Cultural aspects of organizational behavior: The relationship between cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism and attitudes toward participation, loyalty, leadership capacity, and nationality preference

Abstract

Purpose and Method of Study: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism and attitudes toward participation, loyalty, leadership capacity, and nationality preference. The independent variables were taken from a study by Geert Hofstede (1980). A questionnaire was designed to measure the dependent variables. A sample of 360 students from Venezuela, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Iran, and the United States were asked to answer the questionnaire concerning their attitudes toward participation, loyalty, leadership capacity and their preferences for organizational and boss nationality. Stepwise and linear regression models were used to analyze the data.

Findings and Conclusions: Nationality preference was found to have a negative relationship with power distance. Nationality preference was found to have a marginally significant and positive relationship with individualism. None of the other dependent variables were found to have a relationship with power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism. Functionally equivalent samples are needed to establish potential relationships in future cross-cultural studies.