wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
日本語

BrazilvsIndia

ブラジルとインドBRIN

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

Swap: see Brazil from India

Culture Map: eight scales

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

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

Where you will notice the difference1 scale

  1. Communicating

    India leaves more to be read between the lines than Brazil (1 step)

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

Where you are close5 scales

  1. Evaluating

    Brazil and India sit on the same step

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

  2. Deciding

    Brazil and India sit on the same step

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

  3. Trusting

    Brazil and India sit on the same step

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

  4. Disagreeing

    Brazil and India sit on the same step

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

  5. Scheduling

    Brazil and India sit on the same step

    Brazil +2, India +2, on a line from −3 (Linear time) to +3 (Flexible time).

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.

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 India. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

  1. Uncertainty avoidance

    India scores 36 points lower than Brazil (40 against 76)

    Brazil 76, India 40, on a line from 0 (Tolerant of ambiguity) to 100 (Avoids ambiguity).

  2. Indulgence

    India scores 33 points lower than Brazil (26 against 59)

    Brazil 59, India 26, on a line from 0 (Restrained) to 100 (Indulgent).

  3. Long-term orientation

    India scores 23 points higher than Brazil (51 against 28)

    Brazil 28, India 51, on a line from 0 (Short-term) to 100 (Long-term).

  4. Individualism

    India scores 12 points lower than Brazil (24 against 36)

    Brazil 36, India 24, on a line from 0 (Collectivist) to 100 (Individualist).

  5. Power distance

    India scores 8 points higher than Brazil (77 against 69)

    Brazil 69, India 77, on a line from 0 (Low power distance) to 100 (High power distance).

  6. Motivation towards achievement and success

    India scores 7 points higher than Brazil (56 against 49)

    Brazil 49, India 56, on a line from 0 (Consensus-oriented) to 100 (Decisive).

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 India, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

Brazil2 claims

India4 claims

Failure & risk

Brazil1 claim

India3 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

India2 claims

Hierarchy & decisions

Brazil2 claims

India3 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

India2 claims

Work & careers

Brazil4 claims

India5 claims

Open source & community

Brazil3 claims

India4 claims