Uncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance deals with a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to man’s search for Truth. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth; ‘there can only be one Truth and we have it’.
Some characteristics of a low uncertainty avoidance culture:

Typically the country is newer or more recently settled.
The population tends to be ethnically diverse.
Risk is valued in business (e.g. U.S.A.)
Frequent innovations.
Citizens are proud of the nation.
Foreigners or minorities are encouraged to assimilate.

Some characteristics of a culture high in uncertainty avoidance:
Generally older countries/cultures with a long history.
The population is more ethnically homogeneous.
Risk is avoided in business (e.g. Germany)
Low tolerance for innovation, prefer to stick to traditional routines.
Citizens are often critical of their own nation.
People tend to be more superstitious.
(Geert Hofstede)