Abstract:The physiological system of Taoism has conceived rich and profound managerial wisdom, which has a long-lasting impact on modern corporate management. Though Lao Tzu never stated any solid guidelines for corporate management, we are thus given plenty of space to consider how to integrate the core spirits of Taoism into modern corporate facilitation while blending the western and eastern culture so that the nutritious essences are kept, yet the bad are discarded. Despite the fact that various translated versions of this classic text exists world widely, successful and lively applications of this practical philosophy are practiced by people from both home and abroad. It is not uncommon to see Taoism has been exploited to the greatest extent, be it in whatever field or at whichever level. However, when it comes to the serious study of the relationships between Taoism and company management, few articles provide illuminating comparisons, which though promotes the corporate development significantly; the lack of dimensional research into the core idea of Taoism is also quite obvious. The previous study put surplus attention on the theoretical explanations of management and leadership. Now this thesis is intended to study the well-known concepts that foster a prosper corporate development through the Taoist lens, in particular through the perspective enshrined in the famous yin-yang symbol and non-action (wu wei) theory. Since Tao is served as a fundamental Law of Nature, it is natural to find Taoist principles operating within, or at least behind the phenomenon and theories presented in the field of Leadership and Management in business world. The general principles of yin-yang balance and non-action as the essential dynamic for performance and harmony in a wide variety of contexts are studied.
Key words: Tao, Yin-yang, Non-action, Corporate, Management
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction-1
Chapter 2 Different Approaches to Taoism-2
2.1 Yinyang Approaches to Taoism-3
2.1.1 Yinyang Balance Theory-3
2.1.2 The Five Elements(metal,wood,water,fire,earth) Theory-3
2.1.3 “Water” Theory-3
2.2 The Wu-wei Approach to Taoism-3
2.2.1 The Casual Nature of Wu-wei-3
2.2.2 The Way to Perceive the World:Ziran-4
Chapter3 The Yin-yang Theory in Managerial Leadership-6
3.1 The Blend-in Yin-yang in Corporate Development-7
3.2 The Yin-yang Balance-8
3.2.1 Analysis of the Gender Distribution in Company-8
3.2.1 Dynamic Balance of Yin-yang-9
3.3 The Wise Mixture of yin-yang in Corporate Mangement-9
3.3.1 The Balance of Agressiveness and Introversion-10
3.3.2 The Application of The Flexible“Water” Theory-10
Chapter 4The Wu-wei Theory in Managerial Leadership-11
4.1 Core Idea of Wu-wei-11
4.2 Mistaken Understandings on Wu-wei -12
4.2.1 Key Features of Wu-wei-12
4.2.2 How is Wu-wei and Ziran Applied in Corporate Management-14
Chapter 5 Conclusions-16
References-17
Acknowledgements-17
