The Chinese miracle is the most amazing story of economic growth in world history but it is also a uniquely Chinese story that perhaps no other nation could have written (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014, p. 404). China is on the western seaboard of the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest nation by population in the world (1.27 B.), and the fourth-largest nation by area (9.60 M. kilometer square). China is a hierarchical society, making it often difficult to practice Western management theories of empowerment and delegation. Chinese tend to think in terms of “role fulfillment: give me a role or tile and I will perform the job”. This Confucian culture is pragmatic-people prefer to learn by doing, rather than learning the theory and then applying it creatively (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014, p. 416).
Role fulfillment is much different than Westerns are accustomed to. Westerns assumption is “prove that you can do your job well and more responsibility will be added”. Western leadership can misconstrue this difference as a lack of initiative on the part of the Chinese.
China is a culture that values harmony in interpersonal interactions. Similar to Middle Eastern countries, conflict or loss of “face” is disrespectful and avoided. Confronting areas of disagreement is a normal American problem-solving approach, but direct confrontation is seen as disrespectful. Chinese are also not comfortable making recommendations or suggestions publicly (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014, p. 416). This is apparent when group meetings are held and Chinese employees appear to be shy.
Managing in China requires the introduction of effective human resources programs. Ordinary workers prefer not to think creatively, and avoid taking responsibility for decisions (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014, p. 416). These types of behaviors are seen negatively in Western culture. When we come across someone who avoids responsibility and does not think out of the box, we assume they are not engaged and not willing to take ownership.
Personal development and growth, as well as monetary reward, are important motivators for Chinese employees. Good training programs are very attractive to them, and often they are willing to take less pay for educational and career opportunities (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014, p. 416). This mindset is very different compared to Westerns. There is a small portion of the employment-population who would consider a lesser salary in return for educational opportunities. In most cases, new employees see educational resources as an added plus versus.
Cultural diversity is one of the most vital assets any organization possesses in its efforts to solve problems ad make decisions that promise high performance worldwide.
aun72 says
I agree with a lot of the points you made. If I was practicing business in China, I would probably be looked down upon on several occasions. Most of the areas of work ethic you mentioned in US culture is the type of work ethic I am most familiar with and practice myself. For example…
“Managing in China requires the introduction of effective human resources programs. Ordinary workers prefer not to think creatively, and avoid taking responsibility for decisions (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014, p. 416). These types of behaviors are seen negatively in Western culture. When we come across someone who avoids responsibility and does not think out of the box, we assume they are not engaged and not willing to take ownership.” … I couldn’t imagine a day in my last few years of retail where I haven’t made a mistake and made sure to take ownership for it. In doing so, it shows our leaders that we take responsibility for our actions both good and bad. It shows that we are willing to learn from our mistakes and take care of what needs to be done. Thinking creatively is also imperative in any industry! This is how a sales associate moves up into a management position. They come up with ideas and innovate new ways to improve the organization.
Knowing these differences in culture both socially and professionally makes adaptable and more approachable. Great job this week. I really enjoyed reading this!