Page 103 - Cultures and Organizations

More Equal than Others 85

If one knew nothing about these countries other than those three hard to
fairly hard areas of data, one would be able to compile a list of predicted
PDI scores resembling Table 3.1 pretty closely. On average, the predicted
values deviate 11 scale points from those found in the IBM surveys.
Statistical relationships do not indicate the direction of causality: they
do not tell which is cause and which is effect or whether the related ele-
ments may both be the effects of a common third cause. However, in the

unique case of a country’s geographic position, it is difficult to consider this
factor as anything other than a cause, unless we assume that in prehistoric

times peoples migrated to climates that fit their concepts of power distance,
which is rather far-fetched.
The logic of the relationship, supported by various research studies, 35
could be about as fol lows: First of all, the societies involved have all devel-
oped to the level of sedentary agriculture and urban industry. The more
primitive hunter-gatherer societies, for which a different logic may apply,
are not included. At lower latitudes (that is, more tropical climates), agri-
cultural societies generally meet a more abundant nature. Survival and
population growth in these climates demand a relatively limited interven-
tion of humans with nature: everything grows. In this situation the major
threat to a society is the competition of other human groups for the same
territory and resources. The better chances for survival exist for the soci-
eties that have organized themselves hierarchically and in dependence on
one central authority that keeps order and balance.
At higher latitudes (that is, moderate and colder climates), nature is
less abundant. There is more of a need for people’s intervention with nature
in order to carve out an existence. These conditions support the creation
of industry next to agriculture. Nature, rather than other humans, is the

first enemy to be resisted. Societies in which people have learned to fend
for themselves without being too dependent on more powerful others have

a better chance of survival under these circumstances than societies that
educate their children toward obedience.
The combination of climate and affluence is the subject of a highly

interesting study by Dutch social psychologist Evert van de Vliert, to
which we will refer again in Chapter 12. Van de Vliert studied the effect of
climate on culture, opposing survival (high PDI) cultures to self-expression
(low PDI) cultures. He proves that demanding cold or hot climates have led