The Role of Local Cultural Factors in the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the greatest agreement achieved among countries. However, international policies such as the SDGs usually forget to include local cultural factors that would enable their achievement. Culture and sustainability have been studied in several contexts; however, the role that local culture plays in achieving sustainability has not been fully explored. This research addresses that gap by focusing on the SDGs globally and according to countries’ income, continent, and region of origin. Hypotheses are tested through regression models using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions at the country level and the countries’ overall and partial SDG scores. Results highlight significant relationships between cultural dimensions and countries’ SDG Scores in general and for groups of countries, and between cultural predictors and SDGs. Overall, power distance and masculinity contribute negatively to sustainability, whereas individualism, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence affect sustainability positively. However, results vary across regions and SDGs.

Presenters

Eduardo Ordonez-Ponce
Associate Professor, Organizational Analysis, Athabasca University, Canada

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Multiple Legacies: Heritage, Traditions, Local Ecologies, Knowledge, Values, Protection

KEYWORDS

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, Sustainable Development Goals, Global SDGs, Country SDGs