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To aid the discussion, here is the Philippines' Cultural Dimensions Scores

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Today we explore Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions // SCROLL

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[#10] Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have maintained their popularity through the years in cross-cultural management and businesses. Owing to the rapid growth of globalization, the need to understand cultural differences also grew hence why Hofstede also maintained its relevance. However, one of the major critiques of this model is its ability to withstand the changes that face the 21st century. A lot of events have occurred which could impact individuals’ changes in attitude and behaviors thus there is a need for the model to be more appropriate to today’s timeline.

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[#9] Lastly, the indulgence dimension focuses on the extent to which a society is controlled by its impulses or desires. Low-scoring countries indicate tendency towards restraint. Pleasure and desires are withheld leading to a more rigid sense of life. Similarly, less indulgent societies value duty over gratification.  The Philippines ranks lower in this dimension meaning our society has stricter norms that enable its people to practice control over their desires. This can be tied to the majority of the people’s lack of economic resources that allow them to gratify their desires. For example, in restrained societies, people are less likely involved in sports due to leisure deemed as insignificant. Filipino athletes face a lack of financial support from the government, with talents moving to represent another country instead – take for example Wesley So in Chess. The Philippines is full of sports talents, that’s for sure, but they lack the proper training and support.

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[#8] The time orientation dimension shows how societies view time horizons, whether they show focus on the future by emphasizing traits that prize long-term growth or shift focus on the present by valuing quick results. The Philippines scored low in this dimension meaning that it falls under societies that are more short-term in thinking. Societies demonstrating a short-term orientation are more focused on “saving face” and achieving success after a short time. The inclination to  fulfill social obligation or maintain tradition is manifested through the Filipino cultural trait of utang na loob or debt of gratitude.

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[#7] The uncertainty avoidance index describes the extent to which people tolerate uncertainty. Scoring high in this index is an indicator of strong uncertainty avoidance meaning the group treats uncertainty as a threat and is less accepting of innovation and modernity. Low uncertainty avoidance could manifest in ways such as having fewer laws and regulations and being more tolerant of unorthodox behavior and ideas. The Philippines scores low in this index which is exhibited through our society’s tolerance of diversity and openness to change, such as the fast-paced embedding of Korean culture in the country. This is seen through Filipinos’ media preference for KDrama, the expansion of Korean grills and restaurants, and even the proliferation of milk tea stores is an embodiment of the country’s relaxed attitude towards change.

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[#6] However, this dimension could extend even further, encompassing the talks of gender discrimination. In the Philippines, a lot of prominent figures in media belong to the LGBTQ+ such as Vice Ganda and Boy Abunda, even Filipino content creators on TikTok. On the other hand, while the country once ranked high as one of the most gay-friendly in the world, it is said that the Philippines is tolerant but not fully accepting of gays. In the congress, the initial version of the SOGIE bill was first introduced in 2000, during the 11th congress and nearly 22 years later the bill has not yet been passed due to religious organizations and politicians blocking the passage of the bill. Many members of the LGBTQ+ are discriminated against in spaces that should be deemed safe such as schools, hospitals, offices, etc.

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[#5] The masculinity dimension details the values more prized in a society, whether it be material success or relationships and the quality of life. Scoring high in this dimension would manifest the prevalence of gender roles in society. Along with that is the drive to succeed in order to gain material wealth or monetary rewards. This manifests its way through the Philippines’ competitive work culture of living in order to work, coupled with the country’s problems of poverty and economic disparity.

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[#4] In another dimension, the Power Distance Index (PDI) shows the extent to which a group accepts unequal power distributions. The Philippines scores high in the PDI which could be seen in the manner Filipinos conform to, or at the very least, tolerate inequality. Based on Hofstede’s model, Filipinos ranking high in the PDI would shy away from expressing disagreement with someone in authority. For example, correcting an elder would appear disrespectful to someone from a high PDI background as it is considered as defying someone in power. To add, it is a Filipino custom to show respect to elders, hence the use of “po” and “opo” as well as honorifics when addressing an older person.

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[#3] In an individualistic society, members are expected to look after themselves – just like in the United States where it’s a norm that children move out and look after themselves after turning 18. Whereas in collectivistic societies, once children land a job, they’re expected to help with the family expenses. For example, my uncle, who used to be an overseas worker, exerted his money into providing education for his younger siblings. As a result, all his siblings were able to finish their college education but he was unable to save up for his retirement. Because of this, my grandparents and uncle now live under a single roof and my uncle’s siblings now provide for him financially. In collectivistic societies, there exists the extended family system and an implicit expectation on family members to help each other out.

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[#2] Using Hofstede’s model as a basis helps understand and manage issues that could stem from culture. Drawing examples from real life, in the Philippines, families are traditionally close-knit with extended families living together under a single roof even in adulthood. Hofstede describes collectivism as to how dependent individuals are on one another and how integrated they are as cohesive groups. One of the manifestations of a collectivistic society is the prioritization of the goals and well-being of the group as a whole.

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[#1] Hofstede’s cultural dimensions help us understand how cultures differ in terms of particular attributes and how the values a society upholds affect its members. His research, along with contributions from other researchers produced six dimensions in which differences in attitudes, beliefs, and values can be compared between cultural groups. This model maintains its relevance today as a basis used to communicate more effectively among cultures.

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[DISCUSSION JOURNEY]
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions // A Journey Through our Personal Contexts // with Hailey and Tan