wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
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IndiavsBrazil

インドとブラジルINBR

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

Swap: see India from Brazil

Culture Map: eight scales

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

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

Where you will notice the difference1 scale

  1. Communicating

    Brazil spells things out more explicitly than India (1 step)

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

Where you are close5 scales

  1. Evaluating

    India and Brazil sit on the same step

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

  2. Deciding

    India and Brazil sit on the same step

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

  3. Trusting

    India and Brazil sit on the same step

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

  4. Disagreeing

    India and Brazil sit on the same step

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

  5. Scheduling

    India and Brazil sit on the same step

    India +2, Brazil +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 India and Brazil. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

  1. Uncertainty avoidance

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

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

  2. Indulgence

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

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

  3. Long-term orientation

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

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

  4. Individualism

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

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

  5. Power distance

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

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

  6. Motivation towards achievement and success

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

    India 56, Brazil 49, 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 India and Brazil, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

India4 claims

Brazil2 claims

Failure & risk

India3 claims

Brazil1 claim

Feedback & code review

India2 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

India3 claims

Brazil2 claims

Communication & docs

India2 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

India5 claims

Brazil4 claims

Open source & community

India4 claims

Brazil3 claims