The ethics of my counterpart: Public service ethics in Chinese philosophy

Abstract

China is rising. As China ascends in power, it is likely that Western administrators - American and European, in particular - will find that they must interact with Chinese administrators more and more. In this article, I offer readers a brief glimpse into Chinese administrative ethics through an investigation of two forms of Chinese philosophy - Confucianism and Taoism. In addition to reviewing these philosophies, I derive some consequences for a public service ethic that lies between the East and the West. In particular, this article includes some recommendations for the managerial implications of these two philosophies in the context of increased political and administrative connections between the West and China. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.