The Managerial Influence of Confucianism on the Success of Modern Chinese Businessmen in SMEs

บทคัดย่อ

This study investigates the managerial influence of Confucianism on the success of modern Chinese business leaders. The objective is to understand how Confucian principles—specifically behavioral relationships, ethical leadership, and social harmony—are integrated into enterprise management and how they affect business performance, business sustainability, and competitive advantage. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 400 first-line and middle managers across the manufacturing, IT, and retail sectors in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. A quantitative approach was employed, and data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the hypotheses. The findings show that: 1) behavioral relationships, ethical leadership, and social harmony all have significant positive effects on business success; 2) Confucian values can be effectively embedded into modern management practices, enhancing employee loyalty, organizational cohesion, and strategic outcomes; 3) these principles provide a cultural foundation for sustained competitive advantage. The study offers theoretical and managerial implications for applying Confucianism in Chinese SME management. This research contributes new empirical evidence on culturally contextualized leadership, providing actionable strategies for SME managers to integrate traditional values into competitive business practices.