This dimension focuses on how extent to which a society stress achievement or nurture. Masculinity is seen to be the trait which emphasizes ambition, acquisition of wealth, and differentiated gender roles. Femininity is seen to be the trait which stress caring and nurturing behaviors, sexuality equality, environmental awareness, and more fluid gender roles.
“Masculinity stands for a society in which social gender roles are clearly distinct: Men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success; women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life.”Review Hofstede’s country ranking for Masculinity / Femininity.
“Femininity stands for a society in which social gender roles overlap: Both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life.”
From Hofstede (2001), Culture’s Consequences, 2nd ed. p 297.
Traits of Masculinity / Femininity
|High Masculine||Low Masculine (Feminine)|
|social norms||ego oriented||relationship oriented|
|money and things are important||quality of life and people are important|
|live in order to work||work in order to live|
|politics and economics||economic growth high priority||environment protection high priority|
|conflict solved through force||conflict solved through negotiation|
|religion||most important in life||less important in life|
|only men can be priests||both men and women as priests|
|work||larger gender wage gap||smaller gender wage gap|
|fewer women in management||more women in management|
|preference for higher pay||preference for fewer working hours|
|family and school||traditional family structure||flexible family structure|
|girls cry, boys don’t; boys fight, girls don’t||both boys and girls cry; neither fight|
|failing is a disaster||failing a minor accident|