Indigo: differences between Colombia and South Africa according to THE HOSTEDE MODEL

The Model of the 6 dimensions is a theory created by Geert Hofstede and serves to identify the cultural behaviors of people or groups. This helps us to improve our understanding of other cultures based on the values they have, the way they act and how this influences their context.

According to Hofstede, the 6 dimensions of cultures are: hierarchical distance (PDI), Individualism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS), Aversion to uncertainty (UAI), Long-term orientation (LTO) and Forbearance vs Containment (IVR).

Taking into account what these dimensions try to evaluate, if we made a comparison between South Africa and Colombia, we would obtain the following graph as a result:

As can be seen in the graph, in terms of hierarchical distance, South Africa has a much lower level than Colombia. This means that, although South African culture presents inequality to a certain extent, it does not normalize it and struggles to decentralize power. While, in Colombia, inequality is greater, it is naturalized or accepted, and it can be noticed more easily.

On the other hand, regarding individualism, we have that Colombians think more and care more about the common well-being than about the individual, something completely contrary to South Africans.

Now, regarding the dimension of masculinity, we can see that there are no differences between Colombia and South Africa. Both cultures have a high index, which means that in both there are very marked gender roles. They are cultures in which it is normal for men to provide money and food for their home and women to take care of household chores.

We also have that, although in both cultures they tend to be indulgent and do not fully assimilate uncertainty, in the Colombian population there is a higher index of rejection of uncertainty and greater indulgence.

While in South Africa they do not tolerate uncertainty at all, but they also do not close to the idea of ​​trying new things; In Colombia, this fear of trying new things is very prevalent and there is an emotional need to follow the established rules. Furthermore, as shown in the graph, in both cultures the members do not usually repress their desires, but rather seek to satisfy them and their society allows them to some extent; although this is much more remarkable in Colombian society.

Finally, regarding the dimension of Long-term Orientation, South Africans have a low index, although not as much as that of Colombians. What this basically means is that both cultures are more oriented to take actions that bring immediate and successful results. It focuses more on the present.