Leadership Style in China

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1.4. Research Questions

Based on the information already provided above, the following research questions were generated to help in providing a proper guideline of sourcing for information about the leadership style in China from different perspectives and to comprehensively satisfy the aim and objectives of this study:

1. What is the leadership style used in China?

2. What are the impacts of this leadership style to the Chinese people (employees)?

3. What are the impacts of the Chinese leadership style to the Chinese economy?

4. How is the Chinese leadership style related to the Chinese culture?

Moreover, the researcher found it necessary to break down this research questions further into sub questions that are found in the questionnaire and interview sections contained in this research project. This became necessary because sub questions provided a clearer outline for conducting this study as compared to these main questions. Moreover, sub questions are more specific on details as compared to general questions and hence enhance acquisition of more accurate information (Gomm, 2008, p. 10).

1.5. Statement of the Problem

The leaders of modern day China face a unique challenge. According to Low (2013), they not only need to appropriately adapt to the increased demands of the global market that they operate in so as to succeed and compete but also need to respect the Chinese cultural traditions. For example, traditions such as the concept of guan xi encourage the advancement of connections amongst individuals and are supposed to be highly upheld by leaders in China. Moreover, the Chinese culture has been influenced significantly by the teachings of Confucius, the great philosopher. Buisseret (2003) stressed the worth of the thoughtful man, acquiring knowledge through mistakes while deliberately respecting values and traditions.

Based on this, better comprehension of this challenge is attained by gaining significant insight into the leadership ethic of China (Liu et al., 2013, p. 16). Additionally, this leadership ethic is found in the cultural beliefs of the Chinese in the workplace set-up. Research by Stockmann (2012) indicated that China is the highest ranked country globally in terms of long-term orientation due to the high value that is bestowed on perseverance and patience by the Chinese and the comparatively low value they place on aggressive action because of mere taking of action. Therefore, this information enhanced this study’s capacity in seeking to identify the Chinese leadership style and its impacts in the Chinese economy and the employees of Chinese organizations (both privately owned organizations and state owned organizations).

1.6. Scope of the Methodology

This study conducted its activities with proper guidelines from the paradigms of Positivism and social constructionism. According to Billig & Waterman (2003), these are belief systems that provide guidance on the way things should be done. Therefore, these two paradigms established the set of principles that were followed while conducting the activities of this study. The thought patterns, the decisions that were made while conducting this study and the actions that this study took to attain its results were all based on the principles that these two paradigms outline. Moreover, the research found it necessary to use these two specific paradigms because of their appropriate nature in aiding proper conduction of this study. For example, Billig & Waterman (2003) point out that positivism is a paradigm of research that is based on experimental testing while constructionism is a paradigm of research that is based on based on the notion that each individual is supposed to construct her/his own reality. As such, both paradigms became crucial to use in this study because they both provide ontology (what reality is), epistemology (how well the researcher understands the research topic), and methodology (procedures for finding out this reality in question). Therefore, these three elements of these two paradigms create a holistic view of knowledge perception, and the methodological strategies of discovering particular information. As such, there were the most appropriate in determining the leadership style in China.

Based on the nature of both positivism and social constructionism, this research work was compelled to use a mixed approach as its methodological stance. Jha (2008) indicate that positivism provides a wide exposure to situations with an emphasis in hard raw data as opposed to opinions. As such, it provides frameworks for conducting qualitative research and obtaining statistical data. On the other hand, Welman et al. (2005) point out that social constructionism enhances theory generation, meaning processing, and acquisition of opinions. As such, this paradigm offers a framework for conducting qualitative research. Therefore, it became necessary for this study to use a mixed approach in its methodology because of the provisions of the two paradigms that the study used.

As such, this study used a mixed approach where both quantitative and qualitative data and information were obtained through the conduction of interviews and administering of questionnaires. Both processes were done on digital technological platforms. The questionnaires were distributed and collected through e-mails while the interviews were conducted through phone calls and Skype calls depending on the preference of the participants. Moreover, the data analysis of statistical data was done using SPSS IT software to enhance accuracy and save time.

1.7. Outline of the Study

This research project is divided into five main chapters. The first chapter is the introduction of this study which introduces the whole breath of this study. The introduction contains several other sections including: a brief description of the company which was used as a case study of this research project; the background of the study which provided insight into the background of the Chinese leadership style, its historical development, and its current nature; the research questions that offer the guidelines on the literature and findings that this study based itself in; the statement of this study’s problem that outlined the challenges that modern Chinese leaders face in relevance to the demands of the modern world and the demands of the traditional Chinese culture; a scope of the methodology that this study used including the paradigms/philosophies that offered the