Hofstede Model: Colombia vs Thailand
Hofstede Model: Colombia vs. Thailand
4 Problems that a Thai person could have studying in Barranquilla based on the Hofstede Model
A Thai person that comes to study to Colombia might find diverse problems because of culture shock. Although the Hofstede Model indicates that Colombia and Thailand have some similarities, there are still a lot of things that can be a problem for a Thai person who studies in Barranquilla. One of the problems that they can experience is the power dynamics in Colombian education, it might be a challenge for them to relate appropriately with professors or any kind of "superiors" because some of then might expect a high degree of deference and respect. A second problem to take into account is the variations or differences on how the collectivism is practiced in our society because expectations regarding group dynamics, teamwork and social interactions are different and adapting to these differences can be a big challenge. Another problem is that social expectations about gender roles and communication styles are not the same as what they had in their country, this is one of the biggest problems that Thai people might find while studying here. To conclude, we have to mention a last problem which is something that can cause a strong culture shock, since both countries (Thailand and Colombia) have a long-term orientation, wich means they value so much their tradition, a Thai student in Barranquilla will have to face the challenge of understanding to all the Colombian cultural practices wich are very different from the Thailand ones. Even with all of that problems, we can say that, based on the Hofstede Model, it might not be that difficult for a Thai person to study here.
