和谐管理理论:起源、启示与前景

HeXie Management theory:Origins,Implications and Prospects

管理工程学报于2001年刊发了"和谐管理理论基础:和谐的诠释"一文,十余年过去了,围绕和谐管理理论的研究蓬勃发展。本文旨在通过探讨其起源、启示与前景来增进对该理论的理解,并促进中、西方管理理论知识的融合。研究指出,和谐管理理论以探究常态化的非线性组织发展过程为主线,形成了解决组织与管理问题的新框架。它以系统剖析内耗与考察"人的因素"为基础,认识到主流组织研究的均衡假定并不现实,组织通常处于混沌边缘状态,该状态既是内耗的产物,又是"人的因素"在内耗中作用突显的根源。该理论的支柱一提供了解决管理问题的基本框架,主题导向下和则与谐则进行耦合的机制把西方分析观与中国整体观的结合落到实处;支柱二则基于和谐等概念来解释组织发展的生成机制,尝试整合西方现有组织理论的目的论、辩证与演化观点。最后探测了该理论未来的前景,深化围绕两支柱的研究将使其理论内核更趋完善,而应用该理论的研究将有助于扩展其边界。

This paper is inspired by the following two factors： First, it is necessary to summarize all literatures on HeXie Management Theory and Harmony Theory （ HXMT ＆ HT） since the first paper on ＂Reinterpreting of Harmony Theory＂ was published by the Journal of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management in 2001. Second, these two Chinese theories may be able to provide answers to many Western scholars＇ questions on why many Chinese firms could perform well during the 2008 financial crisis. We conduct literatures review and speculative research to explore the origins, implications and prospects of HXMT in order to further understand HXMT and promote the integration of Chinese and Western management knowledge. This paper has three major theoretical and methodological contributions. First, we clarify the context of HXMT. The theory is rooted in empirical observations on Chinese organizational development, and based on system theory, bounded rationality theory, Chinese HeXie philosophy, and systematical analysis on Internal Friction （IF）. This theory provides a new theoretical reference for organization and management research. It is suggested that HXMT focus on exploring normal and nonlinear process of organizational development. HXMT can help clarify the unrealistic equilibrium assumption of mainstream organizational study through systematically analyzing IF and examining human factors. There are two pillars in HXMT, one of which elaborates on the mechanism of coupling He Principles and Xie Principles guided by HeXie Theme. The first pillar provides a basic framework for solving management problems, and integrates Western analytical viewpoint with Chinese holistic approach. The other pillar explains the generative mechanism of organizational development based on HeXie constructs, which try to integrate teleology, dialectics, and evolution theories. We finally explore the future HXMT, and point that future researches around these two pillars will make HXMT better, and applying the theory can help extend the boundary of HXMT. Second, this paper provides a platform fora dialogue between Chinese and Western theories. HXMT tries to develop a more powerful theory based on the integration of Eastern and Western culture. It helps integrate Chinese and Western management knowledge, and meets the requirements of current international trends. Specially, we discuss the weakness of existing western theories. The dilemma of dualism is widespread from philosophical level to organizational theory level. It is necessary to integrate Western analysis philosophy with Chinese holistic perspective in order to respond to some Western theorists＇ （e. g. Prigogine, Farjoun, et al. ） call. Then we propose a HeXie- based dialectical process by comparing Conflict-based dialectical process proposed by Van de Ven with his fellows. Besides, we try to understand organizational development by combining Western teleology, dialectics, with evolution theories. Finally, this paper suggests a new way to integrate holistic, historical, and dialectical perspectives. When examining the organizational process and management behavior, we should study behaviors, their context and historical process.