executive from a private company said that his father’s influence on
him had extended beyond personal style to business philosophy. His
father, being a leader of a state-owned company for thirty years,
related to the executive how the state-owned business failed because
of (a) poor management of returns on investment/assets (or financial
control) and (b) failure to establish brand names. The father’s experi-
ence taught the son a lesson about scientific management – systematic
accounting and diligent marketing are critical in running a business,
which made his electrical engineering company very successful in the
market.
Some interviewees who were about fifty years old reported that
they were deeply influenced by their experiences during the Chinese
Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s. One of the interviewees
related his experience in the countryside during the 1960s and up to
- He was one of a large number of young people from cities who
were sent to the poor areas in remote rural China and settled there as
peasants. The executive witnessed many youths losing their personal
integrity and dignity in order to get better treatment or to have
the opportunity to return to the cities from which they came. This
experience led him to the realization of the importance of sincerity
and respect for human dignity, which he strongly emphasized in his
company.
Some business leaders attributed their philosophical insights to the
influence of some seemingly small and insignificant things. An inter-
viewee liked to play golf, and discovered an analogy between man-
aging a company and playing golf. First, to play golf well, one must
have good body balance and strength and a calm mind. Second, it is
more important to hit the golf ball to exactly the right place than just
to hit it a long distance. From this insight, he realized the importance
of having an organization that is in harmony and balance, as well as
the importance of achieving ‘‘fit’’ for each employee in the organiza-
tional processes and systems. From playing golf, he also claimed to
have recognized the need to have stable growth and development.
These insights have allowed him to respond to market needs and
opportunities in a steady manner and to think carefully before taking
actions.
Two interviewees were educated abroad and two other interviewees
had worked in Hong Kong for several years. This direct exposure to
Western societies greatly influenced them. One of them had studied in
254 Zhi-xue Zhanget al.