Secret of managing for a future

Citation

Foo, C.-T. (2007), "Secret of managing for a future", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 1 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/cms.2007.32301caa.001

Secret of managing for a future

In this third issue of Chinese Management Studies, we continue to receive substantive papers and where contributors tackle core issues relevant not only relevant for managing successfully in China but also more. So that we may ensure there remains a future to be managed.

In this editorial comment, I was inspired from this recent harvest of papers to take a broader, holistic view. In the process, I shaped a simpler concept integrating their contributions together with my own. By contemplating on these themes, a model emerges (Figure 1) conceptualizing towards the secret of managing for a future.

Internally, at the core, for any organization to have any future there has to be value creation. In increasing knowledge-driven economy, value is created inside organizations through people.

Figure 1 Secret of Management for a future

Thus, inside organizations, managers ought to inspire their people to be learning oriented. It is through skilful management that people stay satisfied with their jobs. Satisfied employees too are more likely to stay committed to their organizations.

Organization must look beyond their boundaries and they ought to be socially responsible. The rise of MBA focusing on sustainable development is one indicator of concerns for organizations to be socially responsible. Global issues (e.g. environment) increasingly had to be much better managed through organizations for us all to have a future.

China is so colossal in mass, scale, and size. Thus, adoption by the Chinese managers of socially responsible practices ought to have immensely wide, global impacts. The challenge is to go beyond rhetoric and put ideals to work through managerial actions inside organizations.

Let me now comment briefly on each paper.

In the first paper, your editor as author argues why we should integrate ancient Chinese philosophy and strategy as part of an epistemology of strategy. This often happens whenever a Chinese CEO deliberates with his managerial team and board members on strategy.

Only that in China, it is less likely that the discussion be in the boardroom but more likely in tea-houses. In the near future, with Chinese MNCs (say cheap automobiles) will likely be swarming competitively into global marketplaces. Then Chinese management will no longer be just bounded in Asia but will crossover into Europe and USA.

When that happens, current MBA textbooks on strategy ought to be reinforced with Chinese culture, philosophy and modes of strategic thinking. Indeed, the frontiers of strategy should extend beyond models, techniques, and cases. Yes, perhaps even be as holistic as embracing spirituality!

China now competes in the global knowledge economy.

It is a new kind of challenge in organizations for Chinese managers. For it is no longer is it just discipline and control. Thus, the second paper by Wang Xiaohui is most timely in investigating all these issues conjunctively: organization learning culture, job satisfaction, and commitment to organization.

Now we turn to SOE. For the roles of state-owned enterprises (SOE) in Chinese economy remains a major concern to the Government in China. The hurdle for the CEO is in how to generate profits.

So it is very intriguing to have Huang Xueli and Zhang Ruosheng unveil the art of value creation in a SOE steel enterprise. In case you miss out on the detail, the second author is himself a President CEO of a steel corporation.

Then finally, we have Qu Riliang investigating into corporate social responsibility among Chinese organizations: for his study, within the hotel industry. As you realize social responsibility, this is what CEOs of leading Chinese organizations ought to give more attention to.

We are always welcome rigorous papers from authors with an innovative bent to their research on Chinese management. Also as editor, I wish to be featuring personal insights from seasoned CEOs on their philosophy, values and beliefs.

Check-Teck Foo