A Weighted, Mahalanobian, and Asymmetrical Approach to Calculating National Cultural Distance

Abstract

This article aims at offering a weighted, Mahalanobian, and asymmetrical approach to calculating national cultural distance. The proposed approach improves upon the major shortcomings of Kogut -Singh's Index and explains the inconsistent and curvilinear effects of cultural distance as found in previous research. Using this new approach, the national cultural distances for Hofstede's and GLOBE's frameworks are calculated, the theoretical and methodological implications are discussed, and avenues for future research are proposed. Furthermore, for the use of future researchers, the cross-cultural weighted Mahalabonian distances for Hofstede's and GLOBE's data are reported in separate annexes.