Benefits of Hong Kong Chinese CEOs' Confucian and Daoist leadership styles

Abstract

Purpose

Because of the paucity of information about what and how Chinese leadership styles contribute to organizational success, this study aims to elucidate Chinese leadership styles with reference to Confucian and Daoist schemata, relate them to organizational success, and explicate the relationships by exploring a grounded theory.

Design/methodology/approach

To obtain such knowledge, this study applies a grounded theory approach to analyzing interview data from 11 Hong Kong Chinese CEOs.

Findings

Results delineated the Chinese leadership styles based on relationship building, virtuous practice, hierarchical and centralized organization, and humility and self‐effacement. These practices were conducive to trust, cooperation, competence, and other achievements in the staff. The contributions of the Chinese leadership styles tend to reflect a security theory in that sustaining followers' security appears to mediate leadership practices and their outcomes.

Originality/value

Because the tradition of Confucian and Daoist teachings can be a basis for successful Chinese leadership styles, the teachings can still be valuable for leadership development today.

Citation

Cheung, C. and Chi‐fai Chan, A. (2008), "Benefits of Hong Kong Chinese CEOs' Confucian and Daoist leadership styles", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 29 No. 6, pp. 474-503. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730810894159