The Belt and Road Initiative, as China's initiative to build a fair and just world order, aims to strengthen international cooperation and promote the connectivity and common development of countries along the route. This major strategic move has a far-reaching impact on the world economy and politics, and has become a new link for the spread of Chinese culture. In the past ten years since the implementation of the "Belt and Road" policy, the impact on Chinese enterprises has been huge. It not only makes the platform for Chinese enterprises to operate more extensive, but also brings more vitality to the development of Chinese corporate culture. In the process of promoting the "Belt and Road", Chinese enterprises have achieved grand social responsibilities, continuously expanded the boundaries of corporate culture, and become the main theme of corporate culture construction with openness, sharing, respect and friendship. Compared with the tangible infrastructure construction, the intangible corporate culture has created new vitality for Chinese enterprises. To put it bluntly, the Belt and Road Initiative has further refined China's corporate culture.
The Belt and Road Initiative has promoted the promotion of China's corporate culture. The Belt and Road Initiative covers the spirit of traditional Chinese culture on the ancient Silk Road, as well as China's shining contribution to the path of world civilization. Within 10 years, in many countries and regions related to the Belt and Road Initiative, such as Asia, Europe and Africa, through the support and assistance of Chinese enterprises, changes from infrastructure to daily life of residents have been realized. Chinese enterprises have received strong support from the first to the people of the countries related to the "Belt and Road", and many projects have been implemented in a more diversified manner.
In the construction of the "Belt and Road", Chinese enterprises have brought with them the development concept of abandoning traditional development ideas and rich experience in China's green poverty alleviation practice. Chinese enterprises dedicate their green practical experience to the "Belt and Road" countries, avoid the old path of "pollution first, treatment later", and fully apply advanced environmental protection technologies and concepts to practice, reflecting the respect for the natural environment of the host country. In contrast to the practice of developed countries transferring the function of pollutant discharge to developing countries, Chinese companies act responsibly to contribute not only to the environment of their host countries, but also to the environment of the world. This kind of long-term vision will inevitably lead to an increase in costs, but for the well-being of the people of the world, the social responsibility of Chinese enterprises is more with a global vision. Such a far-sighted vision for the future of the world comes from the grand sense of responsibility of Chinese enterprises' own culture.
In the construction of social atmosphere, Chinese enterprises going global not only fully consider the uneven cultural level of the people, but also carry out different forms of cultural exchange activities due to different cultural differences. In the process of community construction, many Chinese enterprises not only convey China's "harmonious culture", but also instill the factors of modern civilization to the people, bring "civilized atmosphere" to many countries, and promote social prosperity.
The Belt and Road Initiative has promoted the improvement of the adaptability of Chinese corporate culture. Chinese companies not only use a large number of employees from the host country, but also devote themselves to technical and cultural training. Respect the customs and habits of employees, the establishment of corresponding religious ceremonial worship places, Chinalco, China Nonferrous Metals Mining Group and other 10 overseas Chinese-funded enterprises, every year to Zambia, Congo (DRC), Pakistan, Mongolia and other overseas company employees, to Beijing Industrial Vocational and Technical College to participate in vocational skills training, in line with the requirements of the times, to cultivate compound talents, enhance the "Belt and Road" along the cooperation between government and enterprise colleges, so that more employees have a sense of gain. Chinese railway workers, through the design of carriages with national characteristics and signs with national totem meaning, so that the passengers of the country have a strong sense of national identity, which is the process of internationalization of Chinese enterprises, but also to adapt to the technical and cultural demands of the international market, and constantly improve the ability of the performance.
The Belt and Road Initiative allows Chinese enterprises to feel the charm of Chinese culture. The charm of traditional Chinese culture once glorified the world. In the construction of the "Belt and Road", employees of Chinese enterprises can feel the charm of the Chinese ancestors to benefit the world from the experience of the host country. The clues left by the ancient "Silk Road" will become a channel for people from ancient to modern, and also let Chinese employees feel the wisdom of their ancestors. Chinese companies are heading to the countries where the Belt and Road Initiative is located, allowing the people of that country to relive their history and showcase the new culture of today's Chinese companies. The coexistence of history and reality makes Chinese enterprises not only have the responsibility of technology management and transmission, but also the responsibility of humanistic spirit. The high-speed rail brand has become a resounding brand for Chinese enterprises. In the construction of the "Belt and Road" high-speed railway, China not only brought advanced high-speed rail technology, but also brought the "carriage culture" and "station culture" that integrated the local national cultural characteristics. It reflects the respect for the host country, and also expands the upward space for the combination of technology, management and culture. While empowering the construction of other countries, Chinese enterprises have provided themselves with opportunities for cultural transformation.
The Belt and Road Initiative has made Chinese companies feel the importance of multicultural integration. The Belt and Road Initiative provides development opportunities and platforms for cultural exchanges between different countries and regions. The cultural differences of various countries are different, and the wisdom and civilization precipitated by history are different. As specific participants in the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese enterprises have promoted integration through in-depth and extensive mutual learning and exchanges. In the exchanges with countries and regions along the Belt and Road, while conveying the core values of Chinese culture, Chinese enterprises continue to absorb the survival wisdom of the host country and the essence of regional culture, and change the quality of corporate culture leading to the world. The corporate culture has formed a more open, diverse and inclusive atmosphere. Some companies have adapted their corporate culture to the host country by absorbing employees from the host country. For example, the employees of China's high-speed rail construction enterprises not only conveyed the qualities of diligence, hardship and integrity to foreign people, but also learned local customs, management techniques and natural adaptability from foreign people. They are not only impressed by the fullness of their technical wings, but also take pride in learning from foreign cultures.
The Belt and Road Initiative has promoted Chinese enterprises to build a cultural architecture that combines hardware and software. The construction of the "Belt and Road" has promoted the transmission of logistics and information flow, shared commodities, information and achievements, realized the free flow of production factors such as technology, capital and personnel, and effectively promoted the rapid development of regions along the route. Chinese enterprises have improved their work efficiency through sincere cooperation with the host countries, and are being defined as "strategic partners" by more and more countries, and the "Belt and Road" with countries along the Belt and Road through consultation and joint construction and people-to-people bonds, along the route continues to write new Chinese stories. Hardware construction gives the people of the host country a sense of gain, and the warm corporate culture as software will make the people of the host country feel more comfortable, which provides a broader space for Chinese enterprises to go global. How to adapt to the requirements of the host country, Chinese enterprises should not only transmit the hardware output of Chinese enterprise technology management, but also adapt to the cultural customs of the host country, transform the practical adaptability of corporate culture, and achieve both hardware and software.
The Belt and Road Initiative gives Chinese companies more room for improvement. The implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative has never been smooth sailing. China's state-owned enterprises and private enterprises have their own merits and lessons to learn from the Belt and Road Initiative. For example, the brand of state-owned enterprises spares no expense in the "Belt and Road" building, and some may not be able to create a cultural atmosphere recognized by the local people;The seemingly rough design concept of private enterprises can just adapt to the needs of the people. A company in Shenzhen provides voice ** with long power storage time to Africa, which adapts to the specific situation of low culture and lack of charging facilities of the local people, and is well received by the public. It is believed that Huawei's satellites** will also provide more good news to people in remote areas along the "Belt and Road". Chinese state-owned enterprises and private enterprises going abroad should fully consider their own shortcomings, so as to promote the real transformation and reshaping of corporate culture.
Ten years of sharpening a sword. The corporate culture of Chinese enterprises has undergone the quenching exercise of the "Belt and Road" and will develop in a more diverse, inclusive, innovative and cosmopolitan direction. It is not a lie to say that the "Belt and Road" empowers the construction of China's corporate culture.
Text: Dai Rongli, Duan Qingguo (Author: Dai Rongli, Professor-level Senior Political Engineer of China Railway Construction Engineering Group, External Tutor of Capital University of Economics and Business;Duan Qingguo is a 2023 MBA graduate student of Capital University of Economics and Business
Edited by Lu Jia
This article was published in the November 2023 issue of Chinese and Foreign Corporate Culture