Power Distance, Individualism/Collectivism, and Job-Related Attitudes in a Culturally Diverse Work Group

Abstract

Hofstede's power distance (PD) and individualism (IDV) constructs were validated in the context of a single multicultural work setting. Two hundred sixty-three workers from 28 different countries employed in the information services branch of a large Australian bank completed a questionnaire the items of which measured some implications of the constructs, namely: superior-subordinate relationships, decision-making styles, the work ethic, task orientation, the psychological contract, and individual versus group achievement. On the basis of their Hofstede country index, the subjects were divided into high and low PD and IDV groups, respectively, and differences in their scores on theoretically relevant items provided support for both constructs. The questionnaire also included items stenming from the model about the nature and incidence of inteethnic work-related friction. As predicted, the out-group non-Anglo-Celt respondents reported a greater incidence of discrimination, regarded cultural diversity in the workplace more favorably, and engaged in more behaviors that the host culture would regard as countemormative.