Measuring Hofstede's Five Dimensions of Cultural Values at the Individual Level: Development and Validation of CVSCALE

TLDR

Hofstede's five‑dimensional cultural values measure is the dominant metric, yet it is mainly used as a contextual variable and existing individual‑level scales are limited or unreliable. The study aims to develop a psychometrically sound individual‑level measure of Hofstede's five cultural dimensions. The authors created CVSCALE, a 26‑item scale covering all five dimensions, designed to address prior methodological shortcomings. CVSCALE demonstrates adequate reliability, validity, and generalizability across samples and nations.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Hofstede's (1980 and 2001) renowned five-dimensional measure of cultural values is the overwhelmingly dominant metric of culture. His measure has been used as a contextual variable, but it is often required to directly measure cultural values for individual consumers or managers. The purpose of this research is to respond to the call for developing a psychometrically sound measure of Hofstede's culture at the individual level. Past research in this area has developed a scale for only one of Hofstede's dimensions, a highly work-oriented scale, or a scale with poor reliability. By overcoming every major weakness of past studies, this research offers CVSCALE, a 26-item five-dimensional scale of individual cultural values that assesses Hofstede's cultural dimensions at the individual level. The scale shows adequate reliability, validity, and across-sample and across-national generalizability.