Response of chapter 2 by KU

In this chapter, he described the research process based on the book. He started the discussion on the term value. “In interpreting people’s statements about their values, it is important to distinguish between desirable and desired”. Quoted from page 28. Desirable is related to ideology. It asks people for whether they agree/disagree, should/should not. It more or less likes a moral problem. The result can be predicted for something which is promoted and educational as bad. Desired is much more related to personal. It asks people for whether they want/not want. Paradoxical result may come out if the studies neglected the difference between desirable and desired. And he showed one example of this.

He used IBM data as reference to study cultural differences. Obviously, US culture is much different from Macau where I come from. In IBM data, it used four dimensions named as power distance, collectivism versus individualism, femininity versus masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance to classify/grade difference culture. These are all interesting ideas to me. They sound understandable but also perplexing on the other hand. I can’t see Macau in the studies list but I can see Hong Kong and China. In next chapter, he specifies on Power distance which I think the most interesting one. Power is kind of abstract thing while distance is something physically existing. I am looking forward to reading it.