Trompenaars’s Dimensions
Universalism vs. Particularism
Universalism is the belief in:
rules or laws that can be applied to everyone;
agreements and contracts are ud as the basis for doing business;
rules are ud to determine what is right;
contracts should not be altered.
Particularism is the belief in:
placing emphasis on friendships and looking at the situation to determine what is right or ethically
acceptable
deals are made bad upon friendships;
agreements are changeable;
different people hold different views about reality.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
Individualism is characterized by:
frequent u of “I”,
decision are made on the spot by reprentatives,
people ideally achieve alone and assume personal responsibility,
vacations taken in pairs or even alone vs. group orientation.
Collectivism is characterized by:
frequent u of “we”
decisions referred back by the delegates to the organization
people ideally achieve objectives in groups and assume joint responsibility
vacations are taken in organized groups of with extended family
Neutral vs. Affective Relationships
Neutral is characterized by:
not revealing what one is thinking or feeling
only accidental revelation of tension in face and posture
hidden emotions that may occasionally explode out
cool and lf-possd conduct that is admired
lack of physical contact, gesturing or strong facial expressions
monotone oral delivery of written materials
Affective is characterized by:
nonverbal and verbal display of thoughts and feelings
transparency and expressiveness in relea of tensions
easy flow of emotions sometimes effusively, vehemently and without inhibition
the admiration and display of heated, vital, animated expressions
fluent and dramatic delivery of statements
Specific vs. Diffu Relationships
Specific is characterized by:
a small private life that is kept private;
large social/public life that is very open to others;
extroversion;
“no nonn” - direct in communications;
clear distinction between work and personal life.
Diffu is characterized by:
a large private life that includes a relatively large number of people;
small public space that is difficult to enter (e.g. an outsider needs a formal introduction from a
mutual friend in order to do business with a particular manager);
indirect communication - does not always say what is really meant;
no clear distinction between work and private life.
Achievement vs. Ascription
Achievement – awarding status bad upon accomplishments. This is characterized by:
u of titles only when relevant to the competence brought to the task
respect for superior in the hierarchy is bad on how effectively his or her job is performed and the adequacy of their knowledge
a company where most nior managers are of varying ages and genders and have obtained their positions through accomplishments
Ascription – ascribing status bad upon social position, age, etc.
extensive u of titles, especially when the clarify status in the organization
respect for superior in the hierarchy is en as a measure of commitment to the organization and
its mission a company where most nior managers are male, middle-age, and qualified by their backgrounds
Time Orientation (Past, Prent, Future)
Past orientation
talk about history, origin of family, business and nation
motivated to recreate a golden age
respect shown for ancestors, predecessors and older people
everything is viewed in the context of tradition or history
Prent orientation
activities and enjoyments of the moment are most important
good at making plans but poor on execution
inten interest in prent relationships, focus on here and now
everything is viewed in terms of its contemporary impact and style
Future orientation
much talk of prospects, potentials, aspirations, future achievements
planning and strategizing done enthusiastically
great interest in the youthful and future potentials
prent and past ud, even exploited for future advantage
Examples of Country Ratings on Trompenaars’ Dimensions
Country Universalism
Particularism
Individualism
Collectivism
Neutral
Affective
Specific
Diffu
Achievement
Ascription
China High P Collectivistic Affective Extreme Diffu Ascription
