The Power Distance Societal Norm

Low PDI 

•      Inequality in society should be minimized.

•      All should be interdependent.

•      Hierarchy means an inequality of roles, established for convenience.

•      Subordinates are people like me.

•      Superiors are people like me.

•      The use of power should be legitimate and is subject to the judgment between good and evil.

•      All should have equal rights.

•      Powerful people should try to look less powerful than they are.

•      Stress on reward, legitimate and expert power.

•      The system is to blame.

•      The way to change a social system is by redistributing power.

•      People at various power levels feel less threatened and more prepared to trust people.

•      Latent harmony between the powerful and the powerless.

•      Cooperation among the powerless can be based on solidarity.

High PDI 

•      There should be an order of inequality in this world in which everyone has his rightful place; high and low are protected by this order.

•      A few should be independent; most should be dependent.

•      Hierarchy means existential inequality.

•      Superiors consider subordinates as being of a different kind.

•      Subordinates consider superiors as being of a different kind.

•      Power is a basic fact of society which antedates good or evil.  Its legitimacy is irrelevant.

•      Powerholders are entitled to privileges.

•      Powerful people should try to look as powerful as possible.

•      Stress on coercive and referent power.

•      The underdog is to blame.

•      The way to change a social system is by dethroning those in power.

•      Other people are a potential threat to one’s power and rarely can be trusted.

•      Latent conflict between powerful  and the powerless.

•      Cooperation among the powerless is difficult to bring about because of low faith in people norm.