Confucian Values and the Implications for International HRD

ABSTRACT The consideration of cultural issues has become increasingly important in scholarly inquiry and explorative practice in international human resource development (HRD). We review and explore the core characteristics of Confucian-based culture in relation to organizations and unfold how these Confucian values may affect organizational and management practices in China and other Asian countries. Five major aspects of Confucianism are examined. They are: (a) hierarchy and harmony, (b) group orientation, (c) guanxi networks (relationships), (d) mianzi (face) and (e) time orientation. The impact of these values on management practices in the Chinese organizational context is presented in four areas: (a) working relationships, (b) decision-making processes, (c) ruling by man (ren zhi) instead of by law (fa zhi) and (d) HR practices. Implications for organizations and international HRD are also discussed. KEY WORDS: Confucian values, international HRD, cultural impact, management practices, China The final decades of the twentieth century made globalization an irreversible trend. The twenty-first century has further witnessed globalization as a commonplace among leading organizations and management scholars (Adler, 2002). The proces