China and its China and its organizationsorganizations

_____ A Cultural perspective_____ A Cultural perspective

By Dr.Yunxia Feng By Dr.Yunxia Feng

The business school, Renmin UnThe business school, Renmin University of Chinaiversity of China

yunxia@ruc.edu.cnyunxia@ruc.edu.cn

The cultural-cognitive The cultural-cognitive characteristics of Chinacharacteristics of China

Watch a humorous PPTWatch a humorous PPT

What is culture?What is culture?

Collective mental programmingCollective mental programming The way of solving problemsThe way of solving problems The values, heroes, symbols and practicThe values, heroes, symbols and practic

eses

Different cultures have differen histories,Different cultures have differen histories, a great variety of concepts of good and a great variety of concepts of good and evil.evil.

5 dimensions5 dimensions

Power distance Power distance

Uncertainty avoidance Uncertainty avoidance

Individualism and collectivismIndividualism and collectivism

Masculinity/femininityMasculinity/femininity

Long-term/short-termLong-term/short-term

Power distancePower distance

Uncertainty avoidanceUncertainty avoidance

Individualism/collectivismIndividualism/collectivismSelf: dependent on self and connection wiSelf: dependent on self and connection wi

th others or collectivity. th others or collectivity. I or we; we or they I or we; we or they

The boundary between the personal life aThe boundary between the personal life and the collective lifend the collective life

Particularism vs. universalismParticularism vs. universalism

People People

Family and groupFamily and group Norm and affectNorm and affect MIANZIMIANZI Paternalistic Paternalistic

AuthorityAuthority

IndividualismIndividualism InstrumentalInstrumental marketmarket legal legal

the dimension is not about being female or male, but about the dimension is not about being female or male, but about behaving in masculine or feminine waybehaving in masculine or feminine way

Masculinity: man’s world Masculinity: man’s world

Women in executive Women in executive positions are smart and positions are smart and have learned to adapt and have learned to adapt and behave in a masculine way behave in a masculine way to compete in a man’s to compete in a man’s world. world.

Such women are less likely Such women are less likely to demonstrate ‘‘soft’’ to demonstrate ‘‘soft’’ skills, especially in skills, especially in masculine national masculine national cultures. cultures.

Femininity: soft skills Femininity: soft skills In feminine national In feminine national

cultures, such as in the cultures, such as in the Nordic countries or The Nordic countries or The Netherlands, soft skills are Netherlands, soft skills are not only chosen by not only chosen by

women, but are also women, but are also practiced by men.practiced by men.

Cultural differences Cultural differences List according to Hofstede’sList according to Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions of six countriesfive cultural dimensions of six countries

（（ 100100 ＝＝ toptop ； ； 5050 ＝＝ mediummedium ））

CountryCountry Power Power DistanceDistance

UncertaintyUncertaintyAvoidanceAvoidance IndividualismIndividualism MasculinityMasculinity

Long-termLong-termOrientationOrientation

ChinaChina 8989 4444 3939 5454 100100

USAUSA 3030 2121 100100 7474 3535

BritainBritain 2121 1212 9696 8484 2727

FranceFrance 7373 7878 8282 3535 --

GermanyGermany 2121 4747 7474 8484 4848

JapanJapan 3232 8989 5555 100100 --

LockettLockett

Group orientation: family, school, work Group orientation: family, school, work group (danwei)group (danwei)

Guanxi: three dimensions: instrumental, Guanxi: three dimensions: instrumental, affective and normative; reciprocity affective and normative; reciprocity

Respect for age and hierarchyRespect for age and hierarchy

The cultural changes are very The cultural changes are very gradual. gradual.

The earthquake in Sichuang on 5-12 proThe earthquake in Sichuang on 5-12 proves this: young generations are reciprocves this: young generations are reciprocal, offering helps; the identification with al, offering helps; the identification with the nations; high respect for the present the nations; high respect for the present premier, Wen Jiabao, etc. premier, Wen Jiabao, etc.

Fundamental Beliefs and ValuesConfucianismTaoismBuddhism

Social StructuresFamilyNetworksEthnicity

Relationship RulesFilial PietyCollectivism/Face Limited and Bounded Trust and Non-cooperation

Rules for ActionWork EthicMoney and Frugality Pramatism

Forms of Cognition

Confucianism: interpersonal relations Confucianism: interpersonal relations

Taoism: the relations between person and Taoism: the relations between person and naturenature

Buddhism: the relation between human Buddhism: the relation between human and super natureand super nature

Chinese version of Maslow’s Chinese version of Maslow’s hierarchical needshierarchical needs

social belongingness are highersocial belongingness are higher

autonomy and self-actualization needs are autonomy and self-actualization needs are lower lower

Success of Chinese tends to be group Success of Chinese tends to be group enterprise rather than a striking out on an enterprise rather than a striking out on an individual path of discovery. The form of individual path of discovery. The form of self-actualization is in the service of societyself-actualization is in the service of society

Legacies of Chinese social history

Patrimonialism obligation bonding bonded trust

At the level of organization

Clear hierarchyMutual vertical obligationsFamily atmosphereProtection of key subordinates

Power equals ownership

Benevolent autocracy Personalistic relations

Non-rational power and control

Managerial professionalism not encouraged

Small scale

1

2

3

4

H I GH

L OW

Muchinfluence

M o d er at einfluence

L i t t l einfluence

No influence

China Europe Japan

Top management

Middle management

Fore men

Workers

Top management

Middle management

Fore men

Workers

Top management

Middle management

Fore men

Workers

Three stages, from isolation Three stages, from isolation to open; from ‘socialism’ to to open; from ‘socialism’ to

capitalismcapitalism

Mao’s eraMao’s era

1949, Revolution, political, 1949, Revolution, political, planning economy, survivalplanning economy, survival

Deng’s eraDeng’s era

1978, Open and reform, pragmatism, 1978, Open and reform, pragmatism, planning + marketplanning + market

““to get rich is glorious.”to get rich is glorious.”

Hu’s eraHu’s era

2002, Globalization and harmon2002, Globalization and harmony, WTO, Olympic 2008, sustainably, WTO, Olympic 2008, sustainabl

e development e development

Transformation in these years, in Transformation in these years, in business sidebusiness side

People-based People-based authorityauthority

Political managerial Political managerial processprocess

Moral control Moral control

Survival and Survival and maintenance maintenance

Ration-based Ration-based authority authority

Technical processTechnical process

System controlSystem control

Prosperity and Prosperity and instrumental instrumental