Abstract
The study of differences in cultural dimensions across cultures seeks to identify a set of characteristics (beliefs and values) that are common to certain groups and individuals that are united in feeling, thought, and action. The aim is to find patterns, profiles, and behavioral standards that demonstrate different cultural behaviors and that may help explain differences in people's behavior and attitudes to innovate, as well as the differences in performance of the territories. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify and analyze cultural standards in two towns in Portugal, Covilhã and Guarda, through the cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede. These cultural standards can help to explain the different dynamics of regional innovation. In this sense, we made up a case study using the survey developed by Hofstede. Then, we applied the questionnaire developed by Hofstede and concluded that what prevails in both cities is a reduced power distance, high individualism, femininity, high uncertainty avoidance, and short-term orientation.
Keywords: Culture; Cultural Dimensions; Cultural Standards; Innovation
Full Text
1. Introduction
The term "culture" has many meanings, deriving from the Latin and referring to the tillage of the ground. In Western languages "culture" is equivalent to "civilization" or "refinement of the mind." Culture is a collective phenomenon since it is shared by people living in the same social environment.
The influence of values and cultures is seen increasingly as crucial in all areas of human life, as evidenced by the studies in all fields of science related to life in society, social behavior, consumer, personal, career, life expectancies (Santos & Reis, 2005), etc., or in personal relationships or between societies and countries. Indeed, the studies that examined conflicts between countries and that equate cultural assumptions (Rawwas et al., 1998) show that a company's strategy must consider cultural diversity to ensure efficiency (Hofstede, 1980). Other studies address behavior of consumers, the influence of some social groups in these decisions (Zhang & Gelb, 1996) and the intended communication by companies (Aaker, 2000). Even the form of society's organization is necessary to think that the evolutionary path depends on the cultural features that characterize a society (Gannon, 1994).
All learning throughout life will influence the behavior of individuals-behavior that causes these different cultural patterns, which are the result of continuous learning and which find their origin in many social environments encountered during life. Culture explains and allows understanding the behaviors of individuals and the type of development reached by each country. The patterns of national, regional, or local culture level may influence the relations, the establishment of networks of innovation and cooperation, as well as an innovation system and therefore the capacity for innovation and competitive performance, whether of companies,...
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