Emerald | Chinese Management Studies

How Chinese thought can lead the transformation in management practice

Ken Baskin — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how the emerging, post-Newtonian twenty-first century worldview, integrating elements of holistic Chinese philosophy and individualistic Western Newtonianism, is also driving a new model of organization, the articulation of which Chinese managers and thinkers must take a leadership position. Design/methodology/approach – The author focuses, first, on the similarities between the worldviews of Chinese philosophy and post-Newtonianism; second, on how those changes in worldview support the emerging model of organization, whose management style one writer refers to as “unmanaging”; and, third, on the benefits available for Chinese business people who apply their acculturated understanding of principles that still seem foreign to Western business people. Findings – This essay asserts that the worldview emerging from twentieth century science – primarily quantum mechanics and complexity theory – will reinforce many of the basic assumptions basic to Chinese culture and philosophy. As a result, Chinese managers and thinkers have the opportunity to make critical contributions to an emerging model of organization, which Western management thinkers have been predicting for nearly half a century. Practical implications – The paper offers a series of theoretical tools, taken from fields of study ranging from the philosophy of science to organizational dynamics, with which Chinese managers and thinkers can develop a leadership position in the discussion that has begun about what the author calls the post-Newtonian organizational model. Originality/value – The value of the essay lies in its integration of twentieth century science, Chinese philosophy and the study of organizations to indicate how Chinese managers and thinkers can help shape a new, trans-cultural way of understanding organizations, markets and finally, the world.

The research on Chinese ancient management philosophies' similarities with contemporary human resources management thoughts

Dong Kong, JunJie Zhang — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – Established on the detailed exploration of Chinese ancient management philosophies (CAMPs), the purpose of this paper is to extract enlightenments from CAMPs to see whether there exist some similarities between CAMPs and contemporary human resources management thoughts (CHRMTs) and pinpoint CAMPs' implications on human resource management practices nowadays. Design/methodology/approach – Inspired by Lao Tzu's “When we can lay hold of the Dao of old to direct the things of the present day, and are able to know it as it was of old in the beginning, this is called (unwinding) the clue of Dao”, the paper explores, categorizes and integrates wisdom stemmed from CAMPs to evaluate whether there exist some commonly accepted arguments between CAMPs and CHRMTs. Findings – CAMPs which have been passed on by generations for the past 2,500 years in China provide firm ground for human resources management thoughts and practices development; CAMPs' emphasis on people's well cultured morality and highly developed virtues has kindled a light to illuminate human resources management practices, not only in the past but also in the future. CHRMTs' principles concerning “people-centered strategies”, employee recruitment and selection strategies, employee training and education strategies, staffing as well as employee retention strategies, can all trace their sources from CAMPs. Originality/value – The research on CAMPs is not only significant to complement and extend CHRMTs but also useful to direct current human resource management practices.

Yin yang and company growth: a case study of a coal company of Shanxi in China

Jingfeng Li, Jiguang Wang, Wenbin Fan — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – China has long been dedicated to introducing the Western management ideas to the local enterprise practice. But the situation has changed since the financial crisis, and the China model has become a hot word with its fast recovery from crisis. Moreover, Chinese traditional culture has become increasingly popular. Yin and yang are the most familiar Chinese philosophical terms to Western minds, and also the core concept of Chinese Taoist philosophy. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the yin yang or lao-tzu influences a firm's core competence and performance, and to demonstrate that the Taoist-oriented Chinese culture remains meaningful and in many situations powerful in enterprise practice. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is carried out from Town Star Ltd, established in 2001, and located in Linfen city, Shanxi province, China, a city which topped the list of the world's most polluted cities. It is an integrated joint-stock company, specializing in coal coking chemical industry, gardening, logistics and technology development. Based on the humanized management doctrine, the company has formed the 5S management model which boosts its rapid and sustainable development. It coped well in major junctures such as industry restructuring and transferring, financial crisis, etc. Five key dimensions of the yin and yang, which were applied to the leader's daily behaviors and management style, are: Wu-wei (inaction), Wu (emptiness), hardness with softness, moderation and He-xie (harmony). First, this paper built a dynamic company growth model based on this philosophy which enhanced the core competitiveness effectively by emotional management innovation and personalized HRM, among which its pivotal regulator of variables is just yin yang conversion degree. Then an approach is provided to validate the model with empirical data collected from the years 2001-2010 (2001-2005, 2006-2008, 2009-2010) of Town Star Ltd. Findings – It is demonstrated that yin yang ideology embedded in the company growth model organically is an important means to increase marginal benefit. In practice, the firm with yin yang philosophical ideology would shape a management paradigm which combined rules and human nature appropriately to a family-oriented business atmosphere. Based on the above philosophical wisdom, Town Star Ltd has harvested good economic and social benefits, strong core competence through the elaborately constructed unique management model and harmonious humanity environment. Originality/value – This paper opens an avenue for indigenous firms, as a framework for guiding management research and practice in coping with the post-crisis era. In addition, it is expected to attract more attention from scholars, entrepreneurs both in China and in the rest of the world, to contribute to knowledge creation in Chinese management studies.

Implications of I Ching on innovation management

Lu Yuduo, Qian Yi, Wang Donghua, Lu Yao — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The discriminative thinking that Chinese entrepreneurs are weak in innovations is widespread. But market competition, which is the main drive for innovations, has been introduced to post-planning-economy China for only 30 years or so, and China has only ten years' experience in modern global competition after her entry into the WTO in 2001. Who can say China will not be as innovative as today's advanced counterparts? The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible internal consistencies between one traditional Chinese philosophy, I Ching and modern Western innovation management science. The authors also empirically test the relations between I Ching tradition and innovation performances using cross country data. Design/methodology/approach – First, the authors textually analyzed the consistencies between the book of I Ching and Western innovation management principles, then with that in mind collected cross-country panel data and tested the hypotheses empirically. Findings – It is found that the philosophies embedded in I Ching could be applied to Western innovation management practices, and cross-country empirical analysis shows that countries with I Ching tradition achieve better innovation performances, ceteris paribus. Research limitations/implications – Macro country-level data were used to test the hypotheses instead of using micro firm-level survey data. Because the macro data were not collected purposefully for this research, i.e. the authors only borrowed rather than collected the data, perhaps the persuasiveness of the empirical results will be weakened. The authors' future researches in this regard will be based on survey data. Practical implications – Chinese entrepreneurs should have the confidence that Chinese ancient wisdoms are their strength rather than weakness in innovation activities. Originality/value – The paper is pioneering in consciously combining I Ching philosophy with Western innovation management sciences. With this kind of synthesis, the paper constitutes a Chinese friendly road map for entrepreneurs to build innovation organizations.

Empirical study on the human-nature view of Chinese enterprise managers: Its structure and characteristics

Li Zhi, Li Jianling, Zhao Nan, Luo Zhangli — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to construct the structure of Chinese enterprise managers' human-nature view with Chinese characteristics, and also to make comparison analysis on human-nature views of managers from different types of enterprises, and between managers and ordinary employees. Finally, this paper proposes some human resource management (HRM) suggestions for enterprises in China. Design/methodology/approach – This paper constructs Chinese enterprise managers' humanity view model with Chinese characteristics. First, relevant studies about humanity assumptions from both China and the West are reviewed, followed by the hypotheses of this study. Then, the study adopts the self-compiled enterprise managers' humanity view questionnaire (EMHVQ), together with interviews, to study managers' views on humanity in Chinese background. Findings – The humanity view of Chinese enterprise managers has its uniqueness. Its structure is first level with two factors and second level with ten factors, an organic unity of “human complexity” and “human interests”. The two factors of the first level are “human complexity” and “human interests”. The dimension “human complexity” includes seven factors: complexity of human needs, validity of reward and punishment, work competency, groupism of behaviors, positivity of attitudes, contingency of management and influence of interpersonal relations; the dimension “human interests” includes three factors: driving function of profits, evasion of responsibility and dependency of incentives. Remarkable differences exist in humanity views among managers from different types of enterprises and between managers and ordinary employees, which will exert great influence on the management style of enterprises in China. Originality/value – Both in China and the West, few scholars or experts adopt empirical research to construct the structure of managers' humanity-view model specifically based on China's cultural background. This paper not only contributes to the further development of this field, but also provides valuable suggestions for HRM, both for China and the rest of the world.

What change, what stay: the mix picture of value system of Chinese business managers

Wang Xueli, Ma Lin — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the changes of Chinese business managers' values for the last three decades since the open door policy. Moreover, the paper discusses the mix picture, which combines Western and Eastern values, and its influence on management practice. Design/methodology/approach – Via the seven “value dilemmas” regarding the value dimension proposed by Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars, the authors surveyed Chinese enterprise managers in 2000 and 2009, then analyzed and compared the data from the questionnaire and the other findings in order to explore the changes of Chinese managers' value system. Findings – First, the value system of Chinese enterprise managers is subjected to dual influence from Western management philosophy and Eastern traditional philosophy. The value system shows significant consistency. The Chinese managers remain amazingly consistent in their value systems, except one changed dimension – “outer direction” in 2009, and “inner direction” in 2000. Second, the mix picture of Chinese business managers' value system has traditional Eastern philosophy characteristics, such as “particularism”, “diffusion”, “communitarianism”, “synchronous time”, besides, this picture also has “achieved status” and “equality” features which is the result of the influence of open-door reform. Third, this mix picture of value system forms a great part of Chinese companies' management practice: the “Eastern part” plays a great role in decision making regarding strategy and people issues; meanwhile, the “Western part” works well at operation level and application of specific management tools. Originality/value – This is the first study to discover the invisible driver behind Chinese management, namely the value system of the business managers, since their value system deeply influences the managerial decision making, as well as the daily operations. The paper's findings provide a new perspective to interpret Chinese management style and explain the management reality in this fast-growing economy. The paper also adds evidence in the study of the relationship between managerial values and management practice.

The effect of traditional Chinese fuzzy thinking on human resource practices in mainland China

Li Yuan, Robert Chia — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of traditional Chinese fuzzy thinking and its particular effects on human resource management (HRM) practices in mainland China. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews with practising managers and directors of Chinese companies were used to access the tacit message in HR practices cases and to capture the personal stories provided by Chinese managers with rich working experiences on HRM, in order to discover the cultural fundamentals beneath the surface of HR practices and so disclose their underlying significance. The data for the study were collected through in-depth interviews with 21 top managers and HR managers in Chinese companies about the role of Chinese fuzzy thinking in Chinese HRM practices. Findings – The results show that in HRM practices, the principle of Zhongyong significantly affects: preference in recruitment and selection practices; the preferred way of communication and negotiation; the relationship between superiors and subordinates and the relationship among employees; and the leadership styles. Research limitations/implications – The research limitation mainly lies in an insufficient sample size, undivided geographical area and inadequate classification of the Chinese enterprises. Originality/value – This is the first paper of its kind to empirically investigate the effect of the ideal of Zhongyong, which the authors claim originates from Chinese traditional fuzzy thinking, on HRM practices in China.

The Art of War in manufacturing consumer consent: Strategy, business culture and ethics in marketing management

Y.T. McIntyre-Bhatty, D. Parker — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use principles from Tzu's The Art of War to develop a conceptual framework for the exploration of brand persuasion and the manufacturing of consumer consent and consumption. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual framework is based upon formal theoretical links between Tzu's concept of engagement and the political economic aspects of Herman and Chomsky with regard to manufacturing consent and consumption engineering via use of the mass media. Findings – Within the framework the consumer is simultaneously the enemy, the manipulated target for consumption engineering and the protected people in the sales “war”. The business culture and ethical considerations of such a position are examined and hence the paper offers a novel insight into how theoretical concepts link political, social and commercial paradigms in order to gain an insight into market interventions, consumption engineering and marketing leverage. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the body of knowledge examining the relationship between Chinese and Western theoretical concepts whilst providing insight for executives seeking to leverage marketing strategy.

A passion for learning Chinese?: Investigating a community-based Chinese cultural education school in Hamilton, New Zealand

Michèle E.M Akoorie, Qiang Ding, Yafei Li — 2011-11-22 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – Following the Olympic Games of 2008 and the World Expo in 2010, many Westerners have increasingly begun to pay attention to China; a country which combines ancient history with modern economic achievements. As a consequence there has been renewed interest in the West in learning about Chinese language and culture. Confucius education schools have even begun to spring up round the world, with the intention of promoting interest in Chinese language and cultural influences. The purpose of this paper is to focus on a community-based Chinese culture education institution, in a provincial city in New Zealand, to understand the issues and risks of operating a cross-cultural education institution business in a foreign country which is physically distant from China and to identify barriers which need to be overcome in order to run such an institution more effectively. Design/methodology/approach – This research used a single site case study research design. Qualitative in-depth interviews were used to develop an understanding of the rich, complex and idiosyncratic nature of human phenomena. In total, ten interviews were conducted with the Principal, Board members, teachers, local students of Institute A, students' parents (both Chinese and New Zealand), and institutional “outsiders”. Findings – It was found that Institute's management team preferred the traditional Chinese educational methods which conflicted with ways used in the local (New Zealand) teaching system. It also found that the current management style conflicts with the professional style of organization management. The management team had a chaotic management and operational style, while lacking basic knowledge of the principles of effective administration concepts. Practical implications – Identifying the risks and issues associated with the operation of a community-based cultural education institution outside China will assist managers to understand the potential for cross-cultural clashes between their belief in the principles of traditional Chinese education systems and the fit with the local culture. The finding of this study, in identifying the specific issues in relation to operational and professional modes of management, should assist managers to put into place an administrative system which is sufficiently flexible to accommodate both perspectives. Originality/value – Although formerly a bi-cultural nation, New Zealand has increasingly become a multicultural society. Interest in Chinese language and culture has also been fuelled by New Zealand's shift in immigration policy from 1974 (to a skills based rather than an ethnicity policy). This study is a first attempt to evaluate the efficacy of a Chinese community-based educational institution in New Zealand.

An emerging community of Chinese management scholars

2011-11-22 00:00:00.0