Norwegian Cultural Leadership 3

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NORWEGIAN CULTURAL LEADERSHIP
Norwegian Cultural Leadership based on Hofstedes Culture Model

Karsten Olson
LDRS 3003 Cross Cultural Leadership
Southeastern University
College of Business and Legal Studies
Dr. Fredric Rohm
April 19, 2015
2
Table of Contents
The
Assignments
.3
Introduction and Power Distance (PDI)
...5
Individualism/Collectivism (IDV)
7
Masculinity/Femininity (MAS).
..9
Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)..
............12
Long & Short Term Orientation (LTO)....
...14
Indulgence/Restraint (IVR)
...17
Conclusion(s)
..18
References
....20
3
The Assignments.
Part 1: Write a 1200-1500 word paper about how
Individualism/Collectivism and Power Distance affect you as a leader
when working in another culture of your choice. Discuss how the
cultural differences affect communication, motivation, and teamwork.
Individualism/Collectivism, Power Distance, Masculinity/Femininity, and
Uncertainty Avoidance affect you as a leader when working in another
culture of your choice. Discuss how the cultural differences affect
communication, motivation, and teamwork.
Individualism/Collectivism, Power Distance, Masculinity/Femininity,
Uncertainty Avoidance, Long/Short Term Orientation, and
Indulgence/Restraint affect you as a leader when working in another
culture of your choice. Discuss how the cultural differences affect
communication, motivation, and teamwork.
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Introduction
In the summer of 2006 I visited Trondheim as well as the small
farming island of Stavanger, Norway. My family comes from Stavanger,
and during my trip I was introduced to what seemed like countless
relatives. I was only 12 at the time, but I remember having some
amazing conversations with some of my adult cousins. These
conversations pertained to politics healthcare, and other important
issues in our countries and cultures. Now, almost ten years later, I have
an opportunity to take a closer look at the cultural structure of Norway
so that next time I visit my family, we can discuss even more. Geert
Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede, and Michael Minkov have researched the
cultures of todays society as much as anyone alive. They have
separated culture into six categories: Power Distance,
Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity, Uncertainty
Avoidance, Long & Short Term Orientation, and Indulgence vs.
Restraint.
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Power Distance
Power Distance, as defined by Hofstedes work, is the extent to
which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations
within a country expect and accept that power is distributed
unequally (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010, p. 61). Norways
score in the PDI (Power Distance Index) is a 31. This means that there
is generally much more equally spread power throughout the country.
There are much more interactions between leaders/managers and their
subordinates. Looking at this from a leadership perspective, its
important to keep that in mind when trying to influence Norwegians. In
his article on leadership and influence, Terry R. Bacon states,
People in Norway are most apt to use logical persuading when
trying to influence others. They use this technique significantly
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more often than any of the other influence techniques. Following
logic are socializing, stating, consulting, and then appealing to
relationship. (2010)
Norwegians arent likely to appeal to power just because of the
title. Speaking from my experience in Norway, even the communities
reflect this idea. During my trip, we toured some of the very scenic
places in Norway. My mom and dad were there for reasons I didnt
completely understand at the time, but we had the privilege of
meeting one of Norways richest men. What I didnt realize until I
recently reflected on it, is how odd is was that we went to a dinner
party at this mans house, and in attendance were politicians,
businessmen, fishermen, snowboard technicians, and even a bus
driver. All invited mingled as if there was nothing odd about the event
at all.
If someone finds him or herself in a Norwegian workplace, and
has dreams of success and power they need to focus on doing a good
job. Norwegians are less concerned with who you know, and more
concerned with your skill and even likeability to a certain extent. Bacon
writes again,
To influence effectively in Norway, prefer logical persuading to
the other techniques. They will also respond to socializing (to
some extent), stating, and consulting. Remember that the asking
and inspiring strategies are less likely to succeed in Norway (as
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in the other Scandinavian countries) if it appears untethered
from a logical reason for them to agree with your request, belief,
or proposal. (2010)
These are important things to remember when leading a
Norwegian workforce, or team, or organized even of any kind. As
Americans, although we have a low power distance, its still important
to be aware differences since Norways is even lower. One blog writes,
One of the main differences that surprise the foreigners working
in Norway is the flat organizational structure and the lack of
hierarchy. They are not used to your boss being one of the other
co-workers, and having a more friendly relationship with
him/her. (Bridging People)
There is evidence of power distance in the Bible as well. The
prophet, Isaiah, tells the Israelites that a Savior is coming who will
deliver the people. They werent aware he would come in the form of
the son of a carpenter. Jesus was the lowest power distance possible.
He associated societys lowest of lows yet was the most powerful
human on earth. As a result, Jesus disciples completely understood His
will and were able effectively continue His ministry after his ascension
into heaven.
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PDI
70
60
50
PDI
40
30
20
10
0
Norway
United States
Average
Individualism/Collectivism
On Hofstedes Individualism/Collectivism scale, Norways score is
a 69, and significantly individualistic. Individualism is defined in
Hofstede et als. (2010) work as,
Individualism pertains to societies in which the ties between
individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him- or
herself and his or her immediate family. Collectivism as its
opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth onward
are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout
peoples lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for
unquestioning loyalty (p. 91).
Norway fits in the individualistic category. During my time in
Norway, I remember meeting my cousins who only lived blocks away
from one another, and on this occasion it was the first time they had
seen each other that year. Hofstedes website says, Personal opinions
9
are valued and expressed. Communication is explicit. At the same time
the right to privacy is important and respected. There are clear lines
between work and private life (Hofstede, online). However, despite all
of the statistics and research pointing towards Norway as an
individualist country, Ardit Khaldun would argue otherwise. Khaldun
claims that Norway possesses both individualist and collectivist
characteristics. He writes,
Norwegians are taught to put the needs of society above their
own and to embrace a classless society. Simultaneously,
however, Norwegians value personal independence. While they
conform to social norms, the individual Norwegian rebuffs
traditional rules and standards. (2014, p. 3)
This transitions into Hofstedes observation on the correlation
between IDV and PDI. Hofstede found that countries that were largely
collectivist had a large power distance, and countries with low power
distance were larger individualist. Khaldun (2014) continues saying,
They strive for independence yet do not depend on others to
recognize their individual achievements. They believe that they must
recognize their own good qualities in order to gain self-esteem (p. 3).
Referring back to what was discovered about the PDI in Norway, we
know that these attributes come from their flat line organizations. The
characteristics Khaldun recognizes as collectivist are in fact part of the
lack of power distance. Embracing a classless society (Khaldun,
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2014, p. 49) isnt necessarily collectivist, its just the flat nature of a lot
of their business organizational structures.
In working with or leading Norwegians in the workplace, its
important to remember that their skills are highly valued. Although
some collectivist societies but the same high value on skill, in this
case, Norwegians get a sense individual accomplishment by fine tuning
their skill. They dont need to be glorified and put above anyone for it,
but it is how they find their sense of individualism.
IDV
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
IDV
Norway
United States
Average
Masculinity/Femininity
On Hofstedes Masculinity/Femininity (MAS) scale, Norway scored
an 8, second lowest only to its Scandinavian counterpart, Sweden. This
score signifies an extremely feminine society as opposed to a
masculine one. Hofstede et al. (2010) state,
A society is called masculine when emotional gender roles are
clearly distinct: men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and
11
focused on material success, whereas women are supposed to be
more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. A
society is called feminine when emotional gender roles overlap:
both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender and
concerned with the quality of life. (p. 140)
During my time in Norway, I cant say that I remember any
instance when I realized a difference between the way American and
Norwegian men and women acted. After reading Avivah WittenburgCoxs work in the Harvard business review, and doing some memory
digging of my own, Ive realized that I actually witnessed some of the
artistic cornerstones of this feminine society. Gustav Vigelends
sculpture park, one of the most popular attractions in Oslo that I had
the opportunity to see, depicts masculine men caring for babies,
toddlers, and children of all ages. Wittenburg-Cox states she was first
shocked by the image, then shocked that she was shocked. In her
reflection of this moment, she writes,
The Economist has just written a hymn of a Special Report, full of
rapt wonder at probably the best governed countries in the
world. But they hardly mention that its also the region that
boasts the most gender-balanced governments in the world, as
though thats not really a critical factor in the success of its
pragmatic approach to governing. (Wittenburg-Cox, 2013)
This is very interesting when looking at the relationship between
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MAS and PDI. There are a disproportionately small number of countries
that have both a feminine society and small power distance, but all of
the Scandinavian countries can be found in this quadrant. In addition
to this, the Nordic countries are also among some of the worlds bestgoverned countries Wittenburg-Cox mentioned in her article.
This information is vital to understand for any American who
hopes to have relations within the Norwegian business or political
world. The United States, scoring more than 50 points higher on the
scale, is much more masculine than Norway. Hofstede et al. state that
being responsible, decisive, and ambitious is just as common for
women as it is for men in feminine countries (p.159). If a man is
engaged in establishing a business or political relationship with
someone from Norway (man or woman) it is essential that they
remember this distinction in order to communicate effectively, without
giving offense or appearing ignorant.
One of the key differences between masculinity and femininity
that Hofstede points out, is in a feminine culture, relationships and
quality of life is important as opposed to a masculine culture where
challenge, earnings, recognition, and advancement are important
(Hofstede et al. p. 155). This means that motivation must be geared
towards a better quality of life or the growth of quality relationships as
opposed to personal titles, gains, or achievements. When working in
teams, this kind of motivation will play an important role. Although
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they are deeply concerned with social welfare and general quality of
life, their individualism dictates that everyone be subject to the same
rules (Morrison, 2006, p. 323).
While reading about MAS, the verse that kept coming back to me
was Galatians 3: 26-9, 26 You are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have
clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave
nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. We are
all one in Christ. I think that while there will always be theological
debate on the topic, some feminine countries have a better grasp of
this larger concept of being one as opposed to separate. In Norway,
there are many more women in leadership, and many more men who
take time to stay with their children. If we operate as one, as a family,
greatness can be achieved. Wittenberg closes with these thoughts,
Women will only become leaders in greater numbers when men
become fathers. As the Nordics have so beautifully shown, happy
families are the rock on which healthy and sustainable
economies are built. Gustav Vigeland knew that, and carved it in
stone, back in 1940s Oslo. (hbr.org
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MAS
70
60
50
MAS
40
30
20
10
0
Norway
United States
Average
Uncertainty Avoidance
On Hofstedes Uncertainty Avoidance scale, Norway scored a 50,
and therefore has no preference in this dimension. Hofstede writes the
following, Uncertainty avoidance can therefore be defined as the
extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by
ambiguous or unknown situations (p. 191). In another book, Fred
Edmund Jandt writes, Cultures weak in uncertainty avoidance are
contemplative, less aggressive, unemotional, relaxed, accepting of
personal risks, and relatively tolerant (2013, p. 174). In Kiss, Bow, or
Shake Hands it states, Norwegians are generally cautious toward
outside information. New products and new ways of doing things are
viewed with circumspection (Morrison & Consway, 2006, p. 343). I
present all three of these ideas together because although it says
Norwegians are generally cautious toward outside information they
also fit the description given by Jandt in the quote above as shown in
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the MAS study.
In my time in Norway, I remember one very interesting
conversation with a relative. The biggest take-away I got from it, was
that they did not approve of the way our government worked. I got this
feeling from several Norwegians I came across. Although I could not
find any official documentation of this attitude, I once had a
conversation with the late professor, Auden Toven, who taught
Norwegian at Pacific Lutheran University. Auden said that Norwegians
are very welcoming people, but they will become weary if you try to
push your own views on them.
Considering this information, it is important when communicating
with Norwegians to focus on the things that could lead to shared
interests and conversation (Morrison et al. p. 343). UAI has less direct
impact on motivation in Norway. They score right in the middle, so it is
difficult information to use and apply.
The Bible says a lot about the treatment of strangers. Hebrews
13:1-2 says, Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do
not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people
have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. In Leviticus 19:
33-34 it says, When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do
not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated
as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in
Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Norway treats their guest well, a
quality of weaker Uncertainty Avoidance that is very appealing.
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UAI
80
60
UAI
40
20
0
Norway
United States
Average
Long & Short Term Orientation

By Hofstedes definition of Long and Short Term Orientation
(LTO), Norway would be considered to have a Short Term Orientation,
with a score of 35 on Hofestedes LTO scale. Norways score is only
eight below the international average, therefore they only have Short
Term tendancies, but generally they are in the middle. Hofestede et al.
(2010)states,
Long-term orienation stands for the fostering of virutues oriented
toweard future rewards- in particular, perseverance and thrift. Its
oppososite pole, short-term orientation, stands fo rthe fostering
of virtues related to past and present- in particular, respect for
tradition, preservation of face, and fulfilling social obligations.
(p. 239)
After researching Norway in the area of things like Femininity,
Individualism, and Uncertainty Avoidance, it becomes very clear that
they meet the criteria of a short-term oriented country, but still have
some of the important pieces affiliated with the long-term oriented.
Amongst the items indicating short-term orientation that Hoftestede
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(2010) lists are things like preschool children can be cared for by
others, concern with personal stability, social pressure toward
spending, concern with social and status oblications, and children get
gifts for fun and love. Based soley on data collected from the other
dimensions, we know these things to be true of Norway.
A big part of Norways short-term orientation is its social
obligations. Norways large corporations work to maintain a very high
level of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The definition of CSR,
according to Alexander Dahlsrud is, The commitment of business to
contribute to sustainable economic development, working with
employees, their families, the local community and society at large to
improve their quality of life. In addition to being very concerned with
social welfare (Morrison & Conway, 2006, p. 343), Norways business
world works with the CSR Europe to encourage responsible action. Take
for example, the multienergy and elctrometals company Norsk Hydro,
The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility states,
Norsk Hydro, with extensive global engagements, has signed an
agreement with Amensty International in order to cooperate on
issues of human rights to strenghthen the companys future
efforts. The win-win situation of the partnership is that Norsk
Hydro makes a financial contribution to Amnesty International,
and in turn, Amnesty International provides expertise when
Hydro steps up its in-house training of managers and emplyees
on how to deal with human rights in the companys buiness
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operations in different countries. (May, Cheney, & Roper, 2007,
p. 96)
Amnesty International is a global movement of people fighting
injustice and promoting human rights (amnestyusa.org). By
partnering with an organization like Amnesty International, an
industrial company like Norsk Hydro was able to strengthen its CSR.
Understanding Short Term Orientation leads to understanding the
importance of CSR in Norway. While Norwegian companies are
currently thriving economically, it is essential to keep this information
in mind when working with Norwegians or working in Norway.
According to Kwintessential.co.uk, Norwegians like to view themselves
as egalitarian people whose culture is based on democratic principles
of respect and interdependence. Knowing this, it would be unwise to
push a proposal on a Norwegian without taking into consideration its
impact on all parties. Explaining how an idea or proposal would benefit
a separate party would be a prudent negotiation approach. Another
point of emphasis when communicating with Norwegians is their social
welfare state. Although it is a much different model than the United
States, Norwegians do not take kindly to having it talked about in a
negative fashion (Morisson et al. p. 345).
In James 4:13-15, it reads, Now listen, you who say, Today or
tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on
business and make money. Why, you do not even know what will
happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a
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little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, If it is the
Lords will, we will live and do this or that. This verse reminds me of
Short-Term orientation and the need to focus on what can be controlled
in the now. We dont know what tomorrow will bring, but we always
have the opportunity to do the day right. On the opposite end of the
spectrum, 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 reads, Do you not know that in a race
all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as
to get the prize. The verse in Corinthians is talking about the value of
self-discipline over a long period of time. The race is not a sprint, but a
marathon that takes time and preparation in order for future, long-term
success.
LTO
50
40
LTO
30
20
10
0
United States
Norway
Average
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Indulgence vs. Restraint
Norway scores a 55 on the Indulgence vs. Restraint (IVR) scale.
This is 10 points above the international average therefore Norway
would be considered an indulgent society. Happiness, life control, and
importance of leisure are the three main components of this scale.
Hofestede et al. states,
Indulgence stands for a tendacny to allow relatively free
gratification of basic and natural human desires related to
enjoying life and having fun. Its opposite pole, restraint, reflects
a conviction that such gratification needs to be curbed and
regualted by strict social norms. (p. 281)
According to Hofstede, values of indulgent societies include
higher percentages of happy people, higher importance of leisure,
loose society, less moral discipline, and positive attitude. In Kiss, Bow,
or Shake Hands, it states,
The work week is generally Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m. to
4:00p.m. Businesspeople leave their offices promptly and go
home for dinner, whicih is typically helt at about 5:00p.m. It is
best to avoid business trips to Norwa around Easter and in July
and early August- when most people take vacations. (Morrison &
Conway, 2006, p. 345)
In the workplace it is acceptable to be positive, happy, and show
emotion, however these do not translate to any sense of favorites or
negotiating edge. Overall, when dealing with Norwegians, if one keeps
in mind the communication of the other dimensions, they will not have
a problem finding competency in this one.
21
IVR
80
70
60
50
IVR
40
30
20
10
0
United States
Norway
Average
Conclusion(s)
Some final thoughts on PDI and IDV for practical application in
the Norwegian workplace is to never put yourself higher than anyone
else just for the sake of power, seek to build relationships with
everyone, place high value on skill, and glorify the final product, not
just one individual piece.
Some final thoughts on MAS and UAI for practical application in
the Norwegian workplace is to be aware that women are just as
successful, ambitious, and motivated as men, and men can be just as
nurturing and caring as women in terms of how we think in the United
States. Norwegians are tolerant, but slightly weary of Americans, and
they dont like to center conversation around the flaws of others.
Some final thoughts on LTO and IVR for practical application in
the Norwegian workplace is to remember the value Norwegians place
on CSR, and that they wont make business decisions without
22
recognizing the impact it has on human rights and other industries. In
a social context, Norwegians are very indulgent, so getting along with
them isnt a problem for Americans, however, they value their down
time and discussing business outside of set business times would not
be prudent.
100
90
80
70
60
Norway
50
United States
Average
40
30
20
10
0
PDI
IDV
MAS
UAI
LTO
IVR
References
Cultural differences between Spain and Norway in the workplace.
Bridging People.
Retrieved from : http://www.blog.friskbrisrc.com/norwegianworking-environment/
23
Bacon, Terry R. (2010) The elements of power: lessons on leadership
and influence:
Norway. Retrieved from:
http://www.theelementsofpower.com/index.cfm/culturaldifferences/norway/
Hofstede, Geert, & Hofstede, Gert Jan, & Minkov, Michael. (2010)
Cultures and
organizations: software of the mind. United States of America.
McGraw Hill.
Jandt, F. E. (2013). An introduction to intercultural communication:
Identities in a
global community. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
Khaldun, Ardit. (2014). The cultural context: individualism vs.
collectivism.
Retrieved from:
http://www.academia.edu/3466861/Individualism_vs._Collectivis
m
Kwintessential (2014). Norway- Norwegian culture and etiquette.
Retrieved from:
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/globaletiquette/norway-country-profile.html
May, S., Cheney, G., & Roper, J. (2007). The debate over corporate
social
24
responsibility. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.
Morrison, T. & Conway, W. C. (2006). Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands (2e).
Avon, MA:
Adams Media.
The Hofstede Centre. Retrieved from: http://geerthofstede.com/norway.html
References Contd
Wittenburg-Cox, Avivah. 2013. Where both parents can have it all.
Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2013/02/wherebothparents-can-have-it/

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NORWEGIAN CULTURAL LEADERSHIP

Norwegian Cultural Leadership based on Hofstedes Culture Model

Long & Short Term Orientation

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