In my previous post Cultural barriers to innovation, I reflected on how cultures that are less tolerant of uncertainty, ambiguity and diversity, are less able to innovate.
One of Geert Hofstede’s five Cultural Dimensions is the Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI). The UAI “deals with a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity … Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict laws and rules, … and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in [one] absolute Truth…”
Country | PDI A higher number means a greater gap between those at the top and the bottom. | IDV A higher number means greater value is placed on individuality over group norms. | UAI A higher number indicates a greater ability to embrace uncertainty and differences. |
36 | 90 | 51 | |
35 | 89 | 35 | |
40 | 91 | 46 | |
18 | 74 | 23 | |
31 | 71 | 29 | |
China | 80 | 20 | 30 |
77 | 48 | 40 | |
74 | 20 | 8 |
Hofstede also goes on to say “People in uncertainty avoiding countries are also more emotional, and motivated by inner nervous energy. The opposite type, uncertainty accepting cultures, are (sic) more tolerant of opinions different from what they are used to…”
A tolerance for ambiguity and differences, the freedom for individual thought less-hampered by the collective consensus, and the confidence to respond to change could be good indicators of a culture’s ability to innovate.
