Cultuur en autonomie in werk

This article extends previous studies investigating cross-cultural differences in worker autonomy. More specifically it examines if Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are a good predictor of the characteristics of institutions making up Employment systems in a particular country and the level of autonomy workers have. This is done using a multilevel analysis combining cultural dimension data provided by Hofstede with the EVS and the WVS. In addition it is investigated whether the knowledge economy has a moderating effect on the relation between culture and the levels of worker autonomy. From the results the following conclusions were drawn. There seems to be no direct relation between Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and worker autonomy. When moderating for the knowledge economy the European Value Study seems to imply that in a knowledge intensive economy an increase in individualism leads to more worker autonomy and that a decrease in uncertainty avoidance leads to more worker autonomy.