An Investigation of Ugandan Cultural Values and Implications for Managerial Behavior

Abstract

This paper represents an investigation into the classification of Ugandan culture using the five dimensional model of Geert Hofstede. Uganda was not one of the countries included in Hofstede's original studies, and no evidence of a subsequent study of Uganda has been found in the literature. While Hofstede and others did study some countries in Africa, there is a lack of empiricallybased research on the cultural classification of Uganda. The results of this study indicate that Uganda is a low power distance, masculine, collectivist culture that is relatively high in uncertainty avoidance, whose people have a short-term orientation towards time. The paper compares Ugandan culture with those of other countries in Africa, as well as with select cultures from other regions. It also explains how these cultural differences impact the practice of management in Uganda.