Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cultural Constraints In The Workplace: An Experiential Exercise Utilizing Hofstede’S Dimensions, Karen Kniep Blanton, John E. Barbuto Jr.

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

This article describes an original exercise developed to apply Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. The exercise creates simulated subcultures within a multinational organization. Managers are required to function in various subcultures as they work to develop an incentive plan with salespeople. Hofstede’s dimensions are reviewed, followed by the exercise. We provide purpose, preparation requirements, instructions for facilitating and processing the exercise, student reactions, and strategies for understanding and applying the concepts. The authors also assessed content retention derived from participating in the exercise. In preliminary tests, three independent studies demonstrate significant improvements in content knowledge.