wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
日本語

Brazilvsthe United Kingdom

ブラジルとイギリスBRUK

Seen from Brazil: each line below describes the United Kingdom relative to Brazil.

Swap: see Brazil from the United Kingdom

Culture Map: eight scales

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

Filled dot: Brazil, where you are looking fromHollow ring: the United Kingdom

Where you will notice the difference8 scales

  1. Trusting

    The United Kingdom builds trust through reliable work more than Brazil (4 steps)

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

  2. Scheduling

    The United Kingdom sticks to fixed plans and deadlines more than Brazil (3 steps)

    Brazil +2, the United Kingdom −1, on a line from −3 (Linear time) to +3 (Flexible time).

  3. Persuading

    The United Kingdom wants examples and the conclusion before the theory more than Brazil (2 steps)

    Brazil 0, the United Kingdom +2, on a line from −3 (Principles-first) to +3 (Applications-first).

  4. Leading

    The United Kingdom keeps less distance between boss and team than Brazil (2 steps)

    Brazil +1, the United Kingdom −1, on a line from −3 (Egalitarian) to +3 (Hierarchical).

  5. Communicating

    The United Kingdom spells things out more explicitly than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil 0, the United Kingdom −1, on a line from −3 (Low-context) to +3 (High-context).

  6. Evaluating

    The United Kingdom gives negative feedback more directly than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +1, the United Kingdom 0, on a line from −3 (Direct negative feedback) to +3 (Indirect negative feedback).

  7. Deciding

    The United Kingdom decides by group agreement more than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +1, the United Kingdom 0, on a line from −3 (Consensual) to +3 (Top-down).

  8. Disagreeing

    The United Kingdom is more willing to disagree openly than Brazil (1 step)

    Brazil +1, the United Kingdom 0, on a line from −3 (Confrontational) to +3 (Avoids confrontation).

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 the United Kingdom. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

  1. Uncertainty avoidance

    The United Kingdom scores 41 points lower than Brazil (35 against 76)

    Brazil 76, the United Kingdom 35, on a line from 0 (Tolerant of ambiguity) to 100 (Avoids ambiguity).

  2. Individualism

    The United Kingdom scores 40 points higher than Brazil (76 against 36)

    Brazil 36, the United Kingdom 76, on a line from 0 (Collectivist) to 100 (Individualist).

  3. Power distance

    The United Kingdom scores 34 points lower than Brazil (35 against 69)

    Brazil 69, the United Kingdom 35, on a line from 0 (Low power distance) to 100 (High power distance).

  4. Long-term orientation

    The United Kingdom scores 32 points higher than Brazil (60 against 28)

    Brazil 28, the United Kingdom 60, on a line from 0 (Short-term) to 100 (Long-term).

  5. Motivation towards achievement and success

    The United Kingdom scores 17 points higher than Brazil (66 against 49)

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

  6. Indulgence

    The United Kingdom scores 10 points higher than Brazil (69 against 59)

    Brazil 59, the United Kingdom 69, on a line from 0 (Restrained) to 100 (Indulgent).

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 the United Kingdom, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

Brazil2 claims

United Kingdom3 claims

Failure & risk

Brazil1 claim

United Kingdom4 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

United Kingdom3 claims

Hierarchy & decisions

Brazil2 claims

United Kingdom3 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

United Kingdom3 claims

Work & careers

Brazil4 claims

United Kingdom4 claims

Open source & community

Brazil3 claims

United Kingdom3 claims