Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Eastern Management Wisdom: Sustainable Development Workshop for Enterprises

Location: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Library
Date: May 16, 2025 (Friday)
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Speaker: Prof. Chao Gang |  South China University of Technology
Host: Prof. Chen Chien Huang | Director of Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism, CUHK
Format: In-person meeting
Language: Mandarin
Registration: Click to register

Topic 1: Successful Cases of Eastern Enterprises: The Influence and Practice of Family Culture

Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Introduction: With the revival of Chinese culture, enterprises are increasingly adopting Chinese-style management, particularly emphasizing family culture as an integral part of Chinese identity. This session will present numerous vivid corporate cases, such as selecting the “ideal daughter-in-law” in companies, home visits, implementing employee stock ownership, family letters, filial piety funds, meals for expectant mothers, treating factories as places of learning, and canteens as classrooms. It will illustrate how family culture resonates more deeply with Chinese employees and showcase its remarkable effectiveness in enterprises. In contrast, theories from the West concerning labor relations, employee-organization relationships, and work-family balance are based on a dualistic cultural assumption. Regardless of how they are coordinated or balanced, they remain “two” rather than “one,” leading to theoretical confusion and practical conflicts when applied in the Chinese context.

Keynote Speech

• Case Analysis: Family Culture in Asian Enterprises (e.g., Lee Kum Kee, Haier, Tata Group)
• Cultural Framework: Confucian Values, Collective Responsibility, and Intergenerational Transmission
• Interactive Session
  • Discussion: Balancing Tradition and Innovation in Family Businesses
  • Sharing: Challenges and Experiences in Building Corporate Culture

Topic 2:Lean Management: Successful Cross-Cultural Management Practices of Foreign Enterprises in East Asia

Time: 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Introduction: Lean production is regarded as a highly influential production management model emulated by global manufacturing industries. However, the failure rate of implementing lean production is around 80%. The core issue lies in addressing not only whether employees “can” but also whether they “want” to. After years of exploration, a foreign enterprise has established a new model of Lean Management, which integrates Chinese culture with lean production. This model emphasizes moral development and skill cultivation, driving employee motivation and promoting continuous improvement. Despite undergoing significant changes from American to French ownership and moving operations from mainland China to Vietnam, this model’s universal value is validated, providing a new perspective for shifting enterprises from a technology and system-driven approach to a values-driven approach.

Keynote Speech

• Case Analysis: The Application of Daoist Thought in Lean Production
• Data Support: The Long-Term Benefits of Ethical Leadership in Supply Chain Management
• Interactive Session
  • Role-playing: Decision-making Scenarios for Resolving Cross-Cultural Conflicts
  • Expert Q&A: How to Build Trust with Stakeholders