Connections between factors of readiness to change in Chinese organisations

Abstract

This study, conducted in 29 Chinese organisations, contributes to our understanding of readiness to change. It reveals the importance of the task and relationship orientation of organisational culture for organisational learning and for employee attitudes towards change in Chinese organisations. There are differences in China compared to countries in Europe. Two important components of learning organisations are not acceptable in China: making mistakes and reducing the status symbol. Chinese employees are afraid of making mistakes and they do not want to reduce status symbol to a minimum. The challenge is to develop a learning organisation in an atmosphere where people are afraid of making mistakes and differences between subordinates and superiors are accentuated. A model about the impact of organisational culture upon organisational learning and upon attitudes towards change in Chinese organisations, and implications for managers have been developed.