Western Conceptualizations 4
conceptualized as Confucianism and collectivism. Thus, the goal of this study is to
review and critique a couple of theoretical foundational works on Chinese culture and
specifically on Confucianism and collectivism, and examine how they impact empirical
research on Chinese organizational communication practices.
Confucianism
The Western conceptualization of Chinese culture rests mainly on Confucianism.
Confucianism was introduced in the West as being paramountly important to the Chinese
people. Fairbank and Reischauer (1973) introduced Confucianism as the official
philosophy of the Chinese state. Pye (1988) noted that the Confucian heritage was so
entrenched in the Chinese mind that even the Chinese communists such as Mao Zedong
who wanted to eliminate its influence on the Chinese people could hardly resist its
influence. Pye pointed out that ironically the Chinese communists helped to enhance
some Confucian principles when they opposed Confucian thought. For example, the
communists’ emphasis on the importance of communist ideology as the sole state
ideology was well in line with the Confucian political culture that stressed the importance
of ideological orthodoxy for the well-being of society. Furthermore, the communists
reinforced the Confucian collectivism when they stressed the importance of individuals
subjecting their interests to the interests of the collective. Additionally, Bond and Hwang
(1986) argued that Confucianism was best known to all the Chinese people for three
reasons: 1) Confucianism was espoused by most rulers throughout Chinese history; 2)
China was an agrarian state and Confucianism fitted best for its cultural system; and 3)
the educated elite that constituted the ruling class throughout feudal China helped to
transmit the Confucian thought to every generation of the Chinese people.
Convention