ARCHIVES
VOL. 12, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Confucian ethics and human resource management in Chinese enterprises: Constructing a hrm theoretical model
Authors
Dr. Lung-Tan Lu
Abstract
Against the backdrop of the globalization wave
driving the reconstruction of enterprise management paradigms and sustainable
governance emerging as a core issue for the development of global
organizations, the cultural adaptability and ethical foundation of Human
Resource Management (HRM) theories are undergoing an unprecedented in-depth
reflection. The existing mainstream HRM theoretical system is rooted in the
Western individualistic cultural tradition and the assumption of contractual
rationality, with performance maximization as its core goal, and has
constructed a management mechanism system centered on motivation and control.
However, in the context of enterprises owned by Chinese communities deeply
influenced by Confucian ethics, HRM practices have always been embedded in a
dual framework of relational ethics and moral order, making Western mainstream
theories unable to effectively explain and guide their management logic and
practical effects. Taking Confucian ethics as the core theoretical foundation,
this paper systematically constructs a virtue HRM theoretical model with
"Benevolence-Righteousness-Rites-Trustworthiness" as the core
dimensions through interdisciplinary conceptual integration and localized
theoretical deduction, and proposes a set of context-embedded HRM theoretical
frameworks adapted to the context of Chinese enterprises. This study argues
that Confucian ethics should not be simply regarded as a cultural background
variable in HRM research, but should become the normative foundation and core
governance logic for constructing localized HRM theories. Based on the
theoretical construction, this paper puts forward four testable theoretical
propositions, and elaborates on the theoretical breakthroughs of this model for
Chinese management research and its supplementary value to the global HRM
theoretical system. This research provides a localized path to solve the
adaptability problem of Western HRM theories
in the Chinese context, and also offers Chinese wisdom for the ethical turn and
diversified development of the global HRM theoretical system.
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Pages:272-283
How to cite this article:
Dr. Lung-Tan Lu "Confucian ethics and human resource management in Chinese enterprises: Constructing a hrm theoretical model". International Journal of Commerce and Management Research, Vol 12, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 272-283
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