I didn't find the PDI thing too bad. It's a relatively simple assessment of how people react to authority. Consider it a distance to autonomy. The lower the PDI, the closer the average person in that group would consider themselves autonomous.

Some countries value individual drive and an equality along all of the power spectrum where those in managerial positions are more like guides than commanders. Other countries have different cultures and values where those in obviously higher positions are deferred to and deserve to be treated with all respect their title confers on to them.

Neither is better than the other, just different. And in order to work better with these other cultures, each side must understand the values held by the other side and reach some sort of middle ground where we can communicate with each other effectively.

I do like your 'hired locally' hypothesis. It makes sense.