Reflects on the basic question of “how man handle to the fact that people are unequal”. It is not about measuring the degree of inequality in a society

Power distance can therefore be defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Institutions are the basic elements of society, such as the family, the school, and the community; organizations are the places where people work.

Power distance is thus described based on the value system of the less powerful members. The way power is distributed is usually explained from the behaviour of the more powerful members, the leaders rather than those led.

High power distance.

People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification.

In high power-distance cultures, the members accept some having more power and some having less power, and that this power distribution is natural and normal. Those with power are assumed to deserve it, and likewise those without power are assumed to be in their proper place. In such a culture, there will be a rigid adherence to the use of titles, “Sir,” “Ma’am,” “Officer,” “Reverend,” and so on. In a high-power distance culture, you would probably be much less likely to challenge a decision, to provide an alternative, or to give input. More likely the directives of those with higher power are to be obeyed, with little question.

Low power distance

In societies with low power distance, people strive to equalize the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power.

In low power-distance cultures, the distribution of power is considered far more arbitrary and viewed as a result of luck, money, heritage, or other external variables.

For a person to be seen as having power, something must justify their power. A wealthy person is typically seen as more powerful in western cultures. Elected officials, will be seen as powerful since they had to win their office by receiving majority support. In these cultures, individuals who attempt to assert power are often faced with those who stand up to them, question them, ignore them, or otherwise refuse to acknowledge their power.  While some titles may be used, they will be used far less than in a high power-distance culture. For example, in colleges and universities in North America, it is far more common for students to address their instructors on a first-name basis, and engage in casual conversation on personal topics. In contrast, in a high power-distance culture like Japan, the students rise and bow as the teacher enters the room, address them formally at all times, and rarely engage in any personal conversation.