Poland and India in the Light of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Abstract

The problem of cultural differences in business is the focus of interest of both practitioners and scholars interested in international relations. According to many studies, helpful in understanding the characteristics of foreign markets may be the typologies of national cultures. One of the most interesting and widely used ones are the Hofstede cultural dimensions. The main purpose of the paper is to compare Poland and India in the light of cultural dimensions and to verify the importance of particular dimensions from the point of view of doing business by Polish companies in India. Furthermore, the purpose of the paper is to draw conclusions for Polish companies interested in taking business activities in Indian market, basing exactly on dimensions. Poland and India differ significantly in many aspects. The crucial differences relay to hierarchy perception, individualistic versus collectivist approach or the degree of uncertainty avoidance. Although both countries exhibit high level of Power Distance, in India there is much more respect for hierarchy. Poles as individualistic culture, may be surprised with the strong group, family in particular, orientation and influence on individual's decisions. Indians seem to be much more relaxed than Poles, not everything has to go according to the plan or schedule. Patience and long-term relations are important. All these differences are visible in negotiation process, project management and implementation, everyday cooperation and subordinate/superior relations.