Freedom vs Lockdown
As we have learned this semester in the Global Leadership course, every country is different. These are differences between nations that lead to unique approaches to solve similar problems (Pennsylvania State University, 2020). It would be fair to say that given the individualism score as reported by Hofstede-Insights (2020), American values do not line up with our current government directives to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Some would argue these values are to blame for leading the world in COVID-19 cases. Others would argue it’s simply the size of the country and freedom to move from state to state with ease. Some feel we are paying too high a price for our safety. Putting the United States aside, similar debates are raging on in Europe. Reviewing how Sweden and Germany handled the pandemic, could serve as an excellent case study for the U.S. Was mandating stay at home orders the right course of action? Or, should we have allowed our citizens to self-monitor?
According to ABC news (2020), Sweden has decided to stay mostly open during this crisis. Government officials believe in trusting the people to do the right thing. They have placed limits on gatherings, no more than 50 people at a time for now. They have also kept gyms, cafes, bars and schools open or partially open; children attend a few times a week. This approach is not too surprising, as they are rated a 71 on the individualism scale, and a 31 on the power distance scale by Hofstede-Insights (2020). These scores are very similar to those of the United States. Said a different way, both countries value the individual more than the collective group. This also leads to the thoughts that inequalities among its people will be tolerated to a higher degree. Although far from being the worst, to date the outcomes in Sweden have not been ideal. According to Rolander (2020), Sweden has suffered 1540 deaths resulting from COVID-19. This has led to worldwide scrutiny regarding their approach. On the other hand, their economy may bounce back quicker as a result of their lax policies.
Germany on the other hand, took a much more drastic approach. According to ABC news (2020), German officials decided to issue mandatory lock downs and strict guidelines. This was a bit surprising in that much like Sweden, Germany scored very similar to the U.S.A. as well. Respectively according to Hofstede-Insights (2020), a 35 on the power scale and a 67 on the scale measuring individualism. Perhaps the unique approach was driven by Germany’s need for Long term Orientation. In this case the Germans have a much greater need for long term security as opposed to the Americans and Swedes. In other words, the German people may be more concerned about the distant future, whereas the other two nations are more comfortable living in the now. Overall the outcomes in Germany seem to be more promising. According to Bennhold (2020), the German death rates as a percentage of those infected has been far lower than its neighbors. The jury is still out on what this will do financially to their country.
In conclusion, a great deal can be learned from these two European nations. While similarly distributed across a few of Hofstede’s scales, the actions taken to address a global crisis were vastly different. Sweden essentially stayed open. This action potentially sacrificed the health and wellbeing of its citizens however may save their economy for now. Germany shut down, quickly and decisively. Their actions seem to be geared toward safety, but may have compromised their economy short term. While no one can say with certainty what the future holds, perhaps The U.S. could study the Swedish approach and apply it situationally. This could present a viable option to assist some states in developing action plans, that are calculated and effective to get us back to a better place.
References:
ABC News. Published on April 13, 2020. A tale of two countries: Sweden, Germany take
different COVID-19 approaches. Retrieved on: 04/19/2020. From:
Bennhold, K. (2020). A German exception? Why the country’s coronavirus death rate is low.
The New York Times. Retrieved on: 04/19/2020.
Hofstede-Insights.com. (2020). Germany
Hofstede-Insights.com. (2020). Sweden.
Hofstede-Insights.com. (2020). United States of America.
Pennsylvania State University. (2020). Leadership in a global context – OLEAD 410. Lesson 1:
Introduction to leadership in a global context, Penn State World Campus. Retrieved from:
https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977817
Rolander, N. (2020). Sweden says controversial covid-19 strategy is proving effective.
Bloomberg. Retrieved on 04/19/2020.
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