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Daoism and Ethics in Management

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Handbook of Philosophy of Management

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

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Abstract

We argue that apart from ethics derived from Judeo-Christian traditions, Chinese philosophy – notably Daoism – can also be a repository of ethical considerations that could facilitate the implementation of good business practice. Daoism is concerned with the individual and the relationship with nature and the cosmos. This school of thought emphasizes natural virtues, such as generosity, kindness, and humbleness, as well as the reflecting and realizing of one’s own natural self. As will be illustrated in this chapter, Daoist values can be applied on the individual level for the purpose of self-realization, self-management, and good leadership practices but also on the corporate level, for a positive corporate culture and a productive organizational environment.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Others claim, Haier also draws on the wolf metaphor that stresses rivalries, especially in the context of foreign competitors (Chen 2014; Corporate Rebels 2018).

  2. 2.

    The idea that the Chinese often combine various Chinese philosophies is reflected in the saying wai ru nei dao 外儒内道 (which means Confucian/social on the outside, Daoist/quietism on the inside) (Hansen 2007).

  3. 3.

    Bai and Roberts (2011), for instance, derive this fluidity between roles from the yin-yang alternation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southeast University, Nanjing, China

    Alicia Hennig

  2. China Centre Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Matthias Niedenführ

Authors
  1. Alicia Hennig
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  2. Matthias Niedenführ
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alicia Hennig .

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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Hennig, A., Niedenführ, M. (2020). Daoism 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_14-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48352-8_14-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48352-8

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