Prof Keith Goodall has just published his new book “Management Education and Training in China” (Routledge). On this occasion TMSM has interviewed Prof Goodall, grasping the experience of an academic professor and consultant with a professional experience in Europe and China. The idea is to understanding analogies and differences in management training and development between the emerging China and the rest of the world.
Goodall investigates the growth of management training and consultancy companies, and analyses the perceived quality and utility of management training from the perspective of senior Chinese and expatriate managers. It summarises the current trends in management training and development in China, and outlines the likely course of future developments. Overall, this book is a comprehensive account of management training and development in China, and is an important resource in an area that has hitherto seen little substantive research.
1)Which the main difference between management in China and in the rest of the world?
It's difficult to generalise because of the huge variety of types and sizes of business in China and the large differences in business cultures within Europe. Certainly the first word a foreign manager learns in China is probably 'guanxi' or 'relationships'. Whereas American managers, say, will typically negotiate a legal contract and then strengthen relationships as business goes well, Chinese managers often want to develop a relationship first and then sign a contract. Of course, Italian managers will also recognise the primary importance of relationships. Another difference between Chinese management and many other countries is the degree of attention paid to 'face' in formal relationships. A foreign manager who gives direct, public criticism of his staff might well be seen as unduly aggressive and rude. The foreign manager may, in turn, feel that more open and direct conversations would be helpful. A final difference that many foreign managers notice is the high degree of 'power distance' in traditional Chinese manager-subordinate relations. When I ask Chinese managers how a good subordinate is traditionally expected to behave the word that most often comes back is 'obedient'. American managers expect much more 'proactive' behaviour from their subordinates.
2)Is there something that Europe can learn from China?
The importance of balancing respect for tradition with fast-paced change.
3)How China, USA and Europe can improve the organisation through team work?
By not over-emphasising the importance of teams. They can, of course, be useful in certain situations but are often over-used and can be ineffiicient. Managers need to evaluate the nature of the task carefully before turning to a team.
4)Human Resource Department: it is still a key function. Why and what
do you think HR can be useful to overcome the crisis?
I don't think HR is necessarily a key function in all organisations (after all HP didn't have an HR department until they had around 250 employees).
However, in the crisis many HR managers have understood that it is a great time to go shopping for talent and that they should be as concerned with retaining key staff as with downsizing.
