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Leading Across Cultures: China

hina is a large and diverse country having 1.2 billion people. Chinese people possess a strong cultural background. China is totally different from other developed and developing countries in the world because of its strong history and culture. Chinese culture is the most complex and one of the oldest cultures in the whole world. The area in which the culture is dominant covers a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces. Their huge number of population follow their different cultural and customs.

Cultural Heritage of China: The present Chinese culture has been shaped by three general areas of thoughts and they are Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.

Confucia nism

Taoism

Buddhism

Areas of thought

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Leading Across Cultures: China

These three areas of thoughts focus on different items and values. These three areas of thought vary widely but they have a great impact on peoples belief. Each of the thoughts is explained here.

onfucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. The core concept of Confucianism is humanism. It is the belief that human beings are teachable, improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor especially including self-cultivation and self-creation. Confucianism emphasizes the importance of the family, reverence for elders, rituals, and the value of education. The Chinese people who follow the Confucianism are very traditional and well known in the society. They respect their family and friends and elder persons. They focus on education. Education makes Chinese people different from other nations. The bonding among the Confucianism followers is very strong and they are very committed to go forward altogether.

aoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao, which is the mechanism of everything that exists. Taoist philosophy is deeply rooted in contemporary China, and is unavoidable part of modern Chinese life.

Taoism believes on the ideal leader who maintains a low profile, leading mostly by example and allowing followers to ownership. The Taoists believes and attitudes are different from the followers of Confucianism. Taoism followers are very aggressive. They believe in ideal leadership. They select their leaders from the followers and having low profile. The Taoist leadership is based on some principles and those principles provide a framework for recent leadership trends of empowerment, teamwork,

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Leading Across Cultures: China

collaboration, servant leadership, spirituality in the workplace, and rapid innovation.

Buddhism is known for the four noble truth and they are: life is suffering, cause of this desire, ignorance and attachment, that needs to end and there is an Eightfold path. The eightfold path of Buddhism includes right understanding, right views, right speech, right effort, right livelihood, right behavior, right concentration, and right meditation. Traditional perception towards leadership in China:

esides the three main areas of thought, chinas social systems have contributed to contemporary ideas on leadership. For thousands of years the word leader means a person who is heroic in nature, mysterious, as well as rare. According to the traditional view of the Chinese people a leader have to have the following traits or characteristics: Leaders are both capable and responsible for discovering great solutions single handedly for the organization. The leaders are considered as smart and can judge the business better than anyone else. In China leadership is considered as novel ability and this ability is not present in common employees or followers of the leader. The democratic leadership style revolving around teamwork is not seen as essential to the Chinese people. Since China is a socialist republic and believes in the collective good over individual need, this attitude is also prevalent in business leaders and the political leaders. If a companys sales and profit increases as well as the improvement of the employees welfare is seen, then the leader is considered as successful leader, otherwise not.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

If a company or organization can met its goals or vision, then the full credit goes to the leader of the organization, rather than appreciating every employee within that specific organization. As a result, the leader who achieves that success does not receive any extraordinary special treatment. The leaders are seen as heroes in China and the leaders are expected to find other heroes to succeed them. The Chinese people does not emphasize on leadership development program within their organization. Official leadership development programs are hardly seen in China. In some cases these programs are seen, but with collaboration of the western companies or organizations. According to the Chinese people, leaders don not focus on selfimprovement. Relationships are treated as one of the keys to succeed for a leader. Chinese people do not focus explicitly on leadership development; rather they believe that leadership can be developed through gathering experience. The followers of a leader are expected to listen to the leader and do their job exactly according to their leader. Any kind of criticism of their leaders decision is treated as impolite and inappropriate behavior. Traditional hierarchical approach to leadership with top down authority is the most common form of the organizations. When an individual tries to find a job in an organization, they are not concerned at all about their employee autonomy, decision making power, or even career advancement opportunities. They are only concerned about finding a good company for which to work.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

hina derives most of its psychological power, strength and character from the great wall; we all know that. At the same time, it also derives its basic beliefs about leadership from a popular figure of its ancient past-Confucius. It can be easily said that the Confucius and his writings of the analects are the past, present and probably the future of leadership thought in China. For the last two thousand years, Confucianism and its thought on leadership has greatly dominated on the peoples thinking or perception about leadership. According to Confucius, nobody admires a leader who thinks hes a pot. It means that in order to become a leader who is admired by people, only technical skills are not necessary, it needs beyond the technical skills. The impact of Confucianism on leadership can be described in the following section: First of all, Confucius has talked about two types of people or leader. They are admirable leaders and petty leaders. According to Confucius admirable leaders are not petty. Admirable leaders are those leaders who cherish their ability to lead by example, who respect the law, who try to be fair, and who bring out the best in others. In contrast, the petty leaders are those leaders who cherish their possessions, who look for loopholes, who try to take the advantage of the situation, and who bring out the worst in others. Personal responsibility and respect to the followers of a leader were most important issue to Confucius. Confucius even could not imagine developing any kind of creditability as a leader if one did not first tend to self. According to Confucius, admirable leaders know what they cannot control. The admirable leaders respect the things that they cannot control, because they know about those things. This personal humility is also prevalent in modern Chinese society where the group is much more important than an individual.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

On the other hand, admirable leaders have good manners. The admirable leaders possess good etiquette, custom, ritual, and rules of proper behavior. Interdependence of personal ethics is seen much more in China than any other parts of the western world. Last of all, the admirable leaders are considerate and they are credible. According to the Chinese people, no one can lead effectively if one does not become considerate. At the same time, creditability is another important key for becoming an admirable leader.

Chinese leadership principles are built upon these tenets and others and most of which come directly from Confucius. According to these principles good leaders put themselves in other peoples shoe and they are considerate, caring, and encouraging.

eadership advancement in china is basically based on two primary factors. They are past achievement in previous jobs and relationships or connections. Among these two qualification past achievement in previous job is considered as a more modern qualification. On the other hand, relationships or connections are treated as the traditional qualification. Though significant advancement in leadership is seen in China, it is not sufficient enough.

For example, it can be said that in most of the non-state run business in china, capable workers are beginning to be advanced based on performance. But the matter of sorrow that, the political leadership transfers is based on the selection of a successor by the incumbent. Throughout china it is still considered that a leader in business or politics is a winner of a political fight. On the other hand, in China a leader is someone who must be a senior person. Even the age of fifty is considered as the youth for a leader. He or she is considered as an extremely young leader if he or she is fifty years old. But this attitude is not as inflexible as once it was.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

China has a strong heritage to advance women in leadership positions. But still the empowerment of women is not up to the satisfactory level. Now a days some of the ministries of China are run by the women. But their responsibility is limited to the traditional womens areas like children, education, culture, and hospitals.

n China, knowing oneself is more of a natural process and it is considered as part of a persons personal journey. Knowing ones business is an important issue, but in order to do that it is also necessary to know ones own position and even the political context of that business. Positional power in China is in an extreme situation. For a long time in China, the emperors were seen as the superior leaders. Leaders were always treated right and there were no option to question or attack the leader. But the situation is still almost the same. Even today, the political power tends to be concentrated not only in institutions, but also in individuals. Recently the situation is getting better. The policies and personnel selection of the president have been openly questioned and occasionally rejected. So, this is definitely a cultural shift that will allow for broader foundation for leadership in China.

he political leader, Deng Xiaoping was a very much effective change leader for China. The process for crafting vision and communication of Deng Xiaoping was very illustrative as well. He basically focused on economic reconstruction and he rejected the Maos focus on class struggle. He set his clear goal of making the gross domestic product of China 4 times within 20 years. At the same time, he aligned his personal actions towards the goal by

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Leading Across Cultures: China

reducing the defense expenditures and investing that savings into socioeconomic projects. This type of clear direction electrified the Chinese imagination.

In order to become an effective leader in China it is very much necessary to build personal creditability than to build a team consensus as vision is created. Creditability of a leader ultimately ensures that the followers will follow the leader. In China developing a rosy vision does not work, because people of China believe in results. On the other hand, a leader can best communicate his or her vision by being a role model of the actions that he wants from his or her followers.

he people of China are collective in nature. This collective nature of the society makes people uncomfortable when they are sorted out by praise or with an individual reward. According to the Chinese people accepting praise is seemed to be arrogant and improper. But this culture or attitude is changing as western ideas and companies are getting involved into the Chinese culture. It is very much important to have a linkage between leadership vision and employees personal benefits. Employees need to be convinced that implementing the leaders vision will help them with personal benefits. Each employee of an organization needs to contribute to the leadership process. It is not necessary that a leader will be from the top of an organization. Employees need to understand that employee leadership helps both the organization and the employees. One of the key myths in China is that leadership is sacred position only owned by the people in the elite class. In order to shift this paradigm, leaders need to emerge from all the parts of the organization, especially from the underrepresented functions like assembly line and accounting.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

eeds Assessment is a systematic investigation of the way things are and the way they should be. In other words needs assessment means searching the existing problems of the organization and come out with a better solution for those lacking. An organization always tries to implement different strategies in different situations, but it does not necessarily mean that all the strategies will work at the end of the day.

Here we will try to find out the problems related to the Chinese leadership styles and believes related to the Chinese leadership among the people of China. Only the leaders have the right to make any decision and all the followers are bound to follow that decision. No one is allowed to make criticism of the leader or attack with questions. Teamwork is not considered essential in Chinese leadership. For achieving any kind of success, only the organization leader is appreciated, other employees are not appreciated. For achieving any success, the leader does not receive any extraordinary special treatment. Official leadership development programs are hardly seen in China. Leaders do not focus on self-development and leadership developments are not explicitly focused. Arguing or challenging a leader is considered as impolite and improper behavior. It is still common to think in China that a leader in business or politics is a winner of political fight. Only the senior persons are considered as leaders in China. Womens leadership is limited to only the traditional womens areas like children, education, culture and hospitals. Positional power is considered as everything in China. To accept praise is seen as arrogant or improper. Leadership is considered as a sacred position only owned by the people in the elite class.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

he current cultural arrangement that prevails, what are the initiatives the Chinese government and international organization could take to develop the leadership skills and how they should precede the plan to train the people?

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Leading Across Cultures: China

n this portion of case solution we need to focus on the internal and external needs of the Leadership across China. We need to check weather various discrepancies in performance exist or not and if exists then we need to go through the following questions:

Does a performance discrepancy exist? Is it important to the organization? Is it correctable through employee development? Is employee development the most cost effective solution that can be applied?

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Leading Across Cultures: China

eudalist system in China empowered emperors and elite officials to be the key decision makers. The leader was seen as heroic, mysterious, and rare. This idea of the mysterious leader has transferred to leaders in business, and aids understanding of the thinking that surrounds the word leadership.

Does a performance discrepancy exist?


es, a performance discrepancy exists. Since the elite officials are highly empowered and has the highest authority so if they do any mistake then there is no chance to make it correct and before understanding it they will face difficulties. Chinas social systems have contributed to contemporary ideas on leadership. For thousands of years, the feudalist system in China empowered emperors and elite officials to be the key decision makers. Chinas history and culture have a dramatic influence on its people and the way they relate to the rest of the world. What is considered Chinese culture today has been shaped by three general areas of thought: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Leadership in China shows influences of all three areas of thought, incorporating humility, communication, and appreciation.

Is it important to the organization?


es, it is very important for the organization. Many of the managers currently working for Western multinational companies in China are young: most are in their 30s. Although they are typically very bright and hardworking, many have not had a lot of experience. As a result, before companies can even think about cultivating future leaders, they probably need to start by instituting a basic management development process that includes accurate reporting, time management, and employee evaluation. This is true even if managers have worked for foreign multinationals before. Prior work experience is no guarantee that managers in China have had any systematic management training.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Is it correctable through employee development?


es, it is correctible through employee development. If the people are given with proper training and planned to provide with proper development program then this situation will slowly change and people will achieve the quality of leadership and as well as international organizations will run their business over there with local leaders. Don't overlook the importance of training basic management skills, and don't accept a young manager's confidence in his or her skills at face value. Some managers may object if they are asked to take part in a basic management skills program: they may feel that doing so will be a loss of face.

Is employee development the most cost effective solution that can be applied?
es, employee development the most cost effective solution can be applied. Instead of spending a lot of time trying to "sell" the merits of the program, it is better simply to ask a manager to participate in the program on a trial basis and review what he learned afterwards. Eager learners will readily agree; overconfident managers will typically be surprised at how much they didn't know and will be much more willing to participate in future programs. The trick is not to engage in an abstract debate about the program, but instead have the person experience it directly in order to appreciate its real value.

n china most at most of the organizations the democratic leadership style revolving around teamwork is not seen as essential.

Does a performance discrepancy exist?


es, a performance discrepancy exists. Due to this type of leadership system an overall organization performance can go down. The democratic leadership style revolving around teamwork is not seen as essential in China. A leader is expected to listen to employees opinions and concerns merely to gauge the

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Leading Across Cultures: China

facts of a situation. But, this listening is solely to prevent leaders from making unrealistic decisions, not to become democratic. If a leader is polite in attitude toward his employees and not overtly domineering in opinion or superior attitude, the employees are likely to support the leader. Harmony and structure rather than discord are important cultural norms. China is a socialist republic and believes in the collective good over individual need. This attitude is prevalent in business leaders as well as political leaders.

Is it important to the organization?


es, it is very important for the organization. It is very important for the organization because here is no margin for error. In todays world leader has to listen to the employee as well as employee has to follow the order of his leader. If any portion fails then the entire organization will suffer. If there is no team work and collectivism then how a result of big thing can come. If there is no practice of proper democracy then people will be isolated with their work and will face difficulty doing job in any international organization.

Is it correctable through employee development?


Yes, it is correctible through employee development. Though this system is running throughout the country for thousands of years but by providing development training and changing attitude in can be made correctable. In China, knowing oneself is more of a natural process and understood as part of a persons personal journey, as evidenced in the Eightfold Path of Buddhism. In terms of the importance of knowing ones business, in China this must be expanded to knowing ones position and even the political context of that business. The external factors impacting knowing ones business are more important and complex than in many Western cultures.

Is employee development the most cost effective solution that can be applied?
Yes, employee development the most cost effective solution can be applied. This is the most cost effective solution because it will bring china in new position and will give its people a new shape. People will learn leadership. Leadership advancement in contemporary China is based on two primary factors: past achievement in previous jobs (a more modern qualification), and relationships or connections. In non-state-run businesses, capable workers

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Leading Across Cultures: China

are beginning to be advanced based on performance, but in contrast, the political leadership transfer is based on the selection of a successor by the incumbent. Throughout China, it is still common to think that a leader in business or politics is a winner of a political fight. This stems from centuries of history with appointments based on relationships.

As far Chinese thinking leaders are both capable and responsible for discovering great solutions single-handedly for the organization because they think they are smart and can judge the business better than anyone else.

Does a performance discrepancy exist?


es, a performance discrepancy exists. In china it is considered that leaders are both capable and responsible for discovering great solutions singlehandedly for the organization because they are smart and can judge the business better than anyone else. They carry power, authority, and strong skills to attract and convince followers. Leaders in China are people with power in an organization and are expected to be right most of the time. This types of attitude can fall an organization in dangerous situation. So much empowering a single person can make him autocratic and may take wrong decision which may suffer other employees. If he could not co-ordinate properly then the overall performance can be go downward.

Is it important to the organization?


es, it is very important for the organization. Since china has joined at WTO in 2000, now they have to open their border and let the other countries to enter in to Chinese market and as well as do business. Now Chinas history and culture have a dramatic influence on its people and the way they relate to the rest of the world. When other international company will come at china and will compete with local company then the local companies will face difficulties to sustain in market due to their traditional leadership system. Further more china is also doing business in international market and it is very important to bring proper leadership and motivate employee so that organizational goal can be achieved.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Is it correctable through employee development?


Yes, it is correctible through employee development. This current situation cannot be changed over the night. To do this proper and longtime development should be provided. It is important to link leadership vision with employees personal benefits. Employees need to be convinced that implementing the leaders vision will bring them personal benefits, e.g., money, and not endanger their job security and personal relationships. Each employee in the company needs to be convinced so as to contribute to the leadership process, and not merely leave the leadership task to top managers.

Is employee development the most cost effective solution that can be applied?
es, employee development the most cost effective solution can be applied. Because, by providing proper needs development human ethical physiology can be change and people attitude may also change. For the time being it may occurred cost but in long run it will provide huge benefit to the organization and as well as to the society. Because if people are well trained and motivated and their attitude are changed then they will have the capability of leadership and will be more easy and sophisticated to choose appropriate leader.

In Chinese leadership overestimation of leadership takes leader is gray situation that, leaders are not responsible for developing other leaders but just run for the result.

Does a performance discrepancy exist?


Yes, performance discrepancy exists. The brightest young local managers in China today are graduates from the China's top universities like Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, and Tsinghua and Beijing Universities in Beijing. Since these universities are highly selective, their graduates are the China's

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Leading Across Cultures: China

"cream of the crop" and can often be arrogant. A sense of superiority can lead young "hot shot" managers to feel they know more than they really do. They are thus often critical of companies' employee development programs, especially when they feel that since they already know the material, these programs are a waste of their time.

Is it important to the organization?


Yes, it is very important for the organization. This is so much important that it could make an organization successful and inversely it may cause failure. Traditionally, the Chinese have viewed people in top leadership roles as authoritarians who preside over their "kingdoms" with a strong, paternalistic hand and are often at war with neighboring "kingdoms" over scarce resources. Expatriate executives in China are often dismayed to find that their best local managers are so busy defending their turf that they are uninterested in looking beyond their own functional area.

Is it correctable through employee development?


es, it is correctible through employee development. Through providing proper development program people attitude can be change and longtime benefiters can be taken out. Institute career plans that ask your best managers to rotate into different functions; consider postings overseas. Look for cross-functional projects that develop a broad perspective. Establishing a cross-functional team to launch a new product in China, for example, will force each member to see beyond his limited horizon. Reward generously managers who take the initiative to develop skills beyond their own function; make them role models. Finally, point out the real costs of silos and tie compensation to improved performance that results from greater crossfunctional collaboration.

Is employee development the most cost effective solution that can be applied?
es, employee development the most cost effective solution can be applied. The strong influence of positional power and connections as a prerequisite to leadership has deep roots in Chinese history. By providing development program of peoples attitude change will later bring benefits for the country in

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Leading Across Cultures: China

long run since they are doing business internationally however, with increasing economic pressure, companies not owned by the state are looking at training models from the West with increased interest. In addition, Zhu Rongji, the current Premier of the State Council, is pushing China toward Western ideas and practices that are affecting all areas of society.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

n China there are different kinds of variations of religious beliefs and these religions and the culture itself have tremendous effects on how the Chinese operate their businesses and the norms. Its shapes the attitudes towards the employees from the leaders and vice versa.

Chinese culture has been shaped by three general areas of thought; one of them is Taoism. Taoism means a Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-tzu (fl. 6th century bc), advocating humility and religious piety. According to Taoism believers the ideal leader maintains a low profile, leading mostly by example and allowing followers to take ownership.

Pros

eader makes decisions by consulting a team, they also maintainer and controller of the group. If a leader leads a low profile, he will just gain a reputation as a radical and the effectiveness of his fights will be diluted. If he will go to fight a battle with the offender, he should pick an area where he have a good chance of winning and a venue where he can get some favorable publicity. He encourages followers to take ownership of their work environment and create their own value.

Cons

he importance of leadership is a good match between leader and follower otherwise is will create so many problems. In this case the principle of the leader is a servant of the followers. On the other hand, sometimes the followers will normally have had input into the majority of the work decisions and will understand the need for direction.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

People with strong leadership qualities are almost always the ones that rise above the crowd. A good leader carries power, authority, and strong skills to attract and convince the followers. The good news is that everyone can apply good leadership traits to his life in a purposeful way.

Pros

good leader inspires others. So inspiring others are one of the most important qualities of good leadership and this is one of the skills to enhance skill. True leaders are masters at accepting responsibility for all that comes their way and taking ownership and responsibility for getting things back on track. Blaming, justifying and excuse making just isn't in their responsibility

Cons

hey are too passionate for power, wealth and prestige. Leaders are entitled to wealth, power and prestige. But if he passionate only for these things, then the entire objective will be in jeopardy! He is no longer thinking right for his office and for the organization; and this will bring down the organization in a long term.

A leader is not responsible for the development of other leaders. Leaders come from within the society.

Pros

eaders main concentration is followers not to make other leaders. It doesnt distract him on the way of his working. This way leader will be more focused on the organizations goal and will bring better result to it.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

nspiring others is one of the good qualities of leadership. Too much love for self. A bad leader puts him above others. In matters involving the organization, he would rather protect his own interests that that of the organization.

In china, in terms of the importance of knowing ones business, this must be expanded to knowing ones position and even the political context of that business.

Pros

f a knowing person or popular person of China get involved in business, his business might be cherished people might get involved with that business. Nevertheless there is an advantage that is their power will lead the business and can influence people to relate with the business.

Cons

If only well-known people get involved with business what will happen with the general people. It is found that if general people had the credibility and capability they cannot even get engaged with the business due to not having the power.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Positional power is more important than anything else in china. This philosophy developed in 230 BC and till now has remained strong in contemporary china even still now it is seen that the emperor is seen unexpected to question. This political power tends to be concentrated not only in institution but also in individuals.

Pros

hey believe that if power is here anything can be achieved. On the basis of power all the works need to be done. It is does so because they believe that achieving everything is necessary rather that to get general peoples heart. As following power is concentrated in everywhere people in different areas can get different power and can use their power at the right moment.

Cons

hey give preference in power but not ones capability, effort and credibility. With the help of power anything can be done and they can do any work. However, the amount of unemployment rate is increasing but none can get engaged in the business or in leadership. There in not find any democratic rights but only the autocracy. General people do not get any opportunity to share their demands and needs.

Domestic and international companies have learned that monetary rewards are acceptable as long as they are not overly public.

Pros

People needs money, they want to get it unnecessarily or necessarily. The main was to get money is to do service. Thus, in every institution or everywhere people think that monetary rewards are suitable in every case. However, this is true that if an individual is get rewarded a huge amount or his double salary, he will be pleasant to do any work even the over time.

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Cons

Leading Across Cultures: China

very time monetary rewards do not acceptable people need respect, position and power. If the political people or only the rich people can get the power why not the other people get that too. If people have the capability to achieve something, why not they will be permitted to reach their goal? Here everyone should have equal rights and people should get the proper rewards in terms of achievement of power.

In china it is prevalent to help employees to become leaders. It means, what is important, gets measured; what is measured, will get done; what is done, will gets rewarded.

Pros

n china only the posh people can allow to get engaged in leadership, business and power. This happens because they wan to be the ultimate ruler and want to keep their heritage with them. They frightened to loose the power and status. To keep their reputation and heritage and they choose not give the power to anyone.

Cons

n the contrary it is very narrow state of mind that employees will not get opportunity to prove their integrity. As it is a time of equalize everyone should get chance to prove. Employees- who are working in the organization they should have get better chance to go reach the position.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

hina is one of the largest countries in the world but high degree of power distance is laid among leaders and employees. In Chinese company, leaders are all in all, they give most priority of their own opinion. The estimation of employees is missing in their company. People in China tend to accept a higher degree of unequally distributed power than do others. On the other hand, leaders of China are strong in leadership and accountable for determining immense resolution with unaccompanied for the organization because they are well-groomed and can handle any situation of the company. Chinese leaders are people with power in an organization and are anticipated to be accurate most of the time.

Chinese leaders basically carry control, ability for getting importance from their followers. Leaders are trying to lead the employees under a high power distance society. Instead of being supportive the leaders are behaving as directional leaders who just communicate with the followers one way and giving regular feedback is not a regular practice in most organizations. As a result, power distance creates in most company and it creates great internal problem in most company.

In the organizations the transformational changes should be brought so that in every company people can adopt new culture. Different kinds of change are required to bring through different strategies and plans to effectively gain employee engagement and acceptance of change.

Transformational leaders are successful in promoting organizational obligation by lining up goals and values of the follower, the group, the leader, and the

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Leading Across Cultures: China

organization. To reduce the power distance in the company, leaders must plan some steps, so that they can do better for the organization structure along with employees. To change this power distance, Chinese leaders have to interact with their employees almost every sector of the organization. It is important for them to take opinion from employees during decision making. When companies are faced with the emergence of radically different technologies, significant changes in supply and demand, unexpected competition, lack of revenue or other major shifts in how they do business, developmental or transitional change may not offer the company the solution they need to stay competitive. In these situations, they can involve employees to settle these things. Opinion of employees can help to solve these kinds of problems. This plan can help leaders to minimize power distance as well as solve the biggest internal problems of the company.

Through the changes in the systems there will be a new culture and values within the organization. Leaders get followers involved in predicting the future, and then they promote positive expectations about what needs to be done and demonstrate commitment to the shared vision. Thus abbreviate the positional crack between leader and employee.

For minimizing power distance, leaders can use performance appraisal system for individualizing the expansion of subordinates and guiding their future career development paths. As a result, confidence of employees grows and the productivity of the company increase day by day.

Reducing power distance can help employees to participate in the changemaking process, provide supportive efforts such as employee counseling or therapy, new skills training, Manipulation and co-optation can be effective ways of dealing with resistance and so on.

hina has been engaging in these traditional business customs since a very long time, and this is the given way of conducting business in China. Therefore, leaders can have restricted power for managing and any decision making process of the company.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Employees can be over confident and that can affect their required responsibilities of their job. They can consider themselves vital part of the company. This can reflect in their respective jobs and impede the companys productivity.

Internal conflict can increase in the company for minimizing power distance. Leaders and employees cannot be agreeing with each other all the time. Sometimes both are diverged on one anothers opinion and it can cause cold war among them. It can vigorously affect the companys management system.

o be an effective and successful leader in modern days, Chinese leaders must follow contemporary leadership techniques for the companys welfare. Though China has lacings in official leadership development programs, but they do not want to follow the western style in their management system. On the other hand, leaders do not focus on self-improvement. As a result, they consider themselves all in all in the organization and make power distance like previous times. This system is invalid in modern days. So they need to assume contemporary leadership approach.

There is no popular category of books on civilizing as a person, or recovering oneself as a leader, as one finds in many western countries in China. This kind of books basically helps leaders how to proceed with other people in the company. Besides this, it can help employees to make relationship with each and every people in the organization. So it is important for Chinese leaders to assume modern style of leadership for management of the company.

he change process is not complete simply when the change has been properly conducted. Change is continuous. Chinese Management is a craze that in many respects may or may not work. But it becomes obvious for Chinese leadership system to bring change in this modern age. From early age, they maintain ancient process in leadership. But now it is important for Chinese to adopt modern style in management.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

The principal plan for adopting modern Chinese leadership is making a suitable and proper design. An ingenious and executing training and development program can be opening in all Chinese organizations, which will augment and improve the innate skills of the employees and help them to cultivate their instinctive leaders. If they arrange proper training system in company, then it can escort to the learning of leadership ability which will help everyone to tend leadership abilities that will turn the organization towards a new track. As a result, the company will do better in corporate competition and leaders will better in their own job then previous times. It will also influence the future leader to do better for the company according to modern age.

Through such training programs Chinese leaders will become able to cope up with the changes. For adopting modern style, leaders will involve in different types of training and development sessions using incidental method, roleplaying methods, case analysis methods development assignments, key project teams, rotational assignments and global assignments. These will make leaders confident for management system according to modern style.

Through such change management programs, leaders will gain more knowledge and develop skills; which would result in enhancing better profitability throughout the organizations.

The leaders will also be friendlier with the employees and the new systems gradually according to the adaptation of the modern style. These changes will not seem sudden to them.

or adopting modern leadership style, Chinese must assemble proper training and development process. But leadership progress is major expenditure in China. The leaders need to grow many technical ability as well as conceptual and other leadership skills. It would be very much costly for the organization.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Time is the major apprehensions to regulate any modify in conventional leadership. Training and development program can be long and short term. It is also a permanent learning which entails excess time. It can hamper the working hour of the company. As a result, the productivity will go down.

For training and development, organization must need to arrange different types of programs. Different types of seminars, meetings etc can cost high. Assembling all the programs including record keeping, leaflets, books for training would be costly for many organizations.

hinese leaders are following the power distance in their management system and employees always feel that only abide by leaders decision not to express their own estimation regarding the organization. But it is important for the company to have participative decision making process. Because if this will available in the company then both leaders and employees can give proper and precious decisions together which will make the company more profitable. On the other hand, if employees give their decision along with leaders, they can consider themselves as important person for the company and then get motivated. Then they will do their job smoothly.

Participative decision making is one of the best ways for taking important decisions in the company. The primary aim of PDM is for the organization to benefit from the perceived motivational effects of increased employee involvement. If this is established in the organization, then it may entail various employee involvement proposals resulting in co-determination of working conditions, problem solving, and decision-making.

articipative decision making is the process that each team member has a prospect to distribute their perspectives, accent their ideas and tap their skills to recover team helpfulness. To establish this decision making process leaders has to make good and reliable relationship with their employees. Leaders must share their skills and experiences with employees and also

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Leading Across Cultures: China

know about their own. It will motivate them to do better for the organization and think about any problem. On the other hand, leaders must help them to express their decisions.

To establish participative decision making in the organization, leaders have to conform some steps. Because these will help them to make proper decision along with employees. Firstly they have to share their experience and information of the companys with the employees. Then for problem solving and proper decision making leader must develop their knowledge and training system. Then they have to reduce the power distance process so that decision making will be flexible for both parties. On the other hand, leaders must design different types of motivational system like reward, bonus and recognition and so on.

articipative decision making help the organization in superior recruitment elasticity, employment revolving, cross training and team work. All these are related to the higher productivity of the organization and also help in decision making process.

This decision making process creates communication between employer and employees. So that employees and leaders can share their experience with each other and take proper decision regarding organizations welfare.

Participative decision making reduce the power distance process. Through this process, both leaders and employees mutually work for the company by taking decisions and it is needed to achieve organizational efficiency and more effective organizational performance.

mployees can be over confident because of participative decision making and that can affect their required responsibilities of their job. They can consider themselves vital part of the company. This can reflect in their respective jobs and impede the companys productivity.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Internal conflict can increase in the company for participative decision making. Leaders and employees cannot be agreeing with each other all the time. Sometimes both are diverged on one anothers opinion and it can cause cold war among them. It can vigorously affect the companys management system.

Participative decision making sometimes hampers leaders own personal decision regarding companys welfare. Because sometimes leaders individual decisions are important for the company and participative decision making sometimes spoil this.

emocratic leadership is needed in every organization in every country. It makes the company democratic and help to prosper as soon as possible. If the organization has lack of this kind of leadership, political association can easily penetrate into the company and destroy all kinds of ethical works. Democratic leadership basically works with members of the group who take a more participative role in the decision-making process. These leaders are more effective and to higher productivity, better contributions from group members and increased group confidence.

In China, this kind of leadership is not available and for that they do not have enough team work. So this kind of leadership is vigorously needed in Chinese companies along with teamwork instead of emphasizing on positional power which emerges from political affiliation.

o obtain proper democratic leadership in Chinese organization, it is important for employees to appreciate democratic leadership in the organization. For attaining this kind of leadership, leaders need to learn new behaviors which require careful preparation in a somewhat structured learning environment.

To maintain and attaint democratic leadership in the organization, leaders must have planned to gather different types of meetings with their followers. So that they can analysis different types of cases, make decisions, identify

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Leading Across Cultures: China

problems, make plans, and learn about business issues. Besides this, they must have strong listening skills in order to understand situations, improve cooperation, and encourage people to take responsibility. They have to plan several ways regarding managing different conflicts in the organization. Democratic leaders also need to know how to guide the team in rational decision making. These entire things are very important to establish democratic leadership in Chinese companies.

emocratic leadership style is the process in which people have to contribute in describing and generating their own emancipation. Democratic leaders have some high merits like managing conflict of organization, making proper decision making, listening followers, leading group meetings which are deficient in ordinary leaders.

This kind of leadership is accepted by all the employees in the organization. It can measure various internal relationships among different types of people in the organization. As a result no conflict or major problem can create.

Democratic leadership style cannot give political affiliation any chance to go through in the organization. As a result people or employees cannot create any problem on behalf of political leaders.

emocratic leaders can dominate on the employees of the organization. On that situation different types of problems or disagreement can create.

Democratic leaders sometime understand that conflict is a normal part of any team effort. Each individual has a different type of personality, different knowledge, and different experiences. For that reason, they sometimes allow conflicts over issues and personalities which create serious problems.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

oung talents are always welcome in every organization in every country. But in Chinese leadership they are basically different from this concept. Their concept is leaders come from senior person and age holds power. On the other hand, one of their concepts is that leadership is a blessed position and only experienced people can deserve this. So to budge these ancient thoughts, Chinese leaders must give chance to the fresh and juvenile talents in all parts of the organization, especially from underrepresented functions.

New talents are the future of the organization. Though China is very advanced in many ways, but their prevalent challenge for future leaders in China is to build and maintain a strong organizational culture and community. To extend economic growth, Chinese leaders must change their concept regarding fresh talents and get involve them in organization especially from underrepresented functions.

hanging demographics and newly emerging workers will have different perspectives on work. They can do better with their innovative and different ideas. To establish long term achievement in the world market, Chinese leader have to make plans for evolving fresh leaders in the company. They have plan proper training and development for them, so that they can maintain all side of the company.

China is a growing economy where young talents are needed vigorously. In order to develop a social, democratic and business sloping leadership culture Chinese organization have to deliberate on young talents who come out from underrepresented areas and endorse social change and creating a circle of success, mutual respect and tolerance. They have to focus on the talents more because they are the future leaders of the Chinese companies and the financial growth of the country are on their hand. So they have to re-design the overall empowerment system of the organization with proper training and development process.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

ew talents are more innovative according to modern age than senior leaders. They are more creative and can easily manage hard-hitting situation of the company. And this is very important not only for the companys fiscal growth but also the entire countrys prosperity.

New talents always try to do advance in all section including thoughts. They have more power than seniors to think about modern style leadership process which is important to sustain in this competitive world.

Making good relationship is very important with the employees in the organization. New talents can easily maintain good relationship with the employees so that they can create effective working teams by providing motivation. New talents are always welcome by others in the company.

ew talents can sometime take wrong decision regarding companys important task. This can happen because of lack of experience. As they are not skilled enough for taking big decisions and thus they can create a big mess in the company.

New talents can be face trouble because of their inexperienced which can be harmful for the companys profitability and productivity. Their inexperience can cause harm for the company which will not tolerate by the rest of the employees and thus create conflict.

Hiring of new talents can be expensive for the company. On the other hand, the training and development for new talents can cost higher. Thus the overall expense of the company can be increasing which can be pressure on the economy of the company.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

s China is one of the largest countries in the world but their style of leadership still follows an ancient system. They follow the power distance system and thus the appreciation or motivation of the employees is almost missing in their management style. It is important for them to motivate employees with monetary rewards and verbal praise. So that the employees will stimulate and they will be self-confident. And this will give them interest to do well for the country.

Chinese organization should emphasize on both monetary rewards and verbal praise to build their motivation and create linkage between leadership visions with employees personal benefit e.g., money, and not endanger their job security and personal relationships. All these are very important for the company as well as for the employees.

rganization takes deliveries of highest accomplishment by align leadership apparition and employees personal benefit. To sheltered employees interest as well as fulfilling leader interest Chinese organization need to focus on several issues. They must have plan for the motivation or reward system for the employees. So that employees can give their best to the organization and it will help them to increase the productivity of the company. Chinese organization must redesign the award system of the organization for the employees. If employees are satisfied with the rewards their tendency to switch will reduce relatively. They have to recognize people frequently for their good work and they will repeat the performance frequently. Praise must be sincere and should be distributed equitably, if warranted. When possible, praise people publicly in meetings or employee newsletters. All these will help the organization to get more creative and intelligent employees.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

ood remuneration like monetary reward can give the employees enthusiasm for giving their best effort to the company. Thus the productivity of the company increase and employees are also satisfied with the leaders.

Relationship between leaders and the employees can be strong because for monetary reward and verbal praise. As a result there have no chance of making any conflict among them. It works as proper reinforcement for the employees.

Motivation can help employees to evaluate the employees and their work. It helps them to justify employees that what they do in their job. So it is important for the employees to get proper motivation from the leaders. It not only helps them personally but also increases their self- confidence.

onetary reward and verbal praise can make employees over confident about their work which is bad for the company. So that they cannot give their concentration to the work and think that they can get reward always. It affect badly in the productivity of the company.

Monetary reward system may cause extra expense of the company. For this the budget of the company can be bigger and can create additional pressure which can be harm for the company.

Reward system sometimes creates competition among the employees and then creates serious conflict. It can affect the productivity of the country as well as the profitability of the country. Beside this, the concentration of the employees from works can be diminished.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

ach and every program suggested is extremely essential for the development of a broader base of Chinese leaders with expanded leadership skills will further the positioning of China in a global economy. In turn the company will also be able to recover the immense problems raised in leadership style which they have experienced over the past years. However, considering the urgency of the need and the circumstances governing the organization at the moment, the development needs have been prioritized and ranked in the following order:

1. Major transformational leadership need to be brought in the Chinese leadership structures by minimizing power distance in Chinese management.

2. Self-development program should be incorporated among leaders so that the future leaders will be well equipped to build own competitive edge to adopt with modern leadership style.

3. Through exchanging the knowledge and experience among the leaders and followers a participative decision-making (PDM) system needs to be developed to achieve organizational efficiency and more effective organizational performance.

4. Instead of emphasizing on positional power which emerges from political affiliation, organizations need to practice democratic leadership style revolving around teamwork.

5. Future leadership trend in China should focus on young talents irrespective of all parts of organization especially from underrepresented functions in order to establish believe that leadership can be taught, and that leadership is not just an innate trait.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

6. Chinese organization should emphasize on both monetary rewards and verbal praise to build their motivation and create linkage between leadership visions with employees personal benefit.

Major transformational leadership need to be brought in the Chinese leadership structures by minimizing power distance in Chinese management.
n China high degree of power distance is laid among leaders and employee. People in China tend to accept a higher degree of unequally distributed power than do others. General employees believe that power and authority are facts of life. Both consciously and unconsciously, these cultures teach their members that people are not equal in this world and that everybody has a rightful place, which is clearly marked by countless vertical arrangements. Social hierarchy is prevalent and institutionalizes inequality.

Leaders are both capable and responsible for discovering great solutions single-handedly for the organization because they are smart and can judge the business better than anyone else. They carry power, authority, and strong skills to attract and convince followers. Furthermore, leadership is a novel ability not existing in common employees or followers. Leaders in China are people with power in an organization and are expected to be right most of the time.

ransformational leadership was generated to advance traditional leadership concept. These works broadened the traditional concept of leadership as a relationship of economic exchange that offers rewards or compensation for a desired behavior by viewing leadership as a change process and by exploring the impact of leader behavior on followers values, beliefs and higher-order needs. Transformational leadership creates behaviors that stimulate and inspire followers to achieve extraordinary outcomes by raising the level of motivation and morality in both themselves and their followers.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Transformational leaders are effective in promoting organizational commitment by aligning goals and values of the follower, the group, the leader, and the organization. Its strong, positive effects on followers attributes and commitment will then motivate followers to reach their fullest potential and exceed expected performance. Transformational leadership has conceptualized into four components: idealized influence; inspirational motivation; intellectual stimulation; and individualized consideration. Each of the components helps build followers commitment indifferent ways. When companies are faced with the emergence of radically different technologies, significant changes in supply and demand, unexpected competition, lack of revenue or other major shifts in how they do business, developmental or transitional change may not offer the company the solution they need to stay competitive. Instead of methodically implementing new processes, the leaders may be forced to drastically transform themselves for the betterment of company. Radical transformational change is now imperative in the Chinese way of conducting business, or else it will fall way behind other cultures in the international context.

Chinese organization need to establish transformational leadership in leadership structure. Through following activities such transformation will be developed

Transformational leaders can use performance appraisal system as a vehicle for individualizing the development of subordinates and guiding their future career development paths. Leaders get followers involved in envisioning the future, and then they promote positive expectations about what needs to be done and demonstrate commitment to the shared vision. Thus shorten the positional gap between leader and employee. Leaders will broaden followers' interest towards transcending selfinterests for the good of the group, by increasing awareness about the issues of consequence, and increasing the need for growth and selfactualization.

Therefore major transformational leadership need to be brought in the Chinese leadership structures by minimizing power distance in Chinese management so that these unhealthy practices can be stopped and China can look forward to a prosperous future that is in sync with the global context and the internationally accepted way of carrying out tasks.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

o bring about the transformational change required in the business culture in China, several resources have to be allocated to the process. These are:

Time for the employees to understand the importance of the required change Time allocated for employees to grasp the concept of change and understand what they are required to do Monetary resources to bring about required changes in operations Training and development costs to familiarize employees with the change Money spent for proper consultancy so that an appropriate way of conducting change can be found.

t should be kept in mind that any sort of radical change is met with resistance. This resistance occurs because of several reasons: change replaces the known with ambiguity and uncertainty change threatens investments in the status quo belief that change is incompatible with the goals and interests of the organization

This resistance to change should be dealt with in the following ways: Proper education and communication to explicitly express to the employees the logic for change Allow employees to participate in the change-making process Provide supportive efforts such as employee counseling or therapy, new skills training, etc. Manipulation and co-optation can be effective ways of dealing with resistance Coercion or negative reinforcement is also another way of overcoming resistance to change.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Self-development program should be incorporated among leaders so that the future leaders will be well equipped to build own competitive edge to adopt with modern leadership style.
fficial leadership development programs are very rare in China, and if they are available, are instituted by companies with Western connections or ownership. Instead of self-development influence of positional power and connections as a prerequisite to leadership has a deep root in Chinese history.

Leaders do not focus on self-improvement, per se. In China, there is no popular category of books on improving as a person, or how to improve oneself as a leader, as one finds in many Western countries. Such books signal an overt belief in the probability of behavioral change. Instead, the popular category of books in China deals with how to have good relationships with other people. Relationships are one of the keys to a leaders success. The Chinese proverb, A fall into a ditch makes you wiser, is a further example that leaders learn through experience, not through an explicit focus on leadership development.

elf-directed learning defines a process in which leaders realize their learning goals, identify the resources for learning, planning and implementing learning strategies, conducting self-assessments of results. Many organizations started to enhance the self-directed learning of their employees, as they have realized that the learning style of every employee is different, and every employee cannot be fully engaged in corporate face-to-face trainings. Selfdevelopment helps to develop self-correcting abilities, critical thinking and problem solving abilities. The development of these skills is particularly important especially in China where leaders are less likely to admit their faults.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Another area need to be considered when developing leaders is the different needs of people at different levels of firms. The junior leader who typically function a team may need basic skills of leadership such as decision making, talent management organizational finance and organizational design .Much of this can be obtained through training, coaching, and development assignments. Mid-level leaders need to understand how to manage across organizational boundaries. This type of development is best obtained through rational assignments. Global assignments and serving on key project teams, especially those that are cross-functional. Finally the senior leaders need to develop strategically. This is best developed through external coaching.

A well-designed and implemented training and development program can be initiated in all Chinese organizations, which will enhance and enrich the inherent skills of the employees and help them to nurture their inborn leaders. Proper training will lead to the learning of leadership skills which will help everyone to cultivate leadership abilities that will steer the organization towards a new direction. A comprehensive leadership program should contain four elements: a program strategy; a method of identifying future leaders; a development program for both potential and current leaders and retention program for current leaders. So that self -development program should be incorporated among leaders so that the future leaders will be well equipped to build own competitive edge to adopt with modern leadership style.

his T&D realization is expected to last a timeframe of at least 6 months, within which the leaders should be engaged in various training sessions using incidental method, role-playing methods, case analysis methods development assignments, key project teams, rotational assignments and global assignments. This will require monetary allocation in the quarterly budget. Also, employees need to be allowed to take some time off from their work schedules since several sessions will include off-the-job training.

here are numerous resources can be required for leadership development program. Common leadership development program includes: mentoring personal development, coaching training, development assignments, key project teams, rotational assignments and global assignments.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Mentoring personal development means that the company will assign, usually an internal resource to work with the employee to develop himself or herself inside the firm. The success of this program requires both the mentor and mentee is committed to make it work.

Leadership coaching usually involves the outsider and reserved for most senior leaders. Oftentimes the coach uses formal assessment instrument to help identify the leadership style and leadership behavior that the leader employs. The assessment instruments help the leader to identify these behaviors, and to strengthen the former and minimize the latter.

Development assignments, key project teams, rotational assignments and global assignments are some form of high potential program that help the leaders to enhance their diversity

Some other surviving programs need to be considered shown below:

Need to do cost benefit analysis:

range of professional is involved in training and developing leaders so is an expensive process that organization has to spend. Leadership development is major cost in China. The leaders need to grow many technical ability as well as conceptual and other leadership skills. Therefore organizations need to pay special attention to make the investment worthy on training and developing leaders. Moreover Chinese company need to start reward program for best employees those who are likely to become future leaders of the firm.

Dealing with time of training and development:

raining and development program can be either long term or short term. Both training and development is a continuous learning process which requires time to accomplish the result. Success of this program depends on the time consumed for development. The HR department is occasionally involved in arranging such development program and observes how the development program is moving ahead within the timeline. Time is one of the biggest concerns in case of adjusting any change in traditional leadership.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

Consider differentiated leadership program:

eadership program need to differentiate between leaders at different levels .Beginning leaders need functional expertise, much of which can obtain through training. Mid-level leaders need access to program that help them lead across corporate and geographic boundaries. This is actually obtained through special program special program and assignment. The most senior leaders need to develop in strategic thinking and leadership behaviors and these are most often offered through executive coaching.

Dealing with organizational and global challenge:

oung leaders have to face so many organizational challenges that they have to overcome within or outside the boundary. They need to rotate for enhancing their activity .These types of function help them to develop cross functional activity. The biggest barrier leaders face when they move abroad is cultural issues, as Chinese leaders tend to practice their own inherent culture. So overcoming these cultural issues and global constrain, including leadership development and communication skill is quite difficult to adopt for leaders.

Through exchanging the knowledge and experience among the leaders and followers a participative decision making system needs to be developed to achieve organizational efficiency and more effective organizational performance.
n China it is common for a follower to feel his job is only to execute a leaders decision, not to find a different or better solution. This is a traditional hierarchical approach to leadership with top-down authority. To challenge or argue with a leader in China is considered impolite and inappropriate

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Leading Across Cultures: China

behavior. Employees are expected to perform their jobs well, i.e., execution. t. When individuals are looking for jobs, their primary concern is to find a good company for which to work. They are less concerned with employee autonomy, decision-making power, or even career-advancement opportunities.

articipative decision making PDM is one of many ways in which an organization can make decisions. The leader must think of the best possible style that will allow the organization to achieve the best results. The definition of participative decision making signifies that workers need to feel a sense of belonging to an organization. The basic concept involves any power-sharing arrangement in which workplace influence is shared among individuals who are otherwise hierarchically unequal. Such power-sharing arrangements may entail various employee involvement schemes resulting in co-determination of working conditions, problem solving, and decision-making.

In china employees are not supposed to share their knowledge that is why the decision taken by the leader is incomplete and cannot bring benefit for everyone. If the decision is taken in isolate it will hinder the productivity, efficiency and employees commitment .The primary aim of PDM is for the organization to benefit from the perceived motivational effects of increased employee involvement. In a participative decision-making process each team member has an opportunity to share their perspectives, voice their ideas and tap their skills to improve team effectiveness. As each member can relate to the team decisions, there is a better chance of their achieving the results. There is a positive relationship between decision effectiveness and organizational performance.

o bring about the radical change in the ways in the leadership style in China , several resources have to be allocated by the organizations to the process. Time for the employees to understand the importance of the required change. Time allocated for employees to grasp the concept of ethics and understand what they are required to do. Proper consultancy to help develop an advanced and having collection of books on similar issue.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

There are some potential negative consequences that needed to be considered while allocating resources are shown below: Develop new skills and responsibilities for lower-level participants results in increased salaries and additional training New program creates a new structure that needs support and management, support personnel must increase Expectations for organizational change and personal growth and development opportunities increases expectations for organizational change and personal growth, which, if it is limited or fails, results in dissatisfaction and cynicism Resistance by middle management and/or by staff support groups if they are not positively affected by the program, they may resist it. Participation takes time and can slow decision making because a number of people have to understand and accept the decision.

he core idea of participative decision making is sharing knowledge and experience with the superiors to gain the organizational objectives. In China the traditional logic of organizing is to give simple work to employees at the bottom of the pyramid who then report through a supervisor up a hierarchical chain of command to senior executives who provide direction, coordination, and control. This does not work well for organizations managing knowledge intensive tasks. As the number and visibility of high knowledge-based organizations increases, the need for a new logic of management has gained currency among both academics and managers. So to achieve efficiency Chinese organization need to increase among employees.

Here is four ways shown by which Chinese companies can actively support and intensely practice participative decision making system: Share Information about business performance, plans, goals, and strategies, about new technologies and competitors performance. Without business information, individuals are restricted in their ability to make meaningful contributions, participate in planning and setting direction, understand the effectiveness of their performance and that of the organization. Information sharing includes both information disclosure and open communication processes. Provide Knowledge development and training skills in group decision making and problem solving, leadership, quality and statistical analysis, an understanding of the business, and job skills and cross-training.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

This knowledge and training enables employees to understand and contribute to organizational performance. Design Rewards and recognition systems that are based on the performance of the organization and that are to encourage employees to obtain information, add skills, take more decision making responsibility, enhance teamwork, and perform in ways that help the business Encourage Power sharing, particularly in decision making, either through parallel structure practices, such as quality circles, committees, survey feedback, or suggestion systems, or work design power sharing practices such as job enrichment and redesign, self-managing work teams, mini-business units, and participation on decision-making boards and committees that enable employees to use and apply the information and knowledge effectively; key strategies include locating decisions at the lowest possible level in the organization.

In order to exercise employees participation in decision making process Chinese companies should come up with improved more innovative and efficient work methods and procedures. Greater staffing flexibility, job rotation, cross-training and team work need to be addressed for higher productivity. Better communication between leaders and employee and across work units should be increased so that employees will be less resistant to perform their job properly reduces the number of grievances.

Instead of emphasizing on positional power which emerges from political affiliation, organizations need to practice democratic leadership style revolving around teamwork.
n China positional power is paramount. This philosophy developed strong roots during Chinas feudalism era, between 230 BC and AD 1700 and has remained strong in contemporary China. The emperor was seen as the supreme leader, and it was unacceptable to question or attack his authority in

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Leading Across Cultures: China

any wayleaders were always right. Even today, for example, The political power tends to be concentrated not in institutions but in individuals. Recent political leaders Mao Zedong who was the ultimate decision-maker and unchallenged emperor and Deng Xiaoping exerted considerable power over the country during their political reigns. Unlike western countries china emphasize more on positional power rather than expertise. The year old practice of imposing positional power has hindered the progress of state run as well as non-state run companies.

Therefore, it is now necessary to practice democratic leadership style revolving around teamwork instead of emphasizing on positional power which emerges from political affiliation.

emocratic leadership, also known as participative leadership, is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process. Researchers have found that this learning style is usually one of the most effective and leaders to higher productivity, better contributions from group members and increased group morale.

Democratic leadership style encourages team work which is rarely seen in Chinese traditional leadership. In that type of leadership style team members are encouraged to share their thoughts, democratic leadership can leader to better ideas and more creative solutions to problems. Team members also feel more involved and committed to projects, making them more likely to care about the end results. Research on leadership styles has also show that democratic leadership leads to higher productivity among group members.

hina has been practicing feudalism for years so people will find it difficult to adjust with the change Therefore it will not be easy to change this practice all of a sudden. A significant time period of 8 months to 1 year may be needed to bring about the changes in leadership style. To execute the proposed plan it also need to restructure the administration and authority. Monetary resources may not be needed here but employees need to be encouraged to know the synergy brought by the essence of democratic leadership style.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

o acquire the concept of democratic leadership style leaders need to learn new behaviors which require careful preparation in a somewhat structured learning environment. In order to implement democratic leadership style few skills need to be developed in current leaders and future leaders. Leading Participative Meetings: Democratic leaders need to gather the team together for regular meetings to study data, make decisions, identify problems, make plans, and learn about business issues. Its the team leaders responsibility to assure that an agenda is developed and that the team focuses some time on its performance measures. The team leader tracks issues from the last meeting for follow up and highlights urgent issues for immediate resolution. The team leader assures that once a decision is reached someone accepts responsibility for implementation. Learning to listen followers: Effective leaders have strong listening skills in order to understand situations, improve cooperation, and encourage people to take responsibility. A good listener will respond with empathy, withhold judgment, listen with the eyes, and squint with the ears. They need to practice responding to peoples feelings about issues, noting all the cues, and testing for understanding. Managing conflict: Democratic leaders come to understand that conflict is a normal part of any team effort. Each individual has a different type of personality, different knowledge, and different experiences. Democratic leadership allows conflicts over issues and personalities to be resolved instead of denied. Establishing measure: Working without appropriate and effective performance measures cannot ensure a standard performance. A democratic leader will involve the people in the team in identifying what activities should be measured by the team. Group Decision Making: Democratic leaders also need to know how to guide the team in rational decision making. This decision is taken by consensus basis. Objectives to be accomplished by the decision should be agreed upon by everyone before considering alternatives. In some cases team leaders will need to know how to lead a team in brainstorming and then in some form of voting.

There are four surviving program involved which will help your leaders shift from feudalistic to democratic leadership behaviors.

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Leading Across Cultures: China

1. Opportunity for reflection: There must be an opportunity for leaders to reflect on the structure of their organization, their role as a leader, and the knowledge which has been collected over many decades on leadership styles. 2. Time and a place for skill building: There must be a time for building skills which are essential to democratic leadership. People need a safe place to practice using new behaviors skills. They need time to see for themselves that they can achieve more through democratic behaviors. 3. A plan for change: There must be a specific plan for change which prevents comfortable autocrats from avoiding the reflective thinking and skill building process. 4. Someone assigned to help: There should be a coach to observe and follow up on the change process with each supervisor.

emocratic Leadership Style is process in which people have to participate in defining and creating their own liberation. When people are not ready to accept the responsibility of becoming empowered, then there must be an educational process to set the stage for change. When the climate is right for change, it is ideal to involve people in planning the change process.

Future leadership trend in China should focus on young talents irrespective of all parts of organization especially from underrepresented functions in order to establish believe that leadership can be taught, and that leadership is not just an innate trait.
n china there has been stereotypical concept that leaders come from senior person. Age carries authority. Although this attitude is not as inflexible as it once was, it looms under the surface of comments and thoughts. A wise head or leader of an area is considered extremely young (and a rare occurrence) if he is only fifty years old. Not many cultures would equate a fiftyyear-old with youthful leadership as China does. One of the key myths in China is that leadership is a sacred position only owned by people in the elite class. SO that only the people enjoying esteem

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Leading Across Cultures: China

power are nourished and rests are ignored which create discrimination in the society and hinder the national progress. To shift the paradigm of traditional Chinese thought, leaders need to emerge from all parts of the organization, especially from underrepresented functions, e.g., assembly line and accounting.

Therefore, future leadership trend in China should focus on young talents irrespective of all parts of organization especially from underrepresented functions in order to establish believe that leadership can be taught, and that leadership is not just an innate trait.

he biggest challenge for future leaders in China is to build and maintain a strong organizational culture and community. Changing demographics and newly emerging workers will have different perspectives on work. Yet, most people, when given the challenge and using key principles and strategies, can emerge as leaders. Most of leadership strategies are ones that can be developed and learned. Young talents can breed new ideas and attain desired goals.

China is a growing economy where there is an emergence of young talents regardless of the class. In order to develop a social, democratic and business oriented leadership culture Chinese organization have to concentrate on young talents who emerges from underrepresented areas and promote social change and creating a circle of success, mutual respect and tolerance. Unlike aged leaders the young leaders are more technically equipped, ability to face problem and fresh perspectives for addressing these problems.

t is not easy to break the custom certainly as it has been practiced for years. Therefore, a significant time period of 8 months to 1 year may be needed in Chinese Organization to incorporate special program to build leadership skills, organizing capabilities, and develop capacity offers the facilities and professional guidance for outstanding youth in underprivileged communities and enabling them to become successful leaders in Chinas modern, technologically advanced society and economy, while emphasizing commitment to leading social change within their communities. To do the wide

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array of development program a big amount of monetary resource is required. Organization also needs to ensure equality in this program. .

hina need to address this new global reality by developing a critical mass of dynamic individuals, all under the age of 40, who will impact global affairs over the coming decades. As leadership in China is changing to a more open approach while maintaining its heritage in long-standing thinking (Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism) its younger generations will shoulder greater responsibility in shaping Asia's future. Skills necessary for such leadership roles should be endowed with high levels of education, a wealth of ideas, and a new sense of confidence should be generated among young talents. Young leaders Initiative will bring together these exceptional leaders of tomorrow, who share a commitment to making the world a better place, by offering them a unique opportunity to harness that commitment collectively. Another important issue that is needed to be considered that leadership should encourage the engagement of leaders from underrepresented function for cross functional development. Provide training that culminates in a specific vocation or opportunity for career advancement in these sectors to emerge the future leaders.

Leadership is not an innate trait neither it depends on age or class. Leadership character can be developed and leaders can be shaped. In the growing china there is an urgency of leaders who can bring fresh thinking and offer imaginative solutions to solve the up coming challenges to position china in a global economy. China should bring the future leaders from the young talents regardless of class.Follwing actions can be taken:

Cultivate a cadre of ethical social-business leaders from among underprivileged youth Prepare high school aged youth to engage with the challenges of the business and hi-tech sectors Inculcate values of social awareness, tolerance and helping others among China's youth Promote co-existence values within Chinese society Foster goodwill between the business arena and underprivileged sectors in China's society. Leaders in incumbent position can play vital role by providing advocacy to young talents. Emphasize experiential learning and provide opportunities for genuine leadership.

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Involve youth in service to others to their community, their country, and their world. Facilitate self-reflection and processing of learning both individually and cooperatively. Involve youth in collaborative experiences, teamwork, and networking with peers. Involve youth in significant relationships with mentors, positive role models, and other nurturing adults. It should position a concept in young talents mind that seniority and esteem power does not yield superiority; passion and integrity put everyone on an equal playing field. Youth leadership can be encouraged through motivating examples are combined with activities, and reproducible self-assessment checklists to aid individuals and groups in evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in their efforts to empower youth.

Organization need to support Trainings programs that focus on the systems of leadership skill building; conflict resolution; economic, environmental and social development. If china encourage the involvement of young talents in every aspects then year old stigma of capturing leadership in the hand of elite and senior people will be demolished.

Chinese organization should emphasize on both monetary rewards and verbal praise to build their motivation and create linkage between leadership visions with employees personal benefit.
n China the collective nature of the society makes people uncomfortable when they are singled out by praise or with an individual reward. To accept the praise would be seen as arrogant and improper. This cultural norm is changing very slowly with the introduction of Western ideas and Western company cultures. However, domestic and international companies have learned that money tends to be a positive incentive, and with it, workers will respond through their actions. A successful leader Zhang Ruimin, CEO of The Haier Group. Zhangs

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goal was to change the culture of a government company to that of a more entrepreneurial company. His key leadership challenge was to motivate employees to recognize the new goals of the company. Zhang instituted positive reinforcement and more negative, losing-face tactics. For example, daily mandatory confessions are held and wages are docked for noncompliance to the new goals. Such actions would not have been legally or culturally acceptable in Western countries. This type of negative reinforcement culture in organization was criticized and raised employee turnover rate because it creates high dissatisfaction among them. Losing an experienced employee almost always results in significant costs to your firm. The keys to employee satisfaction and retention are founded on strong leadership, sound management practices and motivational efforts.

Therefore, Chinese organization should emphasize on both monetary rewards and verbal praise to build their motivation and create linkage between leadership visions with employees personal benefit e.g., money, and not endanger their job security and personal relationships. Each employee in the company needs to be convinced so as to contribute to the leadership process, and not merely leave the leadership task to top managers.

n any organization employees are considered to be blood of the organization, so retaining qualified employees is necessary for the progress of the organization. In order for a rewards and recognition program to survive and be cost effective, it should contribute to the accomplishment of the leaders vision and goal. The keys to employee satisfaction and retention are founded on strong leadership sound management practices and motivational rewards. Recognition and rewards play an important role in work unit and agency programs to attract and retain their employees. It is the day-to-day interactions that make employees feel that their contributions are appreciated and that they are recognized for their own unique qualities. This type of recognition may contribute to high morale in the work environment. So, its extremely important that managers, who communicate the agency goals to employees, are included in the development of recognition programs.

Organization receives highest success by aligning leadership vision and employees personal benefit. To secure employees interest as well as fulfilling leader interest .Chinese organization need to focus on several issues. If employees are satisfied with the rewards their tendency to switch will reduce relatively. Recognize your people frequently for their good work and they will repeat the performance frequently. Praise must be sincere and should be distributed equitably, if warranted. When possible, praise people publicly in

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meetings or employee newsletters. Be sure to give people credit and rewards for good ideas they come up with that benefit the company. Reinforce the right behaviors.

otivation involves both material recognition and immaterial rewards to build employees enthusiasm and aspiration.

Cost factor related with reward: Any reward that is tangible can have more lasting impression in employees professional life. But tangible rewards costs organization a considerable amount of money to motivate employees. The reward plan must be equal and fair for all. To attract desirable employees, the reward plan should be competitive within your industry .On the other hand verbal praise cost nothing but it left a positive impact in employees mind. In case of allocating reward it is needed to consider several issues:

Sincere: Above all else, a good reward should reflect a genuine expression of appreciation. Token acknowledgements leave something to be desired. Meaningful: To endure a motivating influence, rewards should be aligned with the values, goals, and priorities that matter the most. Adaptable: The diverse workplace demands alternatives. Consider creative options to keep your program fresh. No single reward format works for everyone all the time. Relevant: Some personal dimension is essential to a good reward. No matter how formal or informal, expensive or affordable, the relevance of any recognition will be improved with a personal touch . Timely: Reward works best if it provided earlier. It is important that rewards respond to the behavior they are intending to reinforce. Dont let too much time pass or the reward may be devalued and credibility eroded.

n developing a program incorporating gifts or prizes, cash, and leave, remember that some employees are recipients and some are non-recipients. Pay careful attention to goals and determine if a particular program works well in your work unit or agency. It is possible to cause more harm through

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competitive contests than to provide some form of recognition that rewards a greater number of your employees.

Also, consider whether the recognition and reward program focuses employees more on the gift or prize than on the underlying goals of the program. Bear in mind that if your work unit or agency has problems with trust, you may need to work on improving those relationships prior to implementing a recognition program. ey Points to integrate for a Successful Program: Link behaviors that are to be recognized and awarded to the organizational mission: In order for a rewards and recognition program to survive and be cost-effective, it should contribute to the accomplishment of the organizational mission. Organizations spend time and money to implement a rewards and recognition programs that it will make a difference in how well the organization performs against its missionits very reason for existence.Several elements constitute a good program. Design the program so employees receive recognition and rewards as soon as possible Use a variety of rewards: a mix of monetary, non-monetary, and recognition leave Provide many opportunities for reinforcement Find items that are motivating to a wide range of employees in the organization or provide employees with various choices Train all levels of management. Some managers are a natural when it comes to the elements of recognition and rewards. Thus, all managers and supervisors should be trained on: Stressing the importance of the program and how it can impact the bottom line Providing employees an understanding on how they can impact the organization's goals and drive the business to success Discussing the approach for managing and rewarding both individual and team performance Explaining how the program works and how employees can receive recognition Learning ways to motivate and inspire others Learning how to communicate needs, expectations, and goals clearly Communicate the program's existence. Deciding how to communicate the the program depends largely upon the culture of the

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organization and the various types of media readily available--training, staff meetings, policy and procedures, intranet, email, newsletter, fliers Evaluate the programs effectiveness. All programs should be evaluated at least on an annual basis in order to ensure that the program's goals and objectives continue to be effective, are fresh and align with the work unit or agency objectives

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