The growth of Chinese economy has produced many big family enterprises. However, due to the small size of the family, the enterprises are now run by a group of professional managers who are committed to build a business like growing a family.
More and more successful Chinese businesses are developing “family spirit” within the companies and adopting a long term approach towards business development. It looks quite similar to the development of corporate culture and value in the western business world.
But there is one big difference. The top management in an enterprise family is playing the role of teachers, fathers, and setting value example for the whole enterprise. The top management has a moral responsibility if their employees are making mistakes or committing crimes. This is a total approach where all employees are working together as a family. The “family spirit” also extends to family members of their employees. Employees get support from family members and share their problems, difficulties and challenges with them.
In order to plant the seed of “family spirit”, Chinese enterprises have introduced the training and learning of traditional Chinese value, Confucius teaching and Chinese culture into their companies. They also organize workshops, seminars, and other group activities to improve and create awareness of traditional value. The teaching also involves topics of nature, harmony, contributions to society and motherland. It goes beyond social responsibility and covers a wider meaning of nation building.
In view of the financial crisis in the Wall Street, this approach may have a better meaning than just restricting the bonuses of the investment bankers, financial brokers and advisers. Chinese value believes in self evaluation and assessment. One has to be self managed and disciplined. Internally a person has to maintain value system and keep on improving attitude and behavior. If one does not have the self management and improvement, one will never be able to influence others externally and help the whole organization to improve.
By this logic, leadership in a Chinese enterprise family will not be judged by sales performance, productivity improvement or cost saving in the company. The leadership quality is measured by its contribution to employees, society, and mankind. It seems to be a utopia and a tall order impossible to reach.
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