Constant is not a matter to compare the data between two countries. First shift your scores between 0 and 100. Second select a country or region as reference. Third compare the score of reference country to the Hofstede's scores, which you find in his book or on website. Fourth calculate the difference of your score and Hostede's one. Finally add this score as constant.

Suppose you find found that the Malaysian PDI score is 64 and another country is -9. You first should add +9 to all PDI scores, so that your scores will be between 0 and 73. Then check Malaysia's PDI score from Hostede's references, which is 100. Now distract 73 from 100 (100 - 73=27), the result (here 27) will be PDI's constant. Now you can compare the magnitude and direction (+ or -) of results.

http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html

Abdoghani has explained it in details. I just want to advice you to add these two new dimensions that has been added recently by Hofstede

1) Long Term Orientation versus Short Term Normative Orientation (LTO)

2) Indulgence versus Restraint (IND)

Also, if you looking at impact of culture on technology or IS in general then its better to use cultural dimensions at the individual level. You can refer to Srite and Karahannas' (2006) paper.

Without using the constant in Hofstede's formula, from the data I collected, I could calculate the UAI of Vietnam which is -30. Whereas UAI of Vietnam according to Hofstede website is 30, which means low uncertainty avoidance.

So how should I interpret my number in comparison to Hofstede's reference number? I have read Mr. Abdolghani' s suggestion above, but the thing is I only research one country, which is Vietnam, so I don't know how to identify a constant in my case.  Is there a way to shift my number (-30) to the 0-100 range suggested by Hofstede for easier comparison? 

Dear Sontra,

If you would like to compare Vietnam scores to Hofstded's ones, You can report that Vietnam UAI scores shifted from 30 to -30, which indicates a -60 score shift  to Low UA. However, you should aware that the score of all countries may change.  

Hi Prof Abdolghani

This is my first time using the Hofstede cultural dimensions index so I really appreciate your guidance with my very basic questions in calculating the index. My questions are 

1. The formula for PDI is 35(m07-m02) + 25(m23-26)+ C(pd)

35 and 25 are fixed is it right? and m stands for the Mean score for example m07 mean score for item no 7. 

2. The result of this formula we will get the PDI index right. So in calculating the C(pd) in your first suggestion you mentioned that  " Second select a country or region as reference ". Does it mean we can select any country  or the country that we want to examine? 

2. I have  distributed the questionnaire to Malaysian and German employees. So based on your example how I am supposed to calculate the index in order to make the comparison?

Tq for your guidance.  Syed

Dear Syed ASWT,

1. yes. it is true.

2. You should select one of the countries that you are studying. In your case can select Malaysia or Germany.

3. Based on the Hofstede previous studies (https://geert-hofstede.com/malaysia.html)  Malaysia and Germany's score for PD are100 and 35, respectively.  

1. calculate the indices’ score without C

2. Shift your score between 0-100 if there are not at that range.

3. Compare the score of two countries.

4. Interpret the score based on the Hofstede scores.

a. Based on your calculations you found 66.95 for Malaysia and 35 for Germany for PDI. 66.95 versus 35 is your finding that mean your scores are between 0-100 so no need for shifting. 

b. Hofstede found: 100 versus 35 for PDI.

c. 100 – 66.95= 33.05; 35 -35= 0 Malaysia score has changed toward middle range of PD but Germany no changed.  

Good Luck

https://geert-hofstede.com/malaysia.html

Dear Prof Abdolghani

Thanks a lot. I will try my best to apply the method. 

Hi Prof Abdolghani,

I have scores for the UAE but I'm still a bit confused as to the constant. Here are my results without constants.

PDI 9.41. IDV-2.06. MAS 11.53 UAI -56.65. LTO -17.71. IVR 72.41

They are vastly different to the UAE country scores quoted by Hofstead https://geert-hofstede.com/arab-emirates.html 

How do I get the country scores as shown on the link above?

the same question have been came out to use Hofstede's Culture dimensions values to compare between two countries with other data

any answer will be useful !!

Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad ,

Hey. What do you mean by shift the score to 0-100?

Example, my PID(without constant) is -13.81.

How should I move to 0-100?

Hello Annie,

To shift your score to be between 0-100, you should add a number equal to your calculated score: -13.81+ 13.81=0

If another group's PDI is -40.35, for example, you should add the most negative score to both PDIs:

-40.35 + 40.35= 0

-13.81 +40.35= 26.54

Hello everyone,

I am trying to compare Germany and Bulgaria. I have already calculated the mean scores and now I have problems with using the formulas from the manual.

I tried using this "Suppose you find found that the Malaysian PDI score is 64 and another country is -9. You first should add +9 to all PDI scores, so that your scores will be between 0 and 73. Then check Malaysia's PDI score from Hostede's references, which is 100. Now distract 73 from 100 (100 - 73=27), the result (here 27) will be PDI's constant. Now you can compare the magnitude and direction (+ or -) of results.".

Fistly, I calculated it without the constant:

Germany PDI = 35(2,4-2,79) + 25(3,57-3,06) = -0,9

Bulgaria PDI = 35(2,07-2,27) + 25(3,47-2,89) = 7,5

Then, I shifted them:

-0,9 + 0.9 = 0

7,5 + 0,9 = 8,4

Then, I distracted 8,4 from 70 (Bulgaria's score according to Hofstede) and now I have C(pd) = 61,6.

And now what? Should I add 61,4 to my initial calculations:

Germany PDI = 35(2,4-2,79) + 25(3,57-3,06) + 61,6 = 60,7

Bulgaria PDI = 35(2,07-2,27) + 25(3,47-2,89) + 61,6 = 69,1

I am really confused so any help and advice would be highly appreciated!

Hi,

1. Add .9 to germany and bulgaia pdi scores.

2. Select only one counry as reference. In your study bulgaria, for exampe.

3. Look at hostede pdi score for bulgaria that is 70. As bulgaria pdi in your study is 0, you need to reach 70, 0 + 70= 70

4. 70 is c for pdi in your study.

Good luck

Hello Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad ,

thank you for your response but I am still confused.

Why would be Bulgaria PDI in my study 0 when I am adding 0,9 to the initial score without C, which is 7,5? Wouldn't it be 8,4?

I have two more problems:

Should I choose the county used for reference be the same for all the dimensions or should I always take the highest score?

What if the score without C for one dimensions is more than 0? Then I am not supposed to shift it to 0-100...

Thank you.

Hello Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad

The results of my research have been negative( LTO=-15, IVR=-14) I did not compare the two countries, i just wanna to see only one country's performance(trait)

how explain it?

where to look answer?

Dear Khurel,

As the vsm scores are shifting to positive or negative side during time, look at Hofstede's scores and find out the shift of scores. ivr score for bulgaris is 15 and if in your study is -15 it means that country or society has shifted more to indulgence by 30 score.

Hello professor Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad, I know you’ve answered this question many times, but I still have some doubts regarding how to compute Hofstede´s constant. I appreciate your help with this.

In my case, I got 31.6 for USA and 29 for Chile in PDI. Hofstede found 40 for USA and 63 for Chile. My two specific points of confusion would be:

• Do I need to calculate the constant of each country versus himself, or should I pick just one (either USA or Chile) and use that as reference to get my constant for both countries?
• To see the direction of the constant (- or +), do I need to subtract my score to Hofstede’s score or Hofstede’s score to my result?

Thank you in advance for your response

Mr. Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad

I've read through most, if not all, of your responses on this chain. I think I am starting to get an idea but have noticed a conflicting report you mention when responding to Mr. Syed Jamal Abdul Nasir Bin Syed Mohamad about calculating Germany vs. Malaysia. You mentioned that the Hofstede values are 100 vs 35 and used this to calculate some change. In the response to Mr. Mihaela Tumbalova concerning Bulgaria, you mentioned one country should be chosen as the reference value from Hofstede's calculations. You also mention that, in his case, 70 became his constant. If it becomes the constant in this case, wouldn't either 35 or 100 have been the constant in the previous scenario? I am just hoping to clarify, as for my own data. I followed the steps you mentioned in Mr. Mihaela Tumbalova in which I chose the US as my reference sample with a Hofstede value of 91. The value in my sample was 0, so 0+91 = 91. If this value becomes my constant, then I would also add 91 to the other countries I am observing, but would this be to the original raw score without a correction between 0-100 or to the raw score with the correction between 0 and 100?

Many thanks for your clarification.

Dear Afton,

As the raw score=0, it means the score is between the minimum=0 and maximum=100, so you have not shifted the score, yet i.e., without a correction.

GL

Dear Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad

Many thanks for your comment. My raw score was actually -35 for the US, which I did shift to 0 and noted that the US was 91 in Hofstede's values. If this value of 91 becomes the constant based on the shift (0 + 91 = 91), would it be added to the shifted value of 0 or the raw value of -35. Secondly, would this 91 value based on a US sample be the constant for other countries, or exclusively for the US group?

Dear Afton,

If this value of 91 becomes the constant based on the shift (0 + 91 = 91), would it be added to the shifted value of 0 or the raw value of -35.

It should be added to the shifted one (0).

Secondly, would this 91 value based on a US sample be the constant for other countries, or exclusively for the US group?

As the US will be your reference country, the constant (91) will be added to an index (for example IDV) of other countries' scores.

Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad Assalam-u alaykum Sir! I used VSM 2013 in order to calculate 6 dimension of Uzbekistan for study purposes and there is no research done about Uzbekistan. You mentioned about comparing two countries in order to find the constant. But, I only conducted vsm 2013 in Uzbekistan. If it is possible can you advise what to do next

Kindly visit..

http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.htm

Whereas, My two specific points of confusion would be:

• Do I need to calculate the constant of each country versus himself, or should I pick just one (either USA or Chile) and use that as reference to get my constant for both countries?
• To see the direction of the constant (- or +), do I need to subtract my score to Hofstede’s score or Hofstede’s score to my result?

Dear Ca Dr. Gaurav Bhambri

unfortunately, the page cannot be found. Do you know if there is an updated version of the page?

Thank you very much!!

Dear Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad

May I kindly ask you to help me out with the following:

I have two countries that I'm comparing (Germany vs. France). My scores for the PDI are:

Germany: -6.9 and France: -22.78.

I shifted the values by adding 22.78 to the both of them, which gives me the following values:

Germany: 15.88 and France: 0

Now I have to compare these values to the ones by Hofstede, which are:

Germany: 35 and France: 68

Now I'm not completely sure whether the following calculation to obtain the constant for both countries is correct:

Germany: 35 - 15.88 = 19.12

France: 68 - 0 = 68

Is this right or do I have to reduce France's PDI of 68 by 15.88 as well? Which would give me a constant of 52.12 for France.

Thank you very much for your help.

Dear Zana,

After shifting scores between 0-100. If you select France as the reference the constant will be 68. Then you have to add 68 to both countries' PDI scores. If you selected Germany as the reference the constant will be 19.12.

Now you can compare PDI's of two countries and look at changes between them.

Cheers!

Dear Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad

May I also ask for your help?

Can Hofstede's formulas be used to calculate index of one particular culture? For instance, if one culture does not have a score on Hofstede's 6th dimension (Indulgence VS Restraint), can I use the questions from the manual to conduct a survey within this particular culture and then calculate the score using the formula? Or is the formula used only for cultures comparison?

Thank you!