. This dimension is important in business because it identifies the focus areas for managers. Short-term orientation means that managers will be concerned with short-term goals and monthly achievement of set goals (Whitfield, p. 60). The bottom-line of recent results are more important than long-term consideration.
Managers are judged on their ability to meet short-term goals. On the other hand, long term orientated culture focuses on the ability to achieve long-term goals. Inability to meet short-term goals is not a problem as long as there is evidence that longterm goals can be achieved. Short-term losses can be tolerated as managers pursue long-term goals. This dimension describes how people deal with the past and future. Different societies prioritize goals differently in relation to the future. For example, in some cultures, it is considered a virtue to focus on the long term instead of the short-term.
In other cultures, preference is on achieving short-term goals. Higher scores on this dimension means that people delay gratification and encourage thrift and education as a way of preparing for the challenges of the future. Australia scores 21 on this dimension implying that attaining short-term goals is valued more than focusing on uncertain future outcomes. The culture is a normative and greater concern is on establishing the absolute truth. Overall, Australians do not save much for the future and focus on achieving quick results. Pakistan in contrast scores 50.
A score of 50 is intermediate but it is higher than that of Australia. Compared to Australians, Pakistanis are likely to invest for the future. Their thinking is not normative and emphasis is on absolute truth. Truth is seen as fleeting or something that is not attainable (Schedler, 2007 p. 43). 4. 6 Indulgence v/s restraint This dimension addresses the socialization of children. Parents in individualistic communities, such as middle-class parents in the western countries, including Australia often highly value children’s self-expression, self-assurance, and independence.
Australian mothers expect and encourage their children’s early independence of mind and self-assertive expression of their opinions. The cultural practice in Pakistan demand that parents teach their children filial respect, emphasize the acquisition of well-established knowledge, and encourage children’s conformity to the cultural models, rules, and traditions conveyed by their elders rather than self-assertive expression of their own independent points of view.
Pakistani parents often discourage children’s voicing of their independent views or opinions. They instead strive to facilitate and foster children’s early mastery of culturally shared knowledge and practical expertise. In Pakistan, there a widely shared cultural emphasis on teaching children to respect their elders, defer their own views and wishes to parental authority, avoid overt disputation with parents and other family members and curb individual desires when these conflict with family needs (Pye & Pye, 1985 p. 90).
Many Pakistani parents prefer to see their children grow as interdependent members of the family rather than as independent individuals. For middle class Pakistanis, the score under this dimension is high due to western influence. Middleclass often reports placing high value on children’s knowledge acquisition, with a willingness to sacrifice their own luxuries to improve their children’s education and training. Children in these cultures are often expected to acquire knowledge and academic skills more quickly, but autonomy and social skills more slowly, than in the West.
Research shows that many middle-class Iranians place high emphasis on academic and occupational achievement. Many Australian parents favor an authoritative style of discipline that encourages discussions of family rules and imposes fewer constraints and expectations on children than does the authoritarian style often favored in Pakistan as well as by many Muslim families from the Middle East. Australian parents, moreover place greater emphasis than Pakistan parents do with children’s autonomy and selfconfidence.
In cultures where children are actively encouraged to think for themselves, stand up for their beliefs and opinions, and speak their own minds the level of indulgence is high (Verstappen, p. 44). How people control their desires and impulses is governed by their upbringing. Weak control is described as an indulgence and strong control is restraint. At 71 percent, Australia is an indulgent country for reasons already described.
Children are encouraged to be independent and fully explore their interests. In Pakistan, children are encouraged to comply with traditions and rules. 5. 0 Conclusion Based on the discussion above of the cultural differences using the six dimensions, Pakistan is diverse and there are strong societal and family ties. Family does not mean members of the immediate family only, but also extended members. Australia in contrast, is more individualistic and egalitarian.