Confucian roots in China: a force for today′s business

Abstract

Confucianism is dead! Confucianism is obsolete! Confucianism is passé! For at least the past 30 years the government of China has taken a strong stand against Confucianism. Yet it is impossible to do business in China and not feel the effects of Confucian philosophy. For example, strong feelings of a social hierarchy are still present in China. The Confucian ethical structure, with its lack of civil law, still influences current thinking. A strong sense of family as the basic unit of production, with its rights of inheritance and views of the extended family, still pervades much of Chinese thought. If Confucianism is officially gone, its influence is still strong. Identifies the aspects of Confucianism which are relevant to those seeking to understand the Chinese business environment.

Citation

Jacobs, L., Guopei, G. and Herbig, P. (1995), "Confucian roots in China: a force for today′s business", Management Decision, Vol. 33 No. 10, pp. 29-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251749510100221