2. Practical review

1. Kazakhstan profile: culture, mentality, and national characteristics

Before we move on to assess the effectiveness of Traits theories application in Kazakhstan All countries in the world are divided into two broad dimensions, relationship oriented and task oriented. Relationship oriented countries: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and China. Task oriented countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, USA and Canada.

Kazakhstan is in a group of relationship oriented countries rather than task oriented. Relationship oriented countries value good relationships in workplaces, high level of interaction and warm atmosphere.

According to Hofstede’s researches on distinguishing between different cultural groups, there are 9 cultural dimensions.

• Uncertainty Avoidance

• Power Distance

• Institutional Collectivism

• In-group Collectivism

• Gender Egalitarianism

• Assertiveness

• Future Orientation

• Performance Orientation

• Humane Orientation

Kazakhstan is in a high-score clusters based on the following dimensions:

• Assertiveness – degree to which people in a culture are determined, assertive, confrontational and aggressive in their social relationships.

• Gender Egalitarianism – degree to which society/organizations minimize gender inequality.

• In-group Collectivism – degree to which people express pride, loyalty and cohesiveness in their organizations/families.

On the other hand, our country got low scores on the following cultural dimensions:

• Future Orientation – degree to which people engage in future oriented behaviors such as planning, investing in the future and delaying gratification.

• Performance Orientation – extent to which a society or organization encourages and rewards people for improved performance and excellence.

• Uncertainty Avoidance – extent to which society or organizations rely on established social norms and procedures to avoid uncertainty.

Finally, Kazakhstan is in a middle-score clusters referring to remaining 3 cultural dimensions:

• Power Distance – degree to which members of a group expect and agree that power should be shared unequally.

• Institutional Collectivism – degree to which society or organization values collective actions.

• Humane Orientation – degree to which a society or organization encourages and rewards people for being fair, altruistic, generous and caring to others.

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