an analysis of coupling relationship between modern human resources management and tao te ching

1、<p>　　An Analysis of Coupling Relationship between Modern Human Resources Management and Tao Te Ching</p><p>　　Abstract. As the essence of Lao Tzu’s wisdom, Tao Te Ching is a well-known philosophical wo

2、rk which explains the system of world outlook and methodology. From the perspective of the dialectical relationship and the coupling relationship between Tao and management philosophy and between Te and management practi

3、ces, Tao Te Ching expounds how modern enterprises establish ideas of humanism and competitive systems, promote leading qualities and talents’ values, govern by doing nothing based on fundam</p><p>　　Key word

4、s: human resource management; Tao; Te; government by doing nothing </p><p>　　1. Introduction </p><p>　　The celebrated German philosopher Nietzsche once said: “Like an inexhaustible well, Tao Te

5、Ching is filed with treasures, and you will obtain them with extreme ease, if you can set down a bucket.” According to statistical data released by United Nations Educational，Scientific，and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

6、 in late 1980s, the amount of distribution of cultural masterwork Dao Te Ching translated into foreign languages is only second to Bible. As a classical masterpiece of Chinese Taoism, Tao T</p><p>　　1.The Co

7、upling Relationship between Tao and </p><p>　　Management Philosophy. </p><p>　　1.1 The Universality and Particularity of Tao </p><p>　　“Tao that can be told of/ Is not the Absolute

8、Tao.”（Chapter 1）As the kernel and soul of the ideological system of philosophy, Tao can be explained with words, but it is different from what it refers to in a common sense. Hence Tao is the unity of universality and pa

9、rticularity. Management develops into a science on the basis of management rules and experience summarized by a large number of scholars and industrialists. [2] As for any organization, management work is indispensable t

10、o some extent.</p><p>　　“We can lay hold of Tao of old to direct the things of the present day”（Chapter 14）The great Tao applies the development law in ancient times to instruct current affairs. “But though

11、Tao as it comes from the mouth, seems insipid and has no flavor, though it seems not worth being looked at or listened to, the use of it is inexhaustible”（Chapter 35）Despite being intangible, Tao is inherently the ultima

12、te source of objective laws and its actual energies are unparalleled. You will benefit a lot, if </p><p>　　2. The Coupling Relationship between Te and </p><p>　　Management Practices </p>

13、<p>　　2.1 Te is the Externalization of Tao </p><p>　　“The marks of great Character/ Follow alone from Tao.”（Chapter 21）When one’s Virtues reach the highest peak, he must have completely complied with Ta

14、o. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang once pointed out in “Notes and Commentaries of Tao Te Ching”: “It is acknowledged that Tao is the content of Te and Te is Tao in practice.” Meanwhile, Han Fei-tzu also said “Tao contributes a

15、lot to Te.” Hence, Te and Tao are interdependent and promoted mutually. [1] Tao is the essence of Te and Te is the externalization </p><p>　　2.2 The Ideas of Government by Doing Nothing as the Core of Mystic

16、 Te </p><p>　　Lao Tzu classifies Te. “The man of superior character never acts/ Nor ever (does so) with an ulterior motive. The man of inferior character acts/ And (does so) with an ulterior motive.”（Chapter

17、 38）“The man of superior character ” just lets things take their own course and never acts. “The man of inferior character” also follows the nature, but he acts with utilitarian motives and thus he has no virtues. Theref

18、ore, government by doing nothing is the substantial implication of Te. “The Nameless is</p><p>　　3. The Interpretation of Tao and Te in Modern Human Resources Management </p><p>　　3.1 Establishm

19、ent of the People-oriented Management Idea. </p><p>　　The people-oriented management idea lays emphasis on the subjective initiative and focuses on the main theme of the respect and care for employees. “The

20、Sage has no decided opinions and feelings/ But regards the people’s opinions and feelings as his own.”（Chapter 49）In Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu attaches great importance on human being and the “people-centered” management ide

21、a. This indicates that the regression of the human’ subjectivity in the management. [5] First, the people-oriented idea is the </p><p>　　“When the people of the Earth all know beauty as beauty, There arises

22、(the recognition of) ugliness. When the people of the Earth all know the good as good, There arises (the recognition of) evil. Therefore: Being and non-being interdepend in growth; Difficult and easy interdepend in compl

23、etion; Long and short interdepend in contrast; High and low interdepend in position; Tones and voice interdepend in harmony; Front and behind interdepend in company.”（Chapter 2）Lao Tzu deems that there is a rul</p>

24、<p>　　Lao Tzu classifies managers into four types. “Of the best rulers/ The people (only) know that they exist/ The next best they love and praise/ The next they fear/ And the next they revile.”（Chapter 17）The fir

25、st type refers to the most preeminent managers who have a great influence on employees. Managers of the second type often win employees’ compliment and intimacy since they cope with all the issues themselves. The third o

26、nes are revered by employees and employees’ work performances mostly orig</p><p>　　The management tool “government by doing nothing”, also known as flexible management, advocates the unity of the principle a

27、nd the flexibility and embodies Taoist dynamic feature. “He who is to be made to dwindle (in power)/ Must first be caused to expand. He who is to be weakened/ Must first be made strong. He who is to be laid low/ Must fir

28、st be exalted to power. He who is to be taken away from/ Must first be given, This is the Subtle Light. Gentleness overcomes strength.”（Chapter 36）Achieveme</p><p>　　Innovation is the ultimate source of Tao.

29、 “Tao is a hollow vessel/ And its use is inexhaustible! Fathomless! Like the fountain head of all things.” Tao itself is intangible, but its capacity is endless and inexhaustible. Tao can constantly generate new things.

30、Likewise, an enterprise’ development rests with the fact that there are lots of constantly emerging talented employees. As a complicated process, the development of outstanding employees depends on both the sustained pro

31、motion of employees</p><p>　　From the ecological perspective, the enterprises as a vital organism will experience the process of birth, growth, maturity and recession, but the enterprise’s everlasting life i

32、s an eternal object pursued by mangers as always. [10] “The universe is everlasting. / The reason the universe is everlasting/ Is that it does not life for Self.Therefore it can long endure.”（Chapter 7）Lao Tzu deems that

33、 the reason why the universe doesn’t decline and fall is that there is genuine Qi dominating and nouri</p><p>　　[1]Zhang Xiangqian. An Analysis of Dao De Jing and Human Resources Management in a Modern Enter

34、prise [J]. China Soft Science, 2004(8):85-91. </p><p>　　[2]Heinz Weihrich. Management: A Global and Entrepreneurial Perspective (The 13th Edition) [M]. Beijing: Economic Science Press, 2010. </p><

35、p>　　[3]Ge Rongjin, Li Weibo. Taoist Concept of” Doing Nothing” and Modern Enterprise Management [J].Journal of Renmin University of China, 2005(4):111-116. </p><p>　　[4]Yan Aimin, Zhang Xiaran. Taoist Con

36、cept of "Government by Actionless Activity" and the Application in the Modern Human Resource Management [J]. Journal of Management, 2011(7):954-958. </p><p>　　[5]Zhao Wenhui. Modern People-Oriented

37、 Management Concepts in Tao Te Ching [J]. Seeker, 2009(6):93-95. </p><p>　　[6]Robbins, Stephen P. (Author), Li Yuan, Sun Jianmin (Translators). Organizational Behavior (The 12th Edition) [M]. Beijing: China

38、Renmin University Press, 2008 </p><p>　　[7]Tao Te Ching and Modern Enterprise Administration [EB/OL].(2012-08-04) http://www.iguoxue.cn/batch.search.php. </p><p>　　[8]Xuezhu Ba, William Roberts.

39、 Taoism and Its Model of Traits of Successful Leaders [J]. Journal of Management Development, 2011, 30(7/8):724-739. </p><p>　　[9]David ·D· Du Bois，William · J · Rob Rothwell et al. Compe

40、tency-Based Human Resource Management [M]. Beijing: China Renmin University Press, 2006. </p><p>　　[10]Lv Qinghua. The Enlightenment of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching on Modern Enterprise Administration [J]. Jia

41、ngsu Commercial Forum, 2007(2):113-114. </p><p>　　Notes: All the words of Lao Tzu are quoted from: Lao Tzu (Li Er). Tao Te Ching [M]. Beijing: Jindun Press, 2009. Chapters of quoted words are marked.</p&g