wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
日本語

BrazilvsChina

ブラジルと中国BRCN

Seen from Brazil: each line below describes China relative to Brazil.

Swap: see Brazil from China

Culture Map: eight scales

Erin Meyer's eight scales, sorted by how far apart Brazil and China sit, largest gap first.

Filled dot: Brazil, where you are looking fromHollow ring: China

Where you will notice the difference4 scales

  1. Communicating

    China leaves more to be read between the lines than Brazil (2 steps)

    Brazil 0, China +2, on a line from −3 (Low-context) to +3 (High-context).

  2. Leading

    China keeps more distance between boss and team than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +1, China +2, on a line from −3 (Egalitarian) to +3 (Hierarchical).

  3. Deciding

    China leaves decisions to the person in charge more than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +1, China +2, on a line from −3 (Consensual) to +3 (Top-down).

  4. Disagreeing

    China avoids open disagreement more than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +1, China +2, on a line from −3 (Confrontational) to +3 (Avoids confrontation).

Where you are close2 scales

  1. Evaluating

    Brazil and China sit on the same step

    Brazil +1, China +1, on a line from −3 (Direct negative feedback) to +3 (Indirect negative feedback).

  2. Trusting

    Brazil and China sit on the same step

    Brazil +2, China +2, on a line from −3 (Task-based) to +3 (Relationship-based).

Not placed2 scales

These scales are left unmarked: either Meyer leaves a country off the scale or no source places it, and drawing it anyway would be guessing.

  • PersuadingMeyer leaves China off this scale and describes its reasoning as holistic
  • SchedulingNo source places China on this scale
Positions are read by eye from Erin Meyer's published charts and rounded to seven steps. A step means “further towards that pole”, not a measured distance. How the positions were read

Hofstede: six dimensions

Scores from 0 to 100, sorted by the gap between Brazil and China. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

  1. Long-term orientation

    China scores 49 points higher than Brazil (77 against 28)

    Brazil 28, China 77, on a line from 0 (Short-term) to 100 (Long-term).

  2. Uncertainty avoidance

    China scores 46 points lower than Brazil (30 against 76)

    Brazil 76, China 30, on a line from 0 (Tolerant of ambiguity) to 100 (Avoids ambiguity).

  3. Indulgence

    China scores 35 points lower than Brazil (24 against 59)

    Brazil 59, China 24, on a line from 0 (Restrained) to 100 (Indulgent).

  4. Motivation towards achievement and success

    China scores 17 points higher than Brazil (66 against 49)

    Brazil 49, China 66, on a line from 0 (Consensus-oriented) to 100 (Decisive).

  5. Power distance

    China scores 11 points higher than Brazil (80 against 69)

    Brazil 69, China 80, on a line from 0 (Low power distance) to 100 (High power distance).

  6. Individualism

    China scores 7 points higher than Brazil (43 against 36)

    Brazil 36, China 43, on a line from 0 (Collectivist) to 100 (Individualist).

Country averages. About 80% of variation in values is between people inside a country (Taras et al. 2016).Source: The Culture Factor — Country comparison tool (2026).About the Hofstede dimensions

What the sources say, theme by theme

Entries for Brazil and China, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

Brazil2 claims

China3 claims

Failure & risk

Brazil1 claim

China2 claims

Feedback & code review

Brazil3 claims

  • The training company Talaera, citing Meyer, writes that negative feedback tends to be wrapped in warmth and delivered in private, and that public criticism easily damages relationships. The behavioral descriptions rest mainly on the authors' own observations.

    Thin1 source2026br-feedback-1

  • In an HR magazine interview, Erin Meyer names Latin America as one of the "really indirect" parts of the world for negative feedback.

    Attested1 source2014Datedbr-feedback-2

  • Talaera says that instead of a plain "no," phrases such as "we can try" or "I'll do my best" can signal concern or refusal.

    Thin1 source2026br-feedback-3

China3 claims

Hierarchy & decisions

Brazil2 claims

China2 claims

Communication & docs

Brazil2 claims

  • A summary of Meyer's Culture Map places Brazil on the side where trust is built through personal relationships, close to China and Saudi Arabia. Small talk at the start of a meeting is described as part of the work.

    Thin1 sourcebr-communication-1

  • Talaera says written English tends to be on the formal side and asynchronous replies tend to be long and warm, and it recommends video calls over audio-only calls.

    Thin1 source2026br-communication-2

China4 claims

Work & careers

Brazil4 claims

China4 claims

Open source & community

Brazil3 claims

China5 claims