HOFSTEDE�S MAS/FEM DIMENSION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The work of Geert Hofstede marks a paradigm shift in our understanding of cultural differences. Today, the “four-dimensional (4-D) work values model” (Hofstede, 1991, p. 254) is used extensively in cross-cultural research. Over 1000 citations have appeared in the Social Science Citation Index since the original study was published (Hofstede, 1998, p. 30), in such diverse fields as management, political science, communications, cross-cultural psychology, development economics, and organizational sociology (Hofstede, 1991, p. 258). The impact of this work can hardly be over-stated. However, one part of the model – the so-called Masculinity or Masculinity/Femininity (MAS/FEM) dimension – has encountered difficulty. This is evident both in the paucity of research studies that focus on this dimension over a thirty-year period, and in their inconsistent results. It is also evident in the variety of portrayals of what this dimension represents. Ultimately the aim of this paper is to encourage others to carry out more extensive empirical research in this aspect of Hofstede’s work. The main components of the model are reviewed in the next section, followed by recommendations for increasing the usefulness of the dimension in teaching and research.