IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v126y2015i4p613-630.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Role of Qing (Positive Emotions) and Li 1 (Rationality) in Chinese Entrepreneurial Decision Making: A Confucian Ren-Yi Wisdom Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Yunxia Zhu

Abstract

The intellectual debates on wise entrepreneurship behavior such as decision making tend to focus on the relationship between economic rationality and morality, while overlooking the important role affect plays. To fill in this gap, this paper proposes a theoretical framework based on the Confucian concepts of ren (love and compassion) and yi (righteousness or rightness) and studies their practical manifestation in qing (positive emotions) and li 1 (rationality) for decision making. Drawing from 32 in-depth interviews and 52 vignettes with Chinese SME entrepreneurs, this study has found that qing (emotions) plays an essential role in decision making. Chinese entrepreneurs had to deal with the dilemma relating to qing (positive emotions) and li 1 (rationality) holistically to reach a balanced outcome in their everyday business practices. As a major contribution, this study extends the study of Confucian ethics by highlighting ren-yi as an important perspective for understanding Chinese entrepreneurial decision making and also for promoting the affective dimensions for entrepreneurial ethical decision making in general. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Yunxia Zhu, 2015. "The Role of Qing (Positive Emotions) and Li 1 (Rationality) in Chinese Entrepreneurial Decision Making: A Confucian Ren-Yi Wisdom Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(4), pages 613-630, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:126:y:2015:i:4:p:613-630
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-1970-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10551-013-1970-1
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-013-1970-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiao-Ping Chen & Chao C. Chen, 2004. "On the Intricacies of the Chinese Guanxi: A Process Model of Guanxi Development," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 305-324, September.
    2. Pamela S. Tolbert & Robert J. David & Wesley D. Sine, 2011. "Studying Choice and Change: The Intersection of Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1332-1344, October.
    3. Fletcher, Denise, 2007. "`Toy Story': The narrative world of entrepreneurship and the creation of interpretive communities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 649-672, September.
    4. Po Ip, 2009. "Is Confucianism Good for Business Ethics in China?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 463-476, September.
    5. Sheila M. Puffer & Daniel J. McCarthy & Max Boisot, 2010. "Entrepreneurship in Russia and China: The Impact of Formal Institutional Voids," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 441-467, May.
    6. McVea, John F., 2009. "A field study of entrepreneurial decision-making and moral imagination," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 491-504, September.
    7. Laura Dunham, 2010. "From Rational to Wise Action: Recasting Our Theories of Entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(4), pages 513-530, April.
    8. Gartner, William B., 2007. "Entrepreneurial narrative and a science of the imagination," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 613-627, September.
    9. Baumol, William J., 1996. "Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive, and destructive," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 3-22, January.
    10. Jesper B. Sørensen & Magali A. Fassiotto, 2011. "Organizations as Fonts of Entrepreneurship," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1322-1331, October.
    11. David Ahlstrom & Garry D. Bruton, 2002. "An Institutional Perspective on the Role of Culture in Shaping Strategic Actions by Technology-Focused Entrepreneurial Firms in China," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 26(4), pages 53-68, July.
    12. R. Marshall, 2011. "Conceptualizing the International For-Profit Social Entrepreneur," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 98(2), pages 183-198, January.
    13. Solomon, Robert C., 1998. "The Moral Psychology of Business: Care and Compassion in the Corporation," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 515-533, July.
    14. Denise E. Fletcher, 2006. "Entrepreneurial processes and the social construction of opportunity," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(5), pages 421-440, September.
    15. Yunxia Zhu, 2009. "Confucian Ethics Exhibited in the Discourse of Chinese Business and Marketing Communication," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 517-528, October.
    16. John E Young & Janice Baker Corzine, 2004. "The Sage Entrepreneur: A Review Of Traditional Confucian Practices Applied To Contemporary Entrepreneurship," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(01), pages 79-104.
    17. Hood, Jacqueline N. & Young, John E., 1993. "Entrepreneurship's requisite areas of development: A survey of top executives in successful entrepreneurial firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 115-135, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pierluigi Santosuosso, 2016. "How Codes of Ethics Deal with Fear in the Workplace," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(11), pages 29-37, November.
    2. Yunxia Zhu & Alison M. Konrad & Hao Jiao, 2016. "Violation and activation of gender expectations: Do Chinese managerial women face a narrow band of acceptable career guanxi strategies?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 53-86, March.
    3. Thushini S. Jayawardena-Willis & Edwina Pio & Peter McGhee, 2021. "The Divine States (brahmaviharas) in Managerial Ethical Decision-Making in Organisations in Sri Lanka: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 151-171, January.
    4. Irene Chu & Mai Chi Vu, 2022. "The Nature of the Self, Self-regulation and Moral Action: Implications from the Confucian Relational Self and Buddhist Non-self," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 245-262, September.
    5. Deqiang Deng & Chenchen Ye & Fan Wu & Yijing Guo & Hao Li & Changsheng Wang, 2023. "Effect of organizational ethical self-interest climate on unethical accounting behaviour with two different motivations in China: the moderating effect of Confucian ShiZhong Thinking," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Ming Kong & Jie Xin & Wenxiao Xu & Haonan Li & Dandan Xu, 2022. "The moral licensing effect between work effort and unethical pro-organizational behavior: The moderating influence of Confucian value," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 515-537, June.
    7. Kong, Xiaoran & Zhang, Xueying & Yan, Cheng & Ho, Kung-Cheng, 2022. "China's historical imperial examination system and corporate social responsibility," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    8. Li Yuan & Robert Chia & Jonathan Gosling, 2023. "Confucian Virtue Ethics and Ethical Leadership in Modern China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(1), pages 119-133, January.
    9. Hongguo Wei & Yunxia Zhu & Shaobing Li, 2016. "Top executive leaders’ compassionate actions: An integrative framework of compassion incorporating a confucian perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 767-787, September.
    10. Irene Chu & Geoff Moore, 2020. "From Harmony to Conflict: MacIntyrean Virtue Ethics in a Confucian Tradition," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(2), pages 221-239, August.
    11. Vallaster, Christine & Kraus, Sascha & Merigó Lindahl, José M. & Nielsen, Annika, 2019. "Ethics and entrepreneurship: A bibliometric study and literature review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 226-237.
    12. Yue Yuan & Qi Zhang & Mengxi Yang, 2023. "Such a high cost: the positive effect of leader humor on employee incivility via psychological safety," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(2), pages 529-548, April.
    13. Kong, Xiaoran & Xu, Siping & Liu, Ming-Yu & Ho, Kung-Cheng, 2023. "Confucianism and D&O insurance demand of Chinese listed companies," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Yanyan Chen & Dirk C. Moosmayer, 2020. "When Guilt is Not Enough: Interdependent Self-Construal as Moderator of the Relationship Between Guilt and Ethical Consumption in a Confucian Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 551-572, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hongguo Wei & Yunxia Zhu & Shaobing Li, 2016. "Top executive leaders’ compassionate actions: An integrative framework of compassion incorporating a confucian perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 767-787, September.
    2. Fadil Sahiti, 2021. "Institutions and entrepreneurial activity: a comparative analysis of Kosovo and other economies," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(1), pages 98-119, February.
    3. Karen Jones & Jonathan Clifton, 2018. "Rendering sexism invisible in workplace narratives. A narrative analysis of female entrepreneurs’ stories of not being talked to by men," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5), pages 557-574, September.
    4. Junzhe Ji & Pavlos Dimitratos & Qingan Huang & Taoyong Su, 2019. "Everyday-Life Business Deviance Among Chinese SME Owners," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(4), pages 1179-1194, April.
    5. Williams Nick & Radevic Dragana & Gherhes Cristian & Vorley Tim, 2017. "The nature of corruption affecting entrepreneurship in transition economies: Some lessons from Montenegro," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 12(2), pages 20-34, December.
    6. Martin Obschonka & Mingjie Zhou & Yixin Zhou & Jianxin Zhang & Rainer K. Silbereisen, 2019. "“Confucian” traits, entrepreneurial personality, and entrepreneurship in China: a regional analysis," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 961-979, December.
    7. Elert, Niklas & Stam, Erik & Stenkula, Mikael, 2019. "Intrapreneurship and Trust," Working Paper Series 1280, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    8. Erik Lundmark & Anna Krzeminska & Dean A. Shepherd, 2019. "Images of Entrepreneurship: Exploring Root Metaphors and Expanding Upon Them," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 138-170, January.
    9. Harris, Jared D. & Sapienza, Harry J. & Bowie, Norman E., 2009. "Ethics and entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 407-418, September.
    10. Daniel Hjorth & Bengt Johannisson, 2008. "Building new roads for entrepreneurship research to travel by: on the work of William B. Gartner," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 341-350, December.
    11. Boudreaux, Christopher, 2019. "Do private enterprises outperform state enterprises in an emerging market? The importance of institutional context in entrepreneurship," MPRA Paper 93039, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Christopher Boudreaux, 2019. "When does privatization spur entrepreneurial performance? The moderating effect of institutional quality in an emerging market," Papers 1901.03356, arXiv.org.
    13. Sophie Bacq & Chantal Hartog & Brigitte Hoogendoorn, 2016. "Beyond the Moral Portrayal of Social Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Approach to Who They Are and What Drives Them," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(4), pages 703-718, February.
    14. Dominic S.K. Lim & Eric A. Morse & Ronald K. Mitchell & Kristie K. Seawright, 2010. "Institutional Environment and Entrepreneurial Cognitions: A Comparative Business Systems Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 491-516, May.
    15. Vershinina, Natalia & Rodgers, Peter & Tarba, Shlomo & Khan, Zaheer & Stokes, Peter, 2020. "Gaining legitimacy through proactive stakeholder management: The experiences of high-tech women entrepreneurs in Russia," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 111-121.
    16. Xingqiang Du, 2015. "Does Confucianism Reduce Minority Shareholder Expropriation? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(4), pages 661-716, December.
    17. Colin C. Williams & Abbi M. Kedir, 2017. "Starting-up unregistered and firm performance in Turkey," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 797-817, September.
    18. Canfei He & Jiangyong Lu & Haifeng Qian, 2019. "Entrepreneurship in China," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 563-572, March.
    19. Friederike Welter, 2011. "Contextualizing Entrepreneurship—Conceptual Challenges and Ways Forward," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(1), pages 165-184, January.
    20. Abela, Andrew V., 2014. "Appealing to the imagination: Effective and ethical marketing of religion," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 50-58.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:126:y:2015:i:4:p:613-630. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.