From Differential Mode of Association toTianxia Worldview: A Study on ChineseEntrepreneurial Spirit

Chao Gang1, Qian Chen2*, Wang Lei3

1 School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China

2 School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

3 School of Politics and Public Administration, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China

Abstract: China has made significant strides in economic and social development sincereform and opening up over the past four decades. This process has been influenced by theexceptional innovation and entrepreneurship of Chinese business leaders, as well as theirprofound sentiments of compassion for the world and their country. It is of great significanceto foster and promote an entrepreneurial spirit with distinctive Chinese characteristics. Notonly is such spirit essential to the high-quality development of enterprises and the economy,but it is also a critical impetus for achieving Chinese modernization. Nevertheless, there isstill a paucity of adequate theoretical discourse on the cultural origins and entrepreneurialspirit of outstanding Chinese business leaders. This paper employs the classical groundedtheory method to conduct a 10-year follow-up research on 11 representative entrepreneursand their enterprises. The results indicate that these entrepreneurs exhibit an evolvingworldview along the paths of “self-cultivation and moral conduct”, “assisting employeesto achieve”, “multilateral symbiosis”, and “the oneness of existence” when interactingwith themselves, employees, partners, the general public, and all things in nature. Suchentrepreneurial spirit is embodied in this paper as the “Tianxia (all-under-heaven)worldview”. Through theoretical construction, this study defines the concept of “Tianxiaworldview” and extensively examines the distinctions and connections between the broadminded“Tianxia worldview” and the kinship-centered “differential mode of association”in terms of internal structure, value orientation, and applicable groups. It is posited thatthe transition from the former to the latter is a continuous process of transcendence andevolution of the individual mindset. This study has theoretical significance in the context ofadvancing the research on the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit, transcending the constraints ofthe management approach based on the “differential mode of association”, and enhancingthe research on social responsibility from the perspective of “benefit corporations”. It alsohas practical value in overcoming the trust dilemma and development impediment of familybusinesses, ensuring that enterprises consciously fulfill their social responsibilities in abroader social context, and achieving common prosperity and progress for both enterprisesand society.

Keywords: Tianxia worldview, differential mode of association, Chinese entrepreneurial

JEL Classification Codes: L26, M14

DOI: 10.19602/j.chinaeconomist.2024.07.04