Brazil 's highest Hofstede Dimension is Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) is 76, indicating the society’s low level of tolerance for uncertainty. In an effort to minimize or reduce this level of uncertainty, strict rules, laws, policies, and regulations are adopted and implemented. The ultimate goal of this population is to control everything in order to eliminate or avoid the unexpected. As a result of this high Uncertainty Avoidance characteristic, the society does not readily accept change and is very risk adverse.
The Geert Hofstede analysis for Brazil is similar to it’s Latin American neighbors. Uncertainty avoidance ranks highest which indicates a high concern for rules, regulations, controls and issues with career security – typically, a society that does not readily accept change and is risk adverse.
niversal rules are not frequently adopted – the unique circumstances, the unique context of each interaction determine what should be done. This reflects both on the relationship and in the problem-solving level. The business interaction between two persons is unique and should be adjusted to the business partner. Unique problems should be addressed with tailored rules – hence the large number of laws, laws that sometimes contradict one another. And there are even situations to which none of the official rules apply, situations that call for one’s flexibility and ability to find an alternative way.
It would be interesting to describe the Brazil’s classification according to Hofstede’s categories of organizations before going ahead. As in other countries with high Uncertainty Avoidance and Power Distance rankings, the typical Brazilian organization is a Pyramid of Power – an organizational model characterized by formalized hierarchy and centralized power and decision making, where the management and the interaction between different hierarchical levels has a lot to do with