Calls for papers

 

European Journal of International Management

 

Special Issue on: "Confucian/Chopsticks Management: Are Western Business Practices Imbued with Eastern Concepts?"

Guest Editors:
Prof. Kim-Shyan Fam, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand/Jilin University of Finance and Economics, China
Dr. Matevz Raskovic, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Confucian philosophy has had a profound impact on other East Asian societies beyond mainland China (Sardy et al., 2010). Confucian influence is not only historic, but continues today (Jenco, 2013; Alon, 2003; Tu, 1996). Largely found in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other East Asian societies, chopsticks are held between the thumb and fingers for eating from common plates. According to Confucius, knives were for warriors, but chopsticks were for scholars. No matter how well-crafted and aesthetically pleasing, a chopstick by itself is a meaningless and functionless stick. However, when joined together to form a “relationships”, chopsticks become a well refined instrument. Fam et al. (2009) have asserted that, analogous to the intricacy of eating with chopsticks, the effective marketing and advertising practices with East Asian consumers entail identifying and understanding of local customs, traditions, values, and consumer behaviour to create meaningful relationships. The chopsticks analogy also illustrates the issue of understanding “local culture and context” and the predominant role of Confucian philosophy within the paradoxical nature of East Asian culture (Faure & Fang, 2008). Most importantly, a deep appreciation of local cultural values is the key to Confucian/Chopsticks marketing, which we believe can also be extended to general international management and business practices of European firms doing business in Asia. The purpose of this special issue of European Journal of International Management is to re-visit Confucian cultural values and examine their global relevance for contemporary business practices in the context of European business and in particular international management (either in Asia, or elsewhere). Both empirical and theoretical papers are welcomed, as is rigorous comparative work with sound theory. Please refer to the following articles motivating this call:

• Fam, S. K.., Yang, Z. & Hyman, M. (2009). Confucian/Chopsticks Marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 88: 393-397.
• Sardy, M., Munoz, J. M., Jianmin Sun, J. & Alon, I. (2010). Dimensionality of business ethics in China. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 20: 6-30.
• Hill, J. S. (2006). Confucianism and the Art of Chinese Management. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 1: 1-9.
• Hofstede, G. (2007). Asian management in the 21st century. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 24: 411-420.

Subject Coverage
Suitable topics include, but are not limited, to the following:

• How strong are Confucian values present in business relationships and management across specific East Asian countries? How strong are the commonalities and differences?
• How does Confucian philosophy influence the way of business today in Asia and how can it be integrated into international management beyond Asia (with all its inherent paradoxes)?
• How does the influence of Confucian values on business relationships and management practices change in light of the accelerated flows of ideologies, technology, and people, where global managers exhibit a high degree of inner differentiation, complexity, and interconnectedness?
• How and where can European firms incorporate Confucian values and ideals in their business both in Europe, East Asia, and other international markets?
• What priority should European global firms place on Confucian values in developing their business relationships in East Asia and beyond?
• Does Confucian thought transcend the boarders of East Asia, finding new relevance for business relationship building in other parts of the world, like in Europe?
• To what extent do local customs, traditions, values, and religious belief influence global management's engagements, relationship buildings, and negotiations?

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. (N.B. Conference papers may only be submitted if the paper has been completely re-written and if appropriate written permissions have been obtained from any copyright holders of the original paper).

All papers are refereed through a peer review process.

All papers must be submitted online. To submit a paper, please read our Submitting articles page.

Enquires made out to: kimfam88@gmail.com and matevz.raskovic@vuw.ac.nz

Important Dates

Manuscripts due by: 1 March, 2019

 

References and key literature

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Davies, H. & Raskovic, M. (2017). Understanding a Changing China: Key Issues for Business. London/Singapore: Routledge.
Deng, S., Wang, X., & Alon, I. (2010). Framework for female entrepreneurship in China. International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 3: 3-20.
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Fam, K-S., Yang, Z. & Hyman, M. (2009). Confucian/Chopsticks Marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 88: 393-397.
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Faure, G. O. & Fang, T. (2011). Changing Chinese Values: Keeping up with the Paradoxes. International Business Review, 17: 194-207.
Gong, Y. & Jang, W. (1998). Culture and development: reassessing cultural explanations on Asian economic development. Development and Society, 27: 77-97. 
Harper, T. N. (1997). ‘Asian values’ and Southeast Asian histories. The Historical Journal, 40: 507-517.
Hill, J. S. (2006). Confucianism and the Art of Chinese Management. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 1: 1-9.
Hofstede, G. (2007). Asian management in the 21st century. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 24: 411-420.
Hyun, K. J. (2001). Sociocultural change and traditional values: Confucian values among Koreans and Korean Americans. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 25: 203-229.
Jenco, L. (2013). Revisiting Asian values. Journal of the history of ideas, 74: 237-258.
Kase, K., Slocum, A. & Zhang, Y. Y. (2013). Asian versus Western Management Thinking: Its Culture-Bound Nature. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Kim, S. Y. (2010). Do Asian Values Exist? Empirical Tests of the Four Dimensions of Asian Values. Journal of East Asian Studies, 10: 315-344.
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Raskovic, M., Ding, Z., Skare, V., Ozretic-Dosen, Ð. & Zabkar, V. (2016). Comparing consumer innovativeness and ethnocentrism of young-adult consumers. Journal of Business Research, 69, 3682-3686.
Seo, Y. & Fam, K-S. (2015). Researching Asian consumer culture in the global marketplace. Qualitative Market Research: An international Journal, 18, 386-390.
Tu, W. M. (1984). Confucian ethics today: The Singapore challenge. Singapore: Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore.
Tu, W. M. (1996). Confucian traditions in East Asian modernity. Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 50: 12-39.
Yao, X. (2000). An introduction to Confucianism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.