CVSCALE

What it measures

Operationalises Hofstede's (1980, 2001) five national cultural dimensions as individual-level consumer value orientations. Power Distance captures acceptance of unequal power distribution in institutions and relationships. Individualism/Collectivism captures prioritisation of personal goals (self) vs. group goals (we). Masculinity captures achievement, assertiveness, and material success orientation (vs. quality of life and caring). Uncertainty Avoidance captures intolerance of ambiguity and preference for rules. Long-Term Orientation captures future-focused perseverance and thrift (vs. respect for tradition and short-term gains). The CVSCALE enables within-country segmentation by cultural values and individual-level cross-cultural analysis, overcoming the ecological fallacy problem of applying national-average Hofstede scores to individual consumers.

Representative items

• People in higher positions should make most decisions without consulting people in lower positions. (Power Distance)
• Group welfare is more important than individual rewards. (Collectivism)
• It is important to me to continuously work hard to meet higher standards. (Masculinity)
• It is important to have instructions spelled out in detail so I always know what I'm expected to do. (Uncertainty Avoidance)
• Being thrifty is important. (Long-Term Orientation)

Citation

Yoo, B., Donthu, N., & Lenartowicz, T. (2011). Measuring Hofstede's five dimensions of cultural values at the individual level: Development and validation of CVSCALE. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 23(3–4), 193–210.