Power Distance in Cross Cultural Workplaces.

Hickey, Samantha (2007) Power Distance in Cross Cultural Workplaces. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

The main focus of my dissertation is on Power Distance in organisations as a Dimension of National Culture.

Power distance is defined by Hofstede as 'the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations expect and accept that power is distributed'.

I am intrigued by the dimension of Power Distance as I have worked in five different countries and with hundreds of people of different nationalities.

I have observed on many occasions that there people in different national cultures behave differently towards their bosses, in some cases not calling them by their first name.

I was sure that the differences in hierarchical relationships were not just dependent of the corporate structure, size of company or industry.

When I started my research into the subject I was interested to see that this dimension has been classified as a characteristic of cultural orientations in societies are there have been broad surveys carried out in more than fifty countries giving each country, with statistical confidence, a power distance score.

Hofstede is a key figure in my research. He began to measure power distance in the sixties and his findings have stood the test of time.

In my literature review I look at the academic roots to gain an understanding of the concept.

I show studying theory what the sources of power distance are. This is fascinating. By knowing these you can predict the power distance of a society without knowing much about them.

I also look at the how it manifests in the societies in question and how we can improve our awareness in cross cultural encounters.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Issues of Labour and Work > Industrial Sociology > Multiculturalism in the Workplace H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > Leadership H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Leadership H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Diversity H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Organisational Behaviour > Organisational Culture
Divisions:	School of Business > Masters by Research
Depositing User:	SINEAD CORCORAN
Date Deposited:	26 Aug 2010 08:10
Last Modified:	29 Nov 2014 15:19
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/414

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