Company Culture A Challenge for China

To reach its economic goals China will have to transform its business company culture, says Cornerstone International Group. Continue reading →

Jun 17, 2014 /prREACH/ -- BEIJING CHINA - June 17, 2014 - To reach its economic goals China will have to transform its business company culture, says Laurie O'Donnell of Cornerstone International Group.

China's advancement in the last few decades is unprecedented in history and is expected to continue. The government's stated goals are to double both the 2010 GDP and per capita income by 2020.

Writing in the Cornerstone International Group website, O'Donnell says modifying company culture is a key challenge that will have to be overcome to realize these goals.

"Policy makers and government initiatives are driving this change," says O'Donnell, managing director of the Cornerstone International Group office here. "Business is operating in a constantly changing landscape and both organization and employees have to adapt to dynamic change."

One of the biggest changes, she says, will be in corporate culture. In most advanced societies, company culture has been recognized as a catalyst for sustainable growth and efficiency. At its best, it is a participatory process where leaders and the led share the desire for excellence.

"This is quite a recent evolution here," says O'Donnell. "China's social structures and its business organization are historically directive. I believe it is imperative that China's business leaders embrace the concepts of an inclusive company culture and it will take real courage to lead this change at the rate required to achieve these goals."

O'Donnell's article first appeared in Eurobiz magazine. She describes company culture as the shared values and practices of a company's employees. It is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that play a significant role in determining whether an organisation is prepared for sustained growth and the required adaptability.

AUTHOR Laurie O'Donnell is the Managing Director of Cornerstone International Group (www.cornerstone-group.com) and she is also an ICF certified coach (International Coaching Federation).

ABOUT Cornerstone International Group is a world leading organization of retained executive search and recruiting specialists. Members are equity owners of their firms who share business and best practices, giving clients reliable and personal access to highly qualified service both locally and in over 70 locations around the world. Cornerstone maintains head offices in Shanghai, China and in Atlanta, USA and is a member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC), the official body representing retained executive search consulting firms worldwide.