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Confucianism and Ethics in Management

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Handbook of Philosophy of Management

Part of the book series: Handbooks in Philosophy ((HP))

Abstract

We argue that, apart from ethics derived from Judeo-Christian traditions, Chinese philosophy – notably Confucianism – can also be a repository of ethical considerations that could facilitate the implementation of good business practice. Confucianism, with its many forms during Chinese history, is preoccupied with human relationships and the way virtues such as benevolence, righteousness, and reciprocity can be beneficial to a harmonious society. Life-long learning and a constant process of self-reflection are emphasized for leaders, who lead by moral example. The application of Confucian values and virtues to management is focused on doing business in an ethical way, that is, reconciling profits with ethics in the concept of the “honorable merchant.”

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. China Centre Tuebingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Matthias Niedenführ

  2. Southeast University, Nanjing, China

    Alicia Hennig

Authors
  1. Matthias Niedenführ
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  2. Alicia Hennig
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthias Niedenführ .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Cristina Neesham

  2. Graduate School of Management, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Steven Segal

Section Editor information

  1. Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK

    Cristina Neesham

  2. University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia

    Rob Macklin

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Niedenführ, M., Hennig, A. (2020). Confucianism and Ethics in Management. In: Neesham, C., Segal, S. (eds) Handbook of Philosophy of Management. Handbooks in Philosophy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48352-8_48-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48352-8_48-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48352-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48352-8

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