Perceptions of Leadership in Chinese Heavy Industry A Case Study

Abstract Title Perceptions of Leadership in Chinese Heavy Industry: A Case Study Course Master‟s thesis in Business Administration, Programme for Managing People, Knowledge and Change, 15 University Credit Points (15 ECTS). Author Xiaoyan Zhang Supervisor Martin Blom Keywords Chinese culture, Western culture, leadership, emotional attachment, conflict resolution, motivation Purpose The goal of this thesis is to investigate the views of the managers of a Chinese foundry towards leadership; specifically Chinese and Western leadership. Methodology Established theories of leadership have been applied to data collected through interviews. Theoretical perspective Hofstede (1980), Lewin (1939), Tuckman (1965), Vroom (1965 and onward). Empirical data Data has been collected through telephone interviews conducted with managers at the Shenyang Hongfa Foundry in Shenyang, China. Conclusions It can be shown that that the management styles of the managers interviewed are not exclusively influenced by Chinese culture. They are influenced both by the Confucianism-influenced management approach intrinsic to traditional Chinese culture and by contemporary Western management thought. This synergy of leadership styles is probably derived from the growing Western influence on Chinese culture, for example through media and leadership training