estate consulting firm mentioned above cited a good example. In the
late 1990s, there was no order in the developing market of real estate
assessment. Developing relationships and giving kickbacks were the
effective ways of getting projects. The highest kickback was up to
60 percent and the average was 40 percent. In order to reduce the
risk faced by the company and society, he considered that it was
important for the industry to take actions to self-regulate. He formu-
lated ‘‘200 questions’’ to guide employees in making operational ser-
vice decisions. Under the guidance of the ‘‘200 questions,’’ employee
performance greatly improved even after they left the company to join
other companies. Gradually, the ‘‘200 questions’’ became the universal
standards for everyone who wanted to get employment in the industry.
These practices facilitate fair competition in the industry.
Influences on the formation of management philosophy
We asked our interviewees what influenced the formation of their
leadership/management philosophies. Based on the sources mentioned
by them, we classified their answers into four categories: life experi-
ences, books and literature, role models, and business administration
education and training.
Life experiences
Life experiences include those inside China and those in Western
societies. Life experiences in China include childhood experiences,
influences of parents, family, and teachers (from primary school
to university), experiences during the Cultural Revolution or experi-
ences in labor camps, and even recreational activities such as learn-
ing how to play golf, and the like. Life experiences in the West are
primarily study and work experiences. The accumulation of life
experiences, and reflections on them, led to the formation of manage-
ment philosophies.
Twenty-one interviewees indicated that the formation of their man-
agement philosophy was based on their life experiences, and eight of
them mentioned the impact of their parents or family. Several inter-
viewees mentioned that their parents, who had a good reputation in
their community, taught them how to act properly as a member of
the society, particularly to be honest and not to bully others. One
Chinese traditions and Western theories 253