2013 Prospect of sister journals: genetic CMS imprints

Citation

Teck Foo, C. (2013), "2013 Prospect of sister journals: genetic CMS imprints", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 7 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cms.2013.32307aaa.001

2013 Prospect of sister journals: genetic CMS imprints

Article Type: Foreword From: Chinese Management Studies, Volume 7, Issue 1

2012 is now over yet the Earth is still in one piece but our world is radically (not just fast) changing.

So Chinese Management Studies (CMS) as a journal must adapt to rapid global transformation 2013 sees changes in leadership: in China, the new President, Xi Jin-ping and on the other shore, not Taiwan but Japan, the new Prime Minister, the right wing Shinzo Abe. The risk is through group think he may, over Diaoyu Islands, take actions in the extremis. Guan-xi between China and Japan has turned much for the worse: some even say, with territorial dispute, war is imminent.

A war if mishandled may turn bellum letale.

Thus, this first issue of 2013 CMS focusing on guan-xi revisited is truly, a most timely contribution! Time and again we need to remind ourselves of the critical importance of having all-round, good relationships. Yes, we need to stay in touch – not just I-phone connectivity – but hearts, minds and souls with our loved ones, business partners, neighbors and close friends.

Every businessman knows the value of having warm rapport with customers, suppliers, bankers, fellow directors and especially inside China, strong guan-xi with government. When guan-xi turns sour, it becomes insurmountably difficult to resolve conflict. So, I am very glad that Professor Michele Akoorie has again produced with such a short notice, a timely and remarkable set of papers. I invite you to read her Guest Editor’s survey of the papers.

As China rises is and extending her reach and eventually become a superpower (Liaoning aircraft carrier), we can anticipate a greater, wider interest on Chinese management. So far, very few scholars have looked ahead and asked: with Western Europe, USA and Japan in decline, both confronting facing financial cliffs, who next to inspire, lead the world in thinking? Will the gap be filled by literature from Korean, Chinese, Indian, even Russian sources?

For this reason, CMS is encouraging a different kind of papers: new, original ideas preferably with some empirical elaborations. CMS should be origin for sparklingly, new thinking ideas on management. So far the flow of submissions to CMS has been very encouraging: both in numbers but especially in statistical rigor of the research. Perhaps it is time to consider a sister journal for CMS. That is to have CMS genetic variants for showcasing the top quality research. Why? Until Chinese language becomes a global (outside of China) language, professors and scholars will rely on papers in English for insights on research into Chinese management.

Clearly, any one who wishes to stay in grasp of the fast, transformational dynamics inside China, you need to be around, about and across the country. Having made frequent trips to southern China, especially at Sun Yat Sun University in Guangdong, I am now plan to immerse myself more in the northern part of China: the cities of Harbin and Beijing. I hope in 2013 to spend some months in this fabled ice city, Harbin of Heilongjiang.

Interactions with academics in China provide me with precious insights to their aspirations. What kinds of research they had to do, what they plan to be working, any new, explorations and exciting initiatives. The intriguing question I keep asking myself: when will new, original, powerful ideas begin to originate from China? She is maturing towards becoming again (as in Tang dynasty, during reign of Emperor Wu Zetian) a technologically, advanced civilization.

With USA stagnating in their space program, China may be our best hope for Mars travel: the Red Planet. For a successful Mars mission, China will require cutting edge management within the space industry and perhaps here, there is a role for CMS! To publish papers exploring the best space practices. Having spent many years at School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), I come to see how technology drives change. We get many more good submissions on innovation, management of technology than there is journal space.

The technology frontier that may unite peoples globally is space: projects like hunting for another Earth out in deep space. Lecturing on management to engineering students at NTU (I still do, some), I am fascinated time and again by how the Russians out-spaced the Americans in the early race for space, aka rocket. Russians despite the horrors of Stalinism produced the MIG series of jet fighters, in particular the startling MIG 15. In technology, you need the innovative spirit for achieving breakthroughs. With Putin very recently embracing capitalism (state variety), the Russian scene is worth watching. Will the innovation shown by the Russians in space engineering transfer over to management?

Equally there may be very useful insights to innovation from Chinese successes in their space ventures as well. Is there scope then, for a comparative study: US failure in the Challenger (well documented) and the Chinese successes in Shenzhou? If so, we need to provide the space in CMS to feature such papers. These are some of my thoughts as I explore what are the themes in research for 2015/2016 issues. Yes, thinking ahead and adapting to change is very necessary for CMS to stay vibrant and relevant to evolving China (Plate 1).

Plate 1. Professor Wei Wei Wu with Dr Check Teck Foo at Harbin Institute of Technology, China

Coming to the title of this editorial, I am reflecting now on the possibility of sister journals. Why? There is already just not the space in CMS for rigorously researched papers that are flowing into to Scholar One in-tray. So I welcome everyone, doctoral students and professors alike to email me on their suggestions. I like to hear everybody out: should CMS launch a sister journal?

No, never.

If yes, should it be one, two or even three?

These are possibilities explored with Guest Editors: Chinese HR Studies or Chinese Management of Technology Studies. From my review of submissions, there is scope for Chinese Organizational Studies. If we decide to have a CMS genetic imprint, we need each journal, two highly committed Co-Editors: one from East and the other, the West. So if you have any views to share (new topical titles), please e-mail me at: profctfoo@gmail.com. Currently, I am re-designing and re-constructing the web site of Sun Tzu Art of War Institute: it should be up and ready Conference 2013.

Check Teck FooFounding Editor-in-Chief