Examining Chinese managers' work‐related values and attitudes

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine Chinese managers' perceptions of work ethic (work-related values and attitudes) and to provide insights on how managers interact with their workers. Design/methodology/approach -This is a qualitative study using a series of in-depth interviews to draw state-owned enterprises (SOE) managers' perceptions of work ethic. The inquiry process led to a single-case level of analysis where data are aggregated to incorporate a thematic approach. Underlining theoretical frameworks that guide the study are a combination of Western and Eastern work ethic frameworks and cross-culture management understanding of the concept of guanxi. Findings -Five themes that emerged from data analysis became the five dimensions of Chinese managers' work ethic profile. In addition, the study revealed four overarching themes that influence managerial behavior in Chinese SOEs: the absolute power of the boss; work is the center of life; social network ties to the workplace; and place hope in the hands of the boss.Research limitations/implications -The paper provides comprehensive understanding of the Chinese management work ethic profile. Future studies should expand to include managers from different generations and industry sectors. Practical implications -The paper highlighted the importance of matching cultural values with management practices. It identified differences between the west and east of their work-related values and attitudes, which have practical implications for developing effective management strategies and practices when working with Chinese SOEs. Originality/value -The paper provides an indigenous description of Chinese managers' work ethic profile and provides suggestions for future research.

Development and validation of work ethic instrument to measure Chinese people's work‐related values and attitudes

“…In China, it also means self‐sacrifice for future generations; the gratification comes when future generations succeed. Respect for educational achievement (Li & Madsen, , ; Lim, ) is a cultural value that can be traced back to the Confucian philosophy. It is a deeply rooted social value, because education has been the only viable method for a commoner to change his or her relative position in the societal hierarchy for a very long time.…”

“…When comparing the Western work ethic and Chinese work ethic profiles, it appears that one of the core differences is that Westerners emphasize individualized independence, achievement, and satisfaction, whereas the Chinese traditionally stress self‐cultivation, a sense of belonging, and the importance of social acceptance in the workplace (Ho, ; Li & Madsen, , ; Walder, ). Despite the new trends of individualization in China (Yan, ), a Chinese employee may still choose group harmony over individual achievement and satisfaction in order to gain social acceptance in the workplace.…”

“…Therefore, a western HR practice that motivates individual achievement may not work the same in the context of Chinese workplace. Furthermore, examining the elements of MWEP (Miller et al, ) and the elements of Confucian work ethic, Li and Madsen (, ) found that Chinese workers held different meanings for the concepts of hard work, self‐reliance, and centrality of work. As a result and based on their qualitative interviews, these authors proposed a six‐dimensional work ethic framework for Chinese workers: (a) the concept of time, (b) hard work, (c) delay of gratification, (d) self‐reliance and group dependency, (e) work centrality, and (f) morality/ethics.…”

“…Second, the study of Chinese work ethic has largely been conceptual and needs rigorous empirical studies. Third, Chinese work ethic studies should consider cultural differences as highlighted by Lim and Lay (), such as reverence for authority and group reliance (i.e., harmony and cooperation), and the perceived importance of education (Li & Madsen, , ). Fourth, there is a need to develop a contemporary Chinese work ethic construct to capture the impact of recent dramatic political and economic changes.…”

“…To develop an in‐depth understanding of the currently held work‐related values and attitudes among Chinese workers, two qualitative interview studies were conducted previously to provide contextual sensitivity for this study. The findings of the qualitative interview studies exposed the differences between the Western and Eastern work ethic profiles (Li & Madsen, , ). In this study, we intend to combine the findings of the qualitative studies conducted in China and the Western work ethic research to bring out the contextual influences of the Eastern perspective without disregarding the accomplishments of the Western work ethic research.…”