World Order Architecture and G. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Abstract

The article represents an attempt to apply G. Hofstede’s typology of cultural dimensions to analyze international relations in a constructivist view. The study sheds light on competing and cooperating interaction of traditional and rising powers. The methodology implies to implement the list of cultural variables such as power distance, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/ femininity, short-term/long-term orientation, indulgence/restraint to map the position of states with a focus on great powers.The constructed diagrams made it possible to reveal the differentiation of cultural dimensions that characterize traditional and rising powers. This differentiation is one of the factors that may contribute to the increase in the potential conflict in the international relations at present. The overall cultural representativeness of the Global North leaders, i.e. traditional powers, is lower than that of the representatives of the Global South leaders, i.e. rising powers. The results of the study generate the conclusion that the current disorder as transitional stage of the international relations is more likely to be replaced by a multipolar rather than a bipolar world order architecture.

Keywords

• world order architecture
• great powers
• traditional powers
• rising powers
• geopolitical tensions
• g. hofstede’s cultural dimensions
• values and international relations