Zhang Guoyou

Zhang Guoyou, Ph. D. Economics of Peking University, former Vice President of Peking University, is a Professor in the Department of Strategic Management, Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Vice Chairman of University Council of Peking University, and Director of the International Business Management Institute of Peking University. He has been engaged in the studies ofissues of strategies and mechanism of growing enterprises, and has published many books and articles which have won him numerous honors and awards. He has also held concurrent posts such as Vice Chairman of Association for Yan Huang Culture of China, the Vice Chairman of China Enterprise Confederation, Vice Chairman of the Institute of China Enterprise Management,Vice Chairman of the Pacific Studies of China, and Vice Chairman of the Beijing Federation of Social Sciences, etc.

On China's Management Philosophy of "Harmony with Difference" and"Discontent with Uniformity"

"Harmony with Difference" and "Discontent with Uniformity" are two phrases from the chapter of Zi Lu in the book of "Quotations of Confucius". Although the meanings of these two phrases are quite clear on surface, but there are a variety ofinterpretations and applications about both. In the field of management study, we will take out the essence of these two phrases and use it to analyze two traditional views of enterprise management philosophy.

One tradition is to emphasize uniformity within the organization. The thoughts of all individuals within an enterprise must confirm to that of the key decision-maker. Although the peers and subordinates are allowed to express their views, but those views must be consistent with that of the decision maker, otherwise, they will face pressure or be put on the sidelines. Of course, there are two different ways of exercise: the first one is that when the decision has already been made and the objective is clear, it will not be tolerated for each individual to act on his own will in order to achieve management efficiency. In this way, it is necessary to ask each individual to comply with the common goal of the enterprise. Despite there are altemative courses of action to achieve the firm's objectives, all the actions must follow the indicated lines. The second one is to the course of action will be chosen follows the will of the key decision maker without careful deliberation of all possibilities. Any individuals with different opinion will be criticized or even penalized for "lack of overall view". In both of these cases, it looks like uniformity is achieved on surface only, but the conflicts remain, the apparent harmony disguises disaccord in the hearts of different individuals. Adoption of the mechanism of selecting only those with the same viewpoints and the culture of uniformity without harmony will undermine an enterprise and endanger it with unobservable problems in the future.
Alternative tradition is to emphasize "contention". A key decision maker in an enterprise encourages his peers and subordinates to express their own opinions freely. The consensus is achieved after much debate and arguing. The consensus is not "uniformity", instead it is built up on the combination of collective wisdoms so to discover those blind points, those participated in the debate can also leam what they may not know before. The consensus built up on sensibility instead of uniformity can cover goals of the enterprise, development concepts and path to move forward.

In this way, it does not look like uniformity, but achieve the consensus and progress of different degrees for all the parties involved. It reduces the potential risks in the development process because it incorporates different views from different perspectives and alleviates different concerns. The management in such way can achieve legitimacy, rationality and harmony. If an enterprise can develop the mechanism of "seeking general consensus while letting differences remain" it can eventually build up the culture of "harmony with difference". So we promote the culture and tradition of "harmony with difference". If an enterprise can follow the philosophy of "harmony with difference", delineate clearly the rules based on that principle, educate managers and employees based on those rules, and eventually develop such a culture, that enterprise will have an enduring dynamics and long-lasting establishment.

张国有

北京大学经济学博士，北京大学光华管理学院战略管理系教授，北京大学校务委员会副主任。北京大学国际经营管理研究所所长。曾任北京大学副校长等职。主要从事企业成长中的战略与机制问题的研究。出版著作多部，多次获奖。现在还担任中华炎黄文化研究会副会长、中国企业联合会副会长、中国企业管理研究会副会长、中国太平洋学会副主席、北京市社会科学界联合会副主席等。

中国“和而不同”与“同而不和”的管理文化

“和而不同”与“同而不和”两句出自《论语》“子路”篇的“君子和而不同，小人同而不和”的句子。其句虽有其原意，但对原意的理解和应用却是多种多样。在管理领域，我们取其“求同存异”和“存同去异”的意思，来分析企业管理的两种传统。

一种传统是强调“一致”。按照企业决策者的意愿必须统一思想，虽也容许同仁和下属发表见解，但一定要符合决策者的意愿，否则会受到打压或排挤。当然，这里分两种状态：一是决策之后，目标明确，为了取得管理效率，不能各行其是，强调“一致”，这对于实现企业目标是必要的。但实现目标的方式灵活多样，在“一致”思想的要求下，方式方法也只能按规定样式进行。二是决策之前，各种可能都有，但根据决策者的意愿只能有一种选择，不能有其他考虑，否则，就会以“不顾大局”受到批评或处罚。上述两种状态，表面上统一，实际上矛盾并没有解决，此为“面和心不和”。如果形成“存同去异”的机制与“同而不和”的文化，就会使企业处于越来越多的隐患之中。

另一种传统是强调“争鸣”。在管理问题上，企业决策者鼓励同仁和下属各抒己见，经过争论，形成共识。这个共识，不是“一致”，而是各自“取人长，补己短”，获得各自需要的知识和方法。无论涉及企业目标、发展理念，或是发展方式，都鼓励各抒己见。终了达成的不是“一致”，而是“合理”的共识。这样，看起来不是“整齐、划一”，但确实引起了各方面不同程度的共识和进步。由于不同的见解顾及到了不同方面的问题，总体上减少了企业发展的隐患。企业管理在矛盾中，在各方争鸣中达成合理、和解、和谐。如果能形成这样的“求同存异”机制，或者形成“求大同存小异”的机制，就会逐渐铸就“和而不同”的文化。我们倡导“和而不同”的机制和传统。企业遵循“和而不同”的思想，拟制“和而不同”的规则，按照规则去训练企业的领导和员工，磨练企业“和而不同”的管理机制，形成“和而不同”文化传统。这种传统可以使企业具有活力而长久不衰。