wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
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The United KingdomvsBrazil

イギリスとブラジルUKBR

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

Swap: see the United Kingdom from Brazil

Culture Map: eight scales

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

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

Where you will notice the difference8 scales

  1. Trusting

    Brazil builds trust through personal relationships more than the United Kingdom (4 steps)

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

  2. Scheduling

    Brazil treats plans as more flexible than the United Kingdom (3 steps)

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

  3. Persuading

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

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

  4. Leading

    Brazil keeps more distance between boss and team than the United Kingdom (2 steps)

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

  5. Communicating

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

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

  6. Evaluating

    Brazil gives negative feedback more indirectly than the United Kingdom (1 step)

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

  7. Deciding

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

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

  8. Disagreeing

    Brazil avoids open disagreement more than the United Kingdom (1 step)

    The United Kingdom 0, Brazil +1, 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 the United Kingdom and Brazil. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

  1. Uncertainty avoidance

    Brazil scores 41 points higher than the United Kingdom (76 against 35)

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

  2. Individualism

    Brazil scores 40 points lower than the United Kingdom (36 against 76)

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

  3. Power distance

    Brazil scores 34 points higher than the United Kingdom (69 against 35)

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

  4. Long-term orientation

    Brazil scores 32 points lower than the United Kingdom (28 against 60)

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

  5. Motivation towards achievement and success

    Brazil scores 17 points lower than the United Kingdom (49 against 66)

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

  6. Indulgence

    Brazil scores 10 points lower than the United Kingdom (59 against 69)

    The United Kingdom 69, Brazil 59, 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 the United Kingdom and Brazil, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

United Kingdom3 claims

Brazil2 claims

Failure & risk

United Kingdom4 claims

Brazil1 claim

Feedback & code review

United Kingdom3 claims

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

Hierarchy & decisions

United Kingdom3 claims

Brazil2 claims

Communication & docs

United Kingdom3 claims

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

Work & careers

United Kingdom4 claims

Brazil4 claims

Open source & community

United Kingdom3 claims

Brazil3 claims