CONFUCIUSThe Key to Doing Business in the

Pacific Rim in the 21st Century

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

Confucius was a teacher of ethics who lived in China from 551 - 479 BCE (Spring & Autumn Period).

His philosophy is preserved as:

The Confucian Analects

The Great Learning

The Doctrine of the Mean

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• On Learning Ethics, Confucius says:

At 15, I had set my heart on learning;At 30, I firmly took my stand;At 40, I had no delusions;At 50, I knew the decrees of heaven;At 60, my ear was willing to receive the truth;At 70, I could follow what my heart desires

without trespassing on what was right.

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

His system of ethics is presently well known in the Pacific Rim communities, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, etc.

AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Angered by the bonuses received by AIG executives Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) on March 16, 2009, said:

“The first thing that would make me feel a little bit better towards them if they’d follow the Japanese model and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say I’m sorry, and then either do one of two things — resign, or go commit suicide.”

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius is famous in the West for his sayings (some authentic and many others fabricated).

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

War Does Not Decide Who is Right,War Decides Who is Left.

Notwithstanding the lack of authenticity of this quote, Confucius was interested in politics, from the vantage point of preventing wars and promoting social harmony.

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

Man is born for uprighteousness. If a man loses his uprighteousness and yet lives, his escape from death is because of mere good fortune. Analects Book IV, Chapter XVII

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

Do not impose on others what you do not wish imposed on yourselves. Analects Book V, Chapter XI and Analects Book XV, Chapter XIII

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and will flourish. Doctrine of

the Mean Chapter 1.5

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

When agreements are made according to what is right, and what is spoken can be made good. When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps from shame and disgrace. Analects Book I, Chapter XIII

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

When people are led by laws and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but will have no sense of shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have a sense of shame and moreover will be good. Analects Book II, Chapter III

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

What do you say about killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled? Sir, in carrying out your government, whye should you use killing at all? Let you manifested desires be for good and the people will do good. Analects Book XII, Chapter XIX.

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

When hearing a lawsuit, I am like any other tribunal. What is necessary however, is to cause the people to have no lawsuits. Analects Book XII, Chapter XIII and The Great Learning, Chapter IV.

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• A student asked: “What makes a good government officer?”

• Confucius answered:

One who knows a sense of shame and when sent to any quarter will not disgrace his prince’s commission. Analects Book XIII, Chapter XX.1

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius says:

There is government when the prince is the prince, and the minister is minister, and when the father is father and the son is son. Analects Book XII, Chapter XI.2

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Confucius once met Laozi (Lao-tzu) and he said:

I know that birds can fly, fish can swim, and beasts can run. Snares can be set for things that run, nets for those that swim and arrows for tht which fly. But Dragons! I shall never know how they ride the wind and cloud up the the sky. Today I saw Laozi. What a Dragon!

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• Guanxi is the art of managing relationships in China and centers on the concept of reciprocity. In the West, we sometimes use the word “connections.”

• Closely related are the concepts of ganqing, renqing, mianzi and lian.

• Modern practice is complex, subject to change and you can ask, “What would Confucius say if he saw it today?

Confucius: The Key to Doing Business in the Pacific Rim in the 21st Ceutury

• CONCLUSION:

Confucian ethics and philosophy have universal applicability to modern business relationships anywhere in the world.