The concept of success in China is holistic, says Ted Sun in ‘Inside the Chinese Business Mind: A tactical guide for managers’ (www.landmarkonthenet.com). “It does not only involve one’s salary or career; it includes many other aspects such as physical health, relationships and professional achievements,” he adds.
The author reports the findings of a study in China that found no distinct measure for success; rather, there was relatively even balance between tangible factors and intrinsic emotions. “Overall, financial success had the lowest level of importance at 4.02 (out of 6), happiness and career satisfaction had higher levels of importance at 4.53 and 4.46 respectively.”
While financial success demonstrates a very critical level of achievement, happiness appears to be untouched, Sun observes. He distinguishes this from the American dataset, where the levels of achievement in happiness and financial success are both at the thirtieth percentile. “In contrast, the Chinese may see worse levels (9.97 per cent) in achievement in financial success, but still feel happy at 36.55 per cent.” Paradoxically, however, Shanghai had the highest level of financial success at 33.69 per cent but the lowest level of happiness at 7.69 per cent.
The results are stark in the case of the younger generation at the workplace, the 1980s generation of people aged under 30 but over 18 years. For this generation, reports Sun, the achievement of happiness is at 76.41 per cent, the highest in any group or region, while their financial success is at 14.6 per cent. This ability to detach happiness from finance marks a significant difference in the approach to business for the Chinese people, Sun reasons.
Instructive read.
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