Scholars have studied cultures thoroughly for years and have published several classic theories, many of which are not well known in the Web design community. The attributes mentioned above were set forth in 1997 by Geert Hofstede in Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (McGraw -Hill). They may sound rather academic, but understanding them is the key to successfully globalizing your site, products, or services.

Culture Gurus

When Hofstede published Cultures and Organizations, his focus was not on the definition of culture as "refinement" of a people, but rather on essential patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. This makes his work especially useful when applied to site design and usability. Hofstede identified five dimensions of culture:

1. Power distance is the extent to which people accept social hierarchies and the power gaps they create.

2. Individualism versus collectivism is the orientation to personal or group achievements.

3. Masculinity versus femininity is the degree to which a culture separates or does not separate traditional gender roles.

4. Uncertainty avoidance is the degree to which a culture is uncomfortable with ambiguity and seeks certainty.<>
  Day of Defeat Online Gaming

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