1、 1 外文翻译 原文 Chinese professional managers and the issue of ethical behaviour Material Source： Ivey Business Journal May/June 2005 Author： Roger Chen and Chia-Pei Chen According to this author, a vicious circle exists in many Chinese organizations: Owners dont trust managers, and in turn, managers tak
2、e actions that benefit themselves but hurt the company. In some cases, managers resort to unethical behaviour voluntarily; in others, they feel forced to do so to protect their careers. In almost all cases, unethical behaviour is rarely punished, which is why foreign companies investing in China sho
3、uld be concerned. In todays booming Chinese economy, more companies are facing the challenge of managing their employees. Labour dispute cases in China increased by nearly 300 per cent between 1990 and 2000, and the number of employees involved in the disputes increased by 91 per cent. Many of these
4、 disputes involved senior management, and some companies suffered losses because of them. A large Chinese home appliance company experienced serious difficulties when an internal power struggle caused its senior sales manager and all of his key subordinates to go to work for a competitor. Similarly,
5、 a Chinese electronics company almost went bankrupt when a senior managing director left the firm to set up his own company and took all of the wholesale customers with him. While he was an employee of the electronics firm, the director had used the power of his position and company resources to bui
6、ld relationships with wholesalers. In addition to walking off with company contacts, many Chinese managers take advantage of their senior positions in an organization to benefit themselves in unethical ways. For example, in Lanzhou, a city in northwest China, a company found that one of its managers
7、 used his senior position and power to transfer company funds to his own account. By the time the company found out, all the funds had already disappeared. Also, it is a well-known fact that senior managers in 2 China use their power to obtain kickbacks and offer bribes, especially when they purchas
8、e materials or products for their companies. There are many social and historical factors that lead business managers in China to exhibit unethical behaviour. This article discusses the problems and the possible solutions. Why does China have an ethical dilemma? Overall business environment In China
9、, the overall business environment is not conducive to ethical conduct, in part because many companies-even large, multinational organizations have not developed clear, ethical standards for their employees to follow. When Lucent Technologies found that managers in its Chinese operations bribed gove
10、rnment officials in order to do business there, the company fired its entire senior management team in China. While this way of doing business may be very common in China, it is illegal in the United States. In China, executives are sometimes even punished for being ethical. In the late90s, a newly
11、hired senior manager in a Chinese pesticide company learned that the firm had made false financial statements to investors. He reported the fraud to investors, who then withdrew their equity and sued the company. In retaliation, the owner of the pesticide firm sued the manager for conspiring with in
12、vestors to sabotage the company. Surprisingly, even the court ruled in favour of the company, and sentenced the manager to a one-year prison term. Trust and power sharing Managers unethical behaviour may lead companies or business owners to distrust their own people. This lack of trust, especially a
13、mong owners of private businesses, causes managers to have a very short-term perspective on their careers. Many private business owners are used to operating their companies with family members, and they find it difficult to trust or share power with externally hired managers. The managing director
14、of a large, well-known Chinese home-appliance firm said that his power was limited, even for specific tasks that were within his area of responsibility: “When I decided to adjust the companys financial budget or to change management teams, I had to receive approval from the board of directors. I spe
15、nt a 3 lot of time dealing with the board members, as they did not trust me and my ability.“ Finally, the manager left the company. The lack of trust and power even causes problems among very senior executives. In 2003, two senior sales and marketing executives left HACI, a privately owned Chinese d
16、rug and health care company, because, as one of them said, “Although I had the highest salary and position in the company, it was hard for me to show my capabilities. The owner of the company had the final say and no one could challenge his decisions even though everyone knew that some of his decisi
17、ons were wrong.“ Problems like this create frustrations for managers that can directly or indirectly contribute to unethical behaviour. On the other hand, some business owners have paid a high price for trusting their managers. The owner of one Chinese household- products firm trusted one of his man
18、agers so much that he gave him enough power to run the company. Subsequently, the manager kept such tight control of the companys financial records that no one not even the owner was able to get a look at them. Then, when the owner forced the manager to agree to an outside financial audit, the manag
19、er tried to purge documents that he didnt want others to see. In the end, the manager left to build his own company. Weak management system in companies Weak management and accounting systems in Chinese companies make it all too easy for managers to engage in unethical and even criminal behaviours:
20、Many companies dont require managers to submit expense receipts with claims for reimbursement; managers may simply submit false receipts when they are required; and spending company money for personal gain is not uncommon. Business owners are also quite willing to take advantage of loopholes in Chin
21、as accounting system and company policies are not effective in preventing this. Bribing government officials with company money is a popular approach in China. The owner of one industrial-products company paid off government members in return for their help in sending business his way. Sometimes the
22、 bribes took the form of free drinks or dinner, all paid for with company money. The management system in this company was so weak and full of holes that the managers, too, were getting away with unethical behaviour. Weak legal systems 4 The legal system in China actually contributes to the countrys
23、 ethical dilemma because it does little to protect employment contracts or settle labour disputes. Employment contracts do exist, but they are rarely enforced. If companies are not satisfied with their managers, the owners may simply dismiss them, even if the dismissal violates employee contracts. C
24、hinese business owners, managers and employees often do not seek legal protection over labour disputes because they are not used to the legal system, and do not have confidence in its integrity or fairness. Those who do use legal channels to resolve an employment dispute are likely to receive only s
25、mall compensation. As a result, perpetrators face little legal risk for engaging in unethical and illegal business behaviours. Short-term personal gain is a priority for many managers because they can be terminated at will, with little legal consequence. One wholesale department store in China disco
26、vered that many of its managers were using the companys sales channels to sell their own products, which dramatically increased company costs. Whats more, the managers neglected their jobs to promote their own products. In the end, the company was forced to file for bankruptcy. Other factors As Chin
27、as economy booms, business managers are eager to advance their careers and share in the wealth. In 2001 a survey of business managers in five major Chinese cities found that close to 40 per cent were not satisfied with the career opportunities provided by their companies; about the same number were
28、not happy with their living and career conditions (see Table 1). With such a high rate of dissatisfaction, it is not surprising to find unethical behaviour among Chinese business managers. In China, it is also far too easy for managers to hide past transgressions when they are changing jobs, because
29、 employee referral and background checking systems are ineffective. Chinese companies often do not have reliable sources to check the background of management candidates, so managers engaging in unethical behaviour are actually risking little. Table 1 Survey of Satisfaction Levels Among Chinese Mana
30、gers (conducted by China Human Resource and Development Organization, 2001) 5 City Monthly Income Dissatisfied with Career-Development Opportunities Turnover Rate Dissatisfied with Overall Living and Career Development Conditions Beijing 7022.73 45% 24% 53% Shanghai 7612.90 34% 9% 72% Shenzhen 7343.
31、51 34% 4% 96% Guangzhou 7111.11 37% 26% 80% Source: http:/ Solutions and suggestions The ethical issues facing Chinese companies cant be solved overnight, but here are some recommendations for getting started. Promote an ethical culture Companies such as Huawei Technologies Co., a well-known Chinese
32、 IT company, are strengthening management ethics through education and culture change. In 1997, Huawei developed ethical behaviour standards for employees and the company; it educated employees about the new rules, and included ethical behaviour in employee evaluations. Companies may also recruit ma
33、nagers whose values and personal goals are similar to those of the organization, as well as encourage their managers to identify with the companys goals. This helps managers to feel comfortable about the company and stay with the firm longer. With a long-term view, managers are less likely to engage
34、 in unethical behaviour. Mutual trust and career opportunities for managers When managers trust the companys owners, they are more inclined to be loyal to the organization. The family-owned Vanward Company, a manufacturer and exporter of gas and electric appliances in China, is a good example. In th
35、e beginning, the founders managed the company by themselves, but the organization grew to a 6 point where they needed to hire managers externally. In 2003, Vanwards owners hired three MBA students and gave them full responsibility for managing the companys operations, sales and human resources depar
36、tments. While they werent getting paid as much as some of their classmates, the new hires were committed to the company due to the owners trust in them and the great growth potential of the firm. Macro Link Ltd., a diversified conglomerate in China, credits its strong ethical performance to a focus
37、on professional training and development. The CEO frequently invites business experts and professors to facilitate professional development workshops for employees, and managers are given opportunities to discuss ethical and career issues with their colleagues. These open discussions help managers t
38、o clarify how ethics relate to their jobs, and supports career and skills development. Reward and punishment system The reward and punishment system is another effective tool for managing unethical behaviour. One large Chinese IT company developed a dividend- sharing system that gives employees 60 p
39、er cent of dividends. Financial incentives are a great motivator and also help to build long-term commitment to the company. China International Marine Containers (Group) Co. follows a strict, merit-based reward system-managers know they will be rewarded if they do well, so they are willing to work
40、hard for the company. This system is very open and clear, and provides a fair measure of a managers performance, which reduces the possibility of unethical behaviour. Some companies have new managers sign detailed employment contracts that stipulate ethical behaviour guidelines. If a manager breache
41、s the contract, he faces the risk of criminal prosecution and financial consequences. Sina, a Chinese web- portal company, uses employment contracts: When the company hired a new CEO, he was asked to sign a 300-page employment contract. Although enforcing employment contracts is not always easy, cle
42、ar and detailed contracts help companies minimize unethical behaviour. Other suggestions The Chinese Professional Manager Association offers a certificate program for managers called the International Professional Manager Program, which includes training workshops in business ethics. Graduates recei
43、ve a certificate that serves as a 7 formal referral or license when they are job hunting. Although China does not have a well-established network to check the background of professional managers, companies should actively use various formal and informal networks, such as social contacts or the local
44、 chamber of commerce. In this manner, companies can share information that will help to control unethical behaviour. Many labour disputes in China stem from the high probability that managers will behave unethically. This sets up a vicious circle: Owners dont trust managers; managers, in turn, take
45、actions to benefit themselves and protect their future, which can hurt the company. Though it is difficult to solve these problems overnight, companies in China need to pay attention to the issues and find solutions to minimize or prevent the problems. Although such problems are more common and seri
46、ous among Chinese firms in the country, foreign companies investing in China also need to be concerned. 译文 中国职业经理人道德行为问题 资料来源：艾维商业杂志 2005 年 5/6 月 作者： 罗杰陈和陈 嘉珮 根据作者调查，恶性循环存在于中国许多机构中： 业主不相信 经理人 ,反过来 ,管理者也常做一些有利于自己但同时 却影响公司 的行为 。 在某些情况下 ,经理人采取不道德的行为自愿原则； 在另外 情况下 ,他们 觉得只有 不得不这样做 才能来保护他们的职业生涯。几乎在所有的案例中 ,
47、这些 不道德的行为很少受到惩罚 ,这就是为什么国外公司在中国 进行的 投资应该 受到 关注。 在如今中国繁荣的经济下 ,更多的公司 正 面临 着一个挑战，那就是如何 管理他们自己的员工。 在中国劳动争议案件的人数 从 1990 年到 2000 年间 增加了近百分之三百 ,员工参与纠纷 的 数量 增加了 91 个百分点。 许多这些有关的争议所遭受 的 损失 都是因为 一些公司高级管理人员的缘故。中国 一家 大型家电公司 曾经经历过 严重困难的内部权力斗争 ，那就是公司的 高级销售经理和他的全部 得力 下属 都 去 为自己的 竞争对手 公司工作 。 同样地 ,中国 的一家 电子公司 的 一名高级总
48、经理 在 离开公司 的同时带走了 所有 批发客户的资料并 组建 了另外一家 公司 ，那 几乎 使这家电子公司 破产 。由于他是电子公司的员工 ,他就能利用自己 的8 地位 权利 和公司的资源 与 批发商 们 之间建立联系。 除了在离开公司时带走公司的重要信息外 ,许多中国的管理者们利用他们的高级职位 之便用 不道 德的方式 使自己在 组织 里 受益。例如 ,在中国西北 的 城市兰州 的一个 公司发现 ,它的一个经理 利 用他的高级职位和 权利将 公司 的 资金 注入到 自己的帐户 里 。 待 公司发现 之后 ,公司的 所有资金已经 都 消失了。中国的高级管理人员利用他们的 权利 来获得回扣并提
49、供贿赂 ，这已经 是一个家喻户晓的事实 ， 特别是当他们 在为 企业购买材料或产品中。 有许多的社会历史因素导致公司管理者在中国出现不道德的行为。本文意在讨论这些问题和可能的解决方案。 为什么中国会有道德困境？ 整体商业环境 在中国 ,整个 商业 环境不利于道德的行为 ,部分是因为 许多公司即使是大型跨 国组织也都在一定程度上对 其雇员应 遵循的 道德标准 规定得不明确。当朗讯科技发现其在中国的业务经理为了在那里做生意而贿赂当地政府官员后 ,公司解雇了在中国的整个高级管理团队。也许这样做生意的方式在中国可能是非常普遍的 ,但 在美国 这种行为却 是违法的 。 在中国 ,高管们有时甚至 因为做了合乎道德的事而被 惩罚。 在 90 年代末 ，有一个 中国农药公司新雇的高级管理人员 ,他 了解到 对 投资者 而言的一份 公司财务报表是假的。 于是他告知投资者公司的欺骗行为 ,投资者于是撤回了自己的股权并起诉了该公司。 为了报复 ,农药公司 的 业主控告 该 经理勾结投资者破坏公司。 令人吃惊的是 ,即便是法院 也 支持公司 的控告 , 该 经理被判一年 有期 徒刑 。 信任
