Welcome to the site of Geert and Gert Jan Hofstede. This is
Geert's only website.
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Geert Hofstede (1928): I am a
Dutch social psychologist who did a pioneering study of cultures
across modern nations. If you want to know what's on my mind at
present, click on my photo. Read more under "culture". See
under "Geert" for what was on my mind before, and for my
CV. |
|
Gert Jan Hofstede (1956): I
am a Dutch population biologist and social scientist in information
management, interested in the interplay of the contrasting forces
of cultural evolution, societal change and cultural stability (read
more under "Gert Jan"). |
Why is culture so important? Every visitor of
this site, from wherever in the world, has her or his unique
personality, history, and interest. Yet all people share
a common human nature. Our shared human nature is intensely social:
we are group animals. We use language and empathy, and practice
collaboration and intergroup competition. But the unwritten rules
of how we do these things differ from one human group to
another. "'Culture" is how we call these unwritten rules about
how to be a good member of the group. Culture provides moral
standards about how to be an upstanding group member; it defines
the group as a"'moral circle". It inspires symbols, heroes,
rituals, laws, religions, taboos, and all kinds of practices - but
its core is hidden in unconscious values. We tend to classify
groups other than our own as inferior or (rarely) superior. This
applies to groups based on national, religious, or ethnic
boundaries, but also on occupation or academic discipline, on club
membership, adored idol, or dress style. In our globalized world
most of us can belong to many groups at the same time. But to get
things done, we still need to cooperate with members of other
groups carrying other cultures. Skills in cooperation across
cultures are vital for our common survival. The authors of this
page are committed to the development of such intercultural
cooperation skills.