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Cited by 654Usability and User Interface DesignCultural Differences and ValuesInnovative Human-Technology Interaction

Crosscurrents: cultural dimensions and global Web user-interface design

Open access
Marcus, Aaron, Gould, Emilie West·2000·Interactions
DOI 10.1145/345190.345238
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Abstract

This paper introduces dimensions of culture, as analyzed by Geert Hofstede in his classic study of cultures in organizations, and considers how they might affect userinterface designs. Examples from the Web illustrate the cultural dimensions.mation first or read about the organization and assess its credibility?Different cultures look for different data to make decisions. A New Issue for User-Interface DesignersIn most projects, the complex interplay of user, business, marketing, and engineering requirements needs to be resolved by Web user-interface and information visualization designers.Their development process includes iterative steps of planning, research, analysis, design, evaluation, documentation, and training.As they carry out all of these tasks, however, they would do well to consider their own cultural orientation and to understand the preferred structures and processes of other cultures.This attention would help them to achieve more desirable global solutions or to determine to what extent localized, customized designs might be better than international or universal ones.Cultures, even within some countries, are very different.Sacred colors in the Judeo-Christian West (e.g., red, blue, white, gold) are different from Buddhist saffron yellow or Islamic green.Subdued Finnish designs for background screen patterns (see Figure 1) might not be equally suitable in Mediterranean climates, in Hollywood, USA, or Bollywood, India.These differences go deeper than mere appearance; they reflect strong cultural values.How might these cultural differences be understood without falling into the trap of stereotyping other cultures?Many analysts in organizational communication have studied cultures thoroughly and published classic theories; other authors have applied these theories to analyze the impact of culture on business relations and commerce (see Bibliography).Few of these works are well known to the user-interface design community.This paper introduces the well-respected work of one theorist, Geert Hofstede, and applies some of his cultural dimensions to Web user interfaces.Edward T. Hall, David Victor, and Fons Trompenaars would have been equally valuable in illuminating the problems of cross-cultural communication on the Web, but our application of Hofstede will demonstrate the value of this body of research for our field.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1145/345190.345238

Cites

12 of 12 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 11 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingnone given

    The Excite Sweden website (lowest MF value 5) makes no distinction in gender or age.

    “The Excite website (www.excite.com.se/)from Sweden, with the lowest MF value 5, makes no distinction in gender or age.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    The USA national park website (high individualism) emphasizes the visitor, his/her goals, and possible actions in coming to the park.

    “The USA website features an emphasis on the visitor, his/her goals, and possible actions in coming to the park.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 16
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 12
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The Costa Rican national park website (low individualism) emphasizes nature, downplays the individual tourist, and uses a slogan to emphasize a national agenda.

    “The Costa Rican website features an emphasis on nature, downplays the individual tourist, and uses a slogan to emphasize a national agenda.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    Dutch university websites (low power distance) feature an emphasis on students, a stronger use of asymmetric layout, and photos of both genders in illustrations.

    “The Dutch websites feature an emphasis on students (not leaders), a stronger use of asymmetric layout, and photos of both genders in illustrations.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    The ChickClick USA website (MAS 52) consciously promotes the autonomy of young women, although it leaves out later stages in a woman's life.

    “The ChickClick (www.chickclick.com/)USA website (MAS = 52) consciously promotes the autonomy of young women (although it leaves out later stages in a woman's life).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Findingnone given

    The Siemens website from Germany (LT=31) shows a typical Western corporate layout that emphasizes crisp, clean functional design aimed at achieving goals quickly.

    “The Siemens website (www.siemens.co.de/) from Germany (LT=31) shows a typical Western corporate layout that emphasizes crisp, clean functional design aimed at achieving goals quickly.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Findingnone given

    The Chinese version of the Siemens website from Beijing requires more patience to achieve navigational and functional goals.

    “The Chinese version from Beijing requires more patience to achieve navigational and functional goals.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Low power distance countries tend to view subordinates and supervisors as closer together and more interchangeable, with flatter hierarchies in organizations and less difference in salaries and status.

    “Low PD countries tend to view subordinates and supervisors as closer together and more interchangeable, with flatter hierarchies in organizations and less difference in salaries and status.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Hofstede identified five dimensions of culture and rated 53 countries on indices for each dimension, normalized to values usually of 0 to 100.

    “Hofstede identified five dimensions and rated 53 countries on indices for each dimension, normalized to values (usually) of 0 to 100.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Hofstede found that individualistic cultures value personal time, freedom, challenge, and extrinsic motivators such as material rewards at work.

    “Hofstede found that individualistic cultures value personal time, freedom, challenge, and such extrinsic motivators as material rewards at work.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    High power distance countries tend to have centralized political power and exhibit tall hierarchies in organizations with large differences in salary and status.

    “tries tend to have centralized political power and exhibit tall hierarchies in organizations with large differences in salary and status.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Hofstede's five dimensions of culture are power distance, collectivism vs. individualism, femininity vs. masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long- vs. short-term orientation.

    “His five dimensions of culture are the following: • Power-distance • Collectivism vs. individualism • Femininity vs. masculinity • Uncertainty avoidance • Long-vs.short-term orientation”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Low uncertainty avoidance cultures tend to have higher caffeine consumption, lower calorie intake, higher heart-disease death rates, and more chronic psychosis per capita.

    “By contrast, low UA cultures tend to have higher caffeine consumption, lower calorie intake, higher heart-disease death rates, and more chronic psychosis per capita.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Masculinity and femininity may be expressed on the Web through different emphases: high-masculinity cultures focus on traditional gender/family/age distinctions, work tasks, navigation oriented to exploration and control, attention through games and competitions, and graphics/sound/animation for utilitarian purposes; feminine cultures emphasize blurring of gender roles, mutual cooperation, and, in

    “Since Hofstede's definition focuses on the balance between roles and relationships, we believe masculinity and femininity may be expressed on the Web through different emphases.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Recent research has shown that Hofstede's cultural dimensions have remained quite stable for the last twenty years.
    • Rests on an assumption: Not everyone in a society fits the cultural pattern precisely, but there is enough statistical regularity to identify trends and tendencies.
    • Rests on an assumption: Different cultures look for different data to make decisions.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Collectivist cultures value training, physical conditions, skills, and the intrinsic rewards of mastery at work.

    “At work, collectivist cultures value training, physical conditions, skills, and the intrinsic rewards of mastery.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    In the early 1980s, Michael Bond convinced Hofstede that a fifth dimension, long-term orientation, needed to be defined.

    “In the early 1980s, shortly after Hofstede first formulated his cultural dimensions, work by Michael Bond convinced him that a fifth dimension needed to be defined.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Hofstede notes that some cultural relativism is necessary: it is difficult to establish absolute criteria for what is noble and what is disgusting.

    “Hofstede notes that some cultural relativism is necessary: it is difficult to establish absolute criteria for what is noble and what is disgusting.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Low power distance countries tend to have higher geographic latitude, smaller populations, and/or higher gross domestic product per capita than high power distance countries.

    “There are some interesting correlations for power distance: low PD countries tend to have higher geographic latitude, smaller populations, and/or higher gross domestic product (GDP) per capita than high PD countries.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Power distance may influence aspects of user-interface and Web design, including access to information, hierarchies in mental models, emphasis on social and moral order, focus on expertise and authority, prominence given to leaders, importance of security and restrictions, and social roles used to organize information.

    “Based on this definition, we believe power distance may influence the following aspects of user-interface and Web design: • Access to information: highly (high PD) vs. less-highly (low PD) structured.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Recent research has shown that Hofstede's cultural dimensions have remained quite stable for the last twenty years.
    • Rests on an assumption: Not everyone in a society fits the cultural pattern precisely, but there is enough statistical regularity to identify trends and tendencies.
    • Rests on an assumption: Different cultures look for different data to make decisions.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Individualism and collectivism may influence aspects of user-interface and Web design, including motivation based on personal achievement, images of success, rhetorical style, prominence given youth vs. aged leaders, importance given individuals vs. products, underlying sense of social morality, emphasis on change, and willingness to provide personal information.

    “Based on this definition, we believe individualism and collectivism may influence the following aspects of user-interface and Web design:”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Recent research has shown that Hofstede's cultural dimensions have remained quite stable for the last twenty years.
    • Rests on an assumption: Not everyone in a society fits the cultural pattern precisely, but there is enough statistical regularity to identify trends and tendencies.
    • Rests on an assumption: Different cultures look for different data to make decisions.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Hofstede and Bond found that Asian countries influenced by Confucian philosophy share beliefs: a stable society requires unequal relations; the family is the prototype of all social organizations; virtuous behavior to others means not treating them as one would not like to be treated; and virtuous behavior in work means acquiring skills and education, working hard, being frugal, patient, and

    “Hofstede and Bond found such countries shared these beliefs: • A stable society requires unequal relations. • The family is the prototype of all social organizations; consequently, older people (parents) have more authority than younger people (and men more than women).”
    • Also stated in: § Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) · plain
      “• Virtuous behavior to others means not treating them as one would not like to be treated. • Virtuous behavior in work means trying to acquire skills and education, working hard, and being frugal, patient, and persevering.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hofstede

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

19 of 19

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Few works on cultural theories applied to business relations and commerce are well known to the user-interface design community.

    “Few of these works are well known to the user-interface design community.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Recent research has shown that Hofstede's cultural dimensions have remained quite stable for the last twenty years.

    “Recent research has shown that the dimensions have remained quite stable for the last twenty years.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is no escaping bias; all people develop cultural values based on their environment and early training as children.

    “There is no escaping bias; all people develop cultural values based on their environment and early training as children.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Not everyone in a society fits the cultural pattern precisely, but there is enough statistical regularity to identify trends and tendencies.

    “Not everyone in a society fits the cultural pattern precisely, but there is enough statistical regularity to identify trends and tendencies.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Different cultures look for different data to make decisions.

    “Different cultures look for different data to make decisions.”
5 of 5

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Conflicting masculinity index values for the USA

    Minor

    The paper assigns the USA a masculinity index of 52 in its ChickClick example, but lists the USA at 62 in its index values.

1 of 1

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. DelGaldo Elise , and Nielsen , Jakob , ed., International User Interfaces , TBD , 1996 DelGaldo Elise, and Nielsen, Jakob, ed., International User Interfaces, TBD, 1996
  2. Lewis , Richard , When Cultures Collide , Nicholas Brealey , London , 1991 . Lewis, Richard, When Cultures Collide, Nicholas Brealey, London, 1991.
  3. Trompenaars , Fons , and Charles Hampden Turner , Riding the Waves of Culture , McGraw-Hill , NY , 1998 . Trompenaars, Fons, and Charles Hampden Turner, Riding the Waves of Culture, McGraw-Hill, NY, 1998.
  4. ACM/SIGCHI Intercultural listserve: chi-intercultural@acm.org. Moderator: Donald Day mail to: www.sabena.com. ACM/SIGCHI Intercultural listserve: chi-intercultural@acm.org. Moderator: Donald Day mail to: www.sabena.com.

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Related

Authors
Marcus, A., & Gould, E. W.
Affiliations
  • Asociates, Inc., 1144 65th Street, Suite F, Emeryville, CA
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (US)
ORCID
Marcus, Aaron
Venue
Interactions
Publisher
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Published
2000-07
Volume
7
Issue
4
Pages
32-46
ISSN
  • 1072-5520 (ISSN-L)
  • 1558-3449
DOI
10.1145/345190.345238
OpenAlex
W2043687274
Cited by
654
References
11
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 35
FWCI
14.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.acm.org/publications/policies/copyright_policy#Background (vor)
Locations
interactions (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Universiti Utara Malaysia
  • Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
Keywords
Hofstede cultural dimensions, web interface design, intercultural communication, cultural values, information visualization, color symbolism, cultural stereotypes

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