It has always been my firm belief that the quality of an organization, be
it public or private, depends on the quality of its workers. In terms of
changing an organization and turning it into a more effective and efficient
one, managers are imperative. Managers play a most important role in
improving any organization's operations," says the author, Ariel Karrie,
organizational consultant and teacher of management and business
administration. He and Mazal Renford, Director of the Golda Meir Mt. Carmel
International Training Centre (MCTC) and also a teacher of business
administration, were in China recently to present an on-the-spot course in
Modern Management Practice.
"Now go ahead, do business and make money." This statement is obvious in
most Western countries. It becomes quite novel when the person making the
statement is no other than the late leader of China - Deng Xiao Ping. Deng
Xiao Ping made this statement in one of his rare public appearances three
years ago. For the Chinese people who have lived under Communist rule since
1949, this statement represents a major change, in fact a revolution in
their government's ideology.
Under the leadership of Mao Dze Dung, China advanced and developed along a
very unique Marxist-Communist doctrine unlike any other similar ideology.
Land reforms and additional strategies enhanced living conditions and
enabled the Chinese to improve their quality of life. Hunger and violence
no longer exist in China as compared to the past.
One of the more significant elements of Mao's ideology was total State and
Party control of all enterprises. Inevitably that meant State ownership of
all economic enterprises. Mao was undoubtedly aware of the need to
modernize China in attempting to enable it to step into the 20th Century
and beyond. After Mao's demise in 1976 the Chinese government under Deng's
leadership attempted to reform and change the policy regarding the
economics of China. In many ways, China was then ready to open its doors to
free enterprise and business.
Attempting to encourage Chinese entrepreneurs, the State Economic and Trade
Commission (in charge of planning central economic, commercial and trade
policies for China) have established a number of government agencies. One
of these agencies is the China Centre for Business Cooperation and
Coordination (CCBCC).
CCBCC was established in 1986 in order to assist small and medium sized
enterprises to improve their business administration and management.
Chinese statistics indicate that there are over 8 million managers in
China. Many of these managers were trained in China as compared to a few
who were exposed to Western methods and techniques.
CCBCC assists small and medium organizations in the following ways:
- developing networks among government as well as non-government
institutions and enterprises in China and abroad for promoting economic and
technical cooperation;
- providing small and medium business in China and abroad with information
and consulting services on management, local policies, potential partners
and finances;
- investigating and studying current situations and developments of Chinese
and foreign businesses as well as administration and promotion policies;
- providing information and suggestions to the Chinese government for
policy making in the field of small and medium sized enterprises.
Although the headquarters of the CCBCC are located in Beijing, it also
operates through local agencies of the various provincial governments
throughout China. Its well established network enables CCBCC direct and
close contact with urban and rural businesses. In addition, the CCBCC
maintains close contacts with similar agencies in Asia, America, Europe and
Australia.
Following the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and
Israel, new avenues of cooperation have opened. Chinese participants have
been accepted to courses conducted in Israel as part of the activities of
MASHAV in cooperation with the Technion Institute of Technology, MCTC,
CINADCO, the International Institute, and other academic institutes.
One of the participants of a management course conducted at the Technion
under the auspices of MASHAV was a senior manager of CCBCC. Upon returning
home that senior official initiated the first on-the-spot course on Modern
Management Practice, a case study that lead the way for additional courses
in management and business administration. These were by no means the first
courses to be conducted in China. By 1994 a large number of courses had
been sponsored by MASHAV. These activities were processed by the Israel
Science Counsellor in Beijing, Dr. Yoav Sarig, who realized the
significance of conducting a variety of courses in China.
The first management course was conducted in August 1994 at the central
academy of China's State Shipbuilding Corporation. The course was two weeks
long. The lessons derived from the course led to a number of changes in the
courses conducted in the following years: 1995 and 1996. More courses are
planned for 1997.
One of the most obvious observations is that there is a tremendous quest
for knowledge in the area of business, marketing and management. Many
discussions conducted with the Chinese participants as well as officials
and managers indicate that they enjoy studying with Israeli instructors. An
advantage Israeli instructors have is their informal attitude. Israeli
instructors are known for not keeping a distance between themselves and the
participants. The Chinese value this attitude very much and in their course
evaluations never fail to mention it. In addition, Israel has never been
one of the colonial nations and is not associated with a period the Chinese
consider dark in their history.
As mentioned, China's economic, commercial and business systems have been
influenced by the ruling Communist-Socialist ideology. These systems were
very closely controlled by strict government control and in most cases,
government owned and operated. Consequently, there is a great demand for
knowledge relating to modern management methods, approaches and techniques.
Many managers and independent entrepreneurs manage their enterprises with
traditional methods and techniques. They quite often think that they need
to know how the rest of the world is managing its business, how a variety
of organizations in the West as well as in their immediate surrounding area
have succeeded in conducting their businesses.
All managements courses in China concentrated on these issues - how and
what should be done to guarantee successful business. The emphasis is
therefore on practical methods, approaches and techniques. A typical course
program begins with a brief definition of management and managers,
including their roles. Next, the participants learn to identify the basic
management approaches - Scientific, Management, Bureaucracy, Human
Relations (Behaviorism), Systems and Contingency.
These issues are discussed briefly as their significance is primarily as an
introduction to the more important subjects. These include Management by
Objectives, Total Quality Management, Re-Engineering, Just in Time and
Benchmarking.
The next segment is even more important as far as both the Chinese and the
Israeli instructors are concerned - Marketing Techniques, International
Trade and Financial Management.
As part of the evaluation process conducted by the Chinese organizers
(CCBCC) and by the Israeli instructors, there will be a number of changes
in the next course to be implemented in August 1997. More emphasis will be
placed on the participants' organizations and their functions. Although the
participants in previous courses did do much homework through simulations
and a variety of exercises, there will be even more analysis and practical
tasks the participants will have to accomplish in this upcoming course.
The Chinese participants have clearly stated that they studied many new
ideas and techniques they were unfamiliar with previously. Based on their
evaluation forms, the Chinese organizers have requested from us a "one
hundred (100) year" contact (symbolizing confidence).
In many ways, the Chinese find it difficult to believe that such a small
country has achieved so much in such a short time. One should bear in mind
that the entire population of Israel amounts to about 50% of Beijing alone.
Compared with over 9.5 million square km of China, Israel's 21,000 square
km are minute.
The concern attached to education and the placing great significance on the
family are but two of many aspects of life that Chinese and Jews share.
Generally speaking there are many views and attitudes that are similar and
at times identical in Judaism and in Confucianism. Both Judaism and
Confucianism are more ways of life than religions, for example. These
and other reasons explain why the Chinese government decided to apply to
Israel for on-the-spot Modern Management Courses in China.