Confucian Culture Research Articles

Confucian culture, environmental innovation, and family firms' performance: The moderating role of market competition

AbstractEnvironmental innovation has become an important way for family firms to meet institutional requirements and market demands. Based on the dual perspectives of informal institution and environmental innovation, this study constructs a research framework of “culture‐innovation‐performance” to explore the relationship between Confucian culture, environmental innovation, and family firm performance as well as the moderating role of market competition intensity. A total of 529 family firms in the manufacturing industry listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen A‐share stock markets between 2015 and 2021 were selected as the research sample to test the hypotheses using multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that Confucian culture significantly promotes the quality of environmental innovation but does not have a significant effect on the quantity of environmental innovation; moreover, both the quantity and quality of environmental innovation can promote the performance of family firms, and this promoting effect is stronger in an environment with lower market competition intensity. This study not only enriches the application of Confucian culture in environmental innovation but also provides guidance on how firms can improve the quality of environmental innovation.

Informal Institution and Tourism Development: Insights From Confucian Culture

ABSTRACTAs the cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture, Confucian culture significantly shapes personal values and behaviours. This study investigates the impact of Confucian culture on tourism development, from a supply‐side perspective, using a sample of 269 Chinese cities between 2013 and 2019. The baseline results, validated through endogeneity tests and robustness checks, consistently indicate a positive correlation between Confucian culture and regional tourism growth. Utilising a chained multiple mediation model, the study delineates the primary mechanisms, showing that Confucianism bolsters tourism innovation by elevating labour quality and capital investment, thus propelling tourism development. Furthermore, the heterogeneity analysis demonstrates the synergistic effect of Confucian culture with formal institutions in advancing tourism. However, the positive effects of Confucian culture on tourism are attenuated by the effects of other cultures. These findings significantly contribute to the literature and offer valuable managerial implications.

The Acceptance of AI Tools Among Design Professionals: Exploring the Moderating Role of Job Replacement

This study proposes a hypothetical model combining the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with self-determination theory (SDT) to explore design professionals’ behavioral intentions to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Moreover, it incorporates job replacement (JR) as a moderating role. Chinese-speaking design professionals in regions influenced by Confucian culture were surveyed. An analysis of 565 valid cases with AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) supported the structural model hypothesis. The model explains 52.1% of the variance in behavioral intention to use (BIU), proving its effectiveness in explaining these variances. The results further validate the importance of performance expectancy (PE) over effort expectancy (EE) in influencing BIU. Additionally, it has been shown that the impact on intrinsic motivation (IM) and extrinsic motivation (EM) can be either amplified or diminished by anxiety about JR. For individuals experiencing higher levels of JR anxiety, there is a marked increase in IM. They may perceive adopting AI tools as an opportunity to enhance their skills and job security. Conversely, this anxiety also significantly boosts EM, as the potential for improved efficiency and productivity with AI use becomes a compelling incentive. These findings suggest new paths for academic researchers to explore the psychological impacts of AI on design professionals’ roles. For practitioners, especially in human resources and organizational development, understanding these dynamics can guide the creation of training programs that address job replacement anxiety.

Does the Confucianism in audit firms enhance the corporate ESG Disclosure?

This paper examines the role of Confucian culture characterized by traditional virtues such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust in audit firms and corporate ESG disclosure. Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2021, we found that Confucian culture in audit firms significantly promotes the level of corporate ESG disclosure. We also tested the moderating effect of regional culture and corporate culture, and found that in regions with stronger merchant guild culture and higher levels of social trust, as well as in companies with a stronger culture of integrity and cooperation, the promotion effect of Confucian culture in audit firms on corporate ESG disclosure is more pronounced. Furthermore, we discovered that the closer the geographical distance between audit firms and client companies, the greater the positive impact of Confucian culture in audit firms on corporate ESG disclosure. Overall, this study reveals the modern value of Confucian traditional culture for the improvement of enterprises’ environmental friendly behaviors from the perspective of external audit, and highlighted the relevance of informal institutions in corporate governance.

Retirement, confucian culture, and household financial asset allocation for older adults

This paper explores the impact of retirement on the financial asset allocation of elderly households and innovatively examines the moderating effect of Confucian culture. Using data from the China Household Finance Survey, the empirical results show that older adults reduce risky assets and increase savings after retirement. Confucian cultural concepts reinforce this conservative trend. The study also reveals the heterogeneous effects of household head health, urban-rural differences, and risk attitudes on allocation. This paper provides an essential reference for optimising the allocation of older households' financial assets and addressing the ageing challenges.

Impact of product market competition on the overconfidence cash holdings relationship in Chinese firms

Traditional Confucian and hierarchical cultures in China often lead managers to become overconfident and hold more cash, which negatively impacts enterprise development. Therefore, in China, the mitigation of excess cash holdings among overconfident managers is worthy of further research. This study examines the effects of manager overconfidence on corporate cash holdings using data from 922 Chinese listed companies and totals 6849 observations. This study is based on a quantitative analysis approach using the Fixed Effects Model and Generalised Method of Moments. The empirical data indicate that manager overconfidence is positively associated with cash holdings. Furthermore, product market competition mitigates the direct correlation between managerial overconfidence and cash holdings. Finally, the impact was particularly noticeable for small and non-state-owned enterprises. This study draws on China's Confucian and hierarchical cultures to explain why overconfident managers tend to hold more cash and offers a different perspective on how product market competition affects the abovementioned relationship. This research enhances the understanding of managerial overconfidence and its economic repercussions and also contributes to the effect of product market competition on the corporate governance of Chinese listed companies.

How to drive heavily polluting companies to fulfill environmental responsibility? The synergy between environmental regulation and digital media coverage

This paper addresses the question of how environmental regulation and digital media coverage, as formal and informal external monitoring mechanisms, affect corporate environmental responsibility fulfillment. Using the data of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies in China's heavily polluting industries, this study showed that both environmental regulation and digital media coverage significantly improve responsive and strategic environmental responsibility fulfillment. After distinguishing the media tone, it was found that positive digital media coverage promotes the fulfillment of both responsive and strategic environmental responsibilities. In contrast, negative digital media coverage only stimulates the fulfillment of responsive environmental responsibility, which reflected an asymmetrical effect of media tone. Further, the hierarchy of governance amplifies the role of environmental regulation in triggering the fulfillment of responsive environmental responsibility but weakens its value to strategic environmental responsibility. Inconsistent with our predictions, the relationship between digital media coverage and corporate environmental responsibility fulfillment could not be significantly moderated by Confucian culture. In addition, environmental regulation and digital media coverage only existed in companies with separate chairperson and manager positions, which indicated that an excellent internal governance environment is a prerequisite for external monitoring mechanisms to play a role in environmental governance. This study enriches the literature on how to drive responsive and strategic environmental responsibility by uncovering an external governance effect of environmental regulation and digital media coverage on the fulfillment of corporate environmental responsibility, and provides inspiration for multiple environmental governance actors to promote the construction of ecological civilization collaboratively.

Confucian Culture and Enterprise Total Factor Productivity

Enterprise total factor productivity is one of the important indicators to measure enterprise efficiency and innovation ability. This paper takes the a-share listed companies from 2005 to 2022 as the research sample, and empirically tests the influence of Confucian culture on the total factor productivity of enterprises. It is found that Confucian culture can significantly improve the total factor productivity of enterprises. Therefore, combined with the conclusion of this paper, it is suggested that enterprises should pay attention to inheriting and carrying forward the essence of Confucian culture in their operation and management, so as to realize long-term sustainable development and innovation-driven transformation.

Firm‐level climate risk and corporate violations: Perspective of corporate managers' pressure perception

AbstractThis study is grounded in the perspective of pressure perception, examining how a company's awareness of climate risk influences its propensity for violations. The study reveals that an enhanced perception of climate risks is correlated with an increased likelihood of such behaviors. This effect is primarily mediated through a mechanism of stress transmission, exacerbating the myopia and rent‐seeking activities of corporate managers. Furthermore, this study integrates a heterogeneity analysis within the framework of the fraud triangle theory to explore strategies for mitigating the impact of climate risk perception on corporate violations. The findings indicate that the influence of climate risk perception on corporate violations becomes insignificant under certain conditions: when companies offer strong equity incentives to managers, thus alleviating pressure; when companies are heavily influenced by Confucian culture, thereby reducing rationalizations; and when companies possess robust internal governance and are subject to stringent external oversight, thereby diminishing opportunities for violations. This study not only validates the pressure transmission mechanism of climate risk but also proposes avenues for mitigating the onset of non‐compliant behaviors induced by the perception of climate risk.

The spillover effect of Chinese sportswear brands' relationship quality: a perspective of Confucian yuanfen culture

PurposeChinese consumers' brand preferences are shifting from foreign sportswear brands to domestic ones. This indicates an increasingly strong relationship between Chinese consumers and domestic sportswear brands. The purpose of this study is to explore the spillover effect of Chinese domestic sportswear brands’ relationship quality to uncover the psychological mechanisms driving this preference shift.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a brand relationship quality scale based on Chinese Confucian yuanfen culture, considering it as a second-order reflective-formative construct. The survey generated 326 valid responses online. Due to the presence of second-order reflective-formative construct in the variables, SmartPLS 4.0 was used for hypothesis testing.FindingsInteraction belief, intimate interaction and happiness as formative dimensions of Confucian yuanfen brand relationship quality are validated, while emotional expression and tolerance are not. The Confucian yuanfen brand relationship quality has a spillover effect on product origin image and domestic sportswear brand preference. Product origin image has a mediating role between Confucian yuanfen brand relationship quality and domestic sportswear brand preference. However, consumer xenocentrism does not moderate the spillover effect of Confucian yuanfen brand relationship quality on domestic sportswear brand preference.Originality/valueThis study tests brand relationship quality from Confucian yuanfen perspective as a second-order reflective-formative construct. It contributes to understanding how Chinese consumers perceive their relationships with domestic sportswear brands. The results advance the current body of knowledge on brand relationship quality and spillover effect in sports marketing, indicating that Chinese sportswear brands can explore the possibility of co-opetition to achieve mutual benefits.

The influence of workplace Confucian culture on employees’ organizational commitment through the modelling role of moral identities

PurposeThis article aims to provide a theoretical unifying framework for workplace Confucian culture and employees’ organizational commitment (OC) through the modelling role of moral identities. The context is education in Vietnam.Design/methodology/approachBased on employees’ OC theory, a theoretical model was built. Administrative staff and teachers were asked to participate in the study with the assistance of preschool educational institutions in Vietnam. A survey was performed, and data from 421 participants were collected. The moderated structural equation technique was used to test hypotheses.FindingsThe study has demonstrated the positive impact of workplace Confucian culture applications on employees’ perceptions and participation in corporate social responsibility (CSR). The study also confirms the positive impact of employees’ perceptions and participation in CSR. In addition, another conclusion is the moderating effect of moral values on the relationship between workplace Confucian culture and aspects of CSR.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on Confucian-culture employees in workplaces, suggesting that their perception of CSR may differ from those from other backgrounds. The authors then plan to state the comparison in further research. The main finding of the study is that WCC and CSR affect employee OC, but there are other factors that could be influenced by WCC and CSR. Future research should explore these factors to improve the current model.Practical implicationsConfucian ideology has been constructed and developed for a long time, but this study has examined its practical implications for favourably effecting human behaviour, thereby demonstrating its potential in organizational culture and practical application.Social implicationsThis theoretical framework can be profitably used in educational organizations.Originality/valueThe study adds to the body of research on OC in two ways. The first way is to explain how a beneficial organizational factor – the Confucian workplace culture – contributes to employees’ OC. The second way involves examining the effects of moral identity on participation and perception of CSR.

The Impact of Confucian Culture on Corporate Environmental Governance

Using A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2019 and the density of Confucian temples and schools near sample company headquarters, this paper uses regression analysis to estimate the impact of Confucian culture on corporate environmental governance. Enterprise environmental capital investment as a percent of total assets is the dependent variable used as a proxy for environmental governance. The log of the number of the number of Confucian temples and Confucian academies within a 200-kilometer radius of the company's registered location plus one is the independent variable. This study finds that the environmental capital expenditures increase by 0.007% for every unit increase in the independent variable. Similar results are found when the radius is expanded to 300 kilometers. The greater the influence of Confucian culture is, the more inclined enterprises are to participate in corporate environmental governance. Additionally, environmental governance information disclosure can be a key influence path for this correlation. Further analysis finds that the relationship between Confucian culture and environmental governance is stronger with more experienced managers, a more developed institutional environment, and after 2015 following the People's Republic of China’s enactment of the Environmental Protection Law. This study expands the literature on the factors that influence Confucian culture on corporate environmental governance, enriches the empirical evidence of the influence of the informal system of corporate environmental governance on enterprise decision-making, and confirms the modern commercial value of Confucian culture.

Performance pressure and annual report text manipulation: Evidence from China

AbstractBuilding on attribution theory, this study investigates the antecedents of corporate annual report text manipulation from the perspective of managerial performance pressure. Using a data set comprising 15,076 samples from companies listed on China's Shanghai and Shenzhen A‐share markets between 2009 and 2021, we reveal that as management faces performance pressure, they tend to increase content about external environmental risk and policy uncertainty in annual reports due to actor–observer bias. When incorporating Confucian cultural factors into the research framework, the study found that the strength of Confucian culture mitigates the correlation between the pressure of management performance and annual report manipulation. However, the level of marketization where a corporation is located can undermine the ethical norms upheld by Confucian culture. In additional analysis, we also discovered that the longer the duration of performance pressure, the greater the extent of manipulation within the annual reports initiated by the management. Interestingly, the social performance pressure generated from ESG performance also positively influences annual report textual manipulation, compared to operational performance pressure. This study explores the impact of management performance pressure on information disclosure decisions from the perspective of performance attribution, not only extending the boundaries of attribution theory but also providing guidance for policymakers to enhance the supervision of annual report disclosures and for capital market investors to optimize investment decisions.

Between Tradition and Revolution

Over the past century, the trajectory of gender equality in Vietnam has been marked by a nuanced interplay of historical contexts, societal norms, and ideological shifts. A burgeoning women�s movement has emerged, favoring the term �gender equality� over �feminism� in private and public spheres. Gender equality has historically challenged traditional norms, notably during times of war, reshaping gender roles. Under communism, gender equality became static, confining feminism within a framework of patriotism and heroism. The persistence of gender equality is revealed in the context of a complex and contested amalgam of Western feminist ideas and historical antecedents. This article delves into the evolution of gender roles in Vietnam, exploring how communism and wartime conditions influenced feminism from the national liberation era to the Vietnam War. The article argues that the patriarchal structure present in a longstanding culture of Confucianism in Vietnam does not inherently obstruct gender equality and women's rights. Instead, it stems from changing women�s roles outside the domestic sphere to heroism during war efforts. Vietnamese women�s movement, before the term �gender equality,� emerged during wartime but did not contest feminism. The notion of gender equality has become static; however, feminism is still contested and has yet to be imported to this day. Keywords: Feminism, Gender Equality, War, Communism, Vietnam.

Examining the significance of spatial layout experiments in Joseon houses: a detailed analysis of Jungdang-style houses in the 1920s–1930s Gyeongseong

ABSTRACT In the 1920s and 1930s, Gyeongseong (the former name for Seoul) experienced a significant population increase, leading to severe housing shortages and haphazard, large-scale development. During this time, urban housing blocks were densely clustered Joseon houses often with eaves touching those of neighboring buildings. Despite this, they preserved the Jungjeong-style layouts and reflected the Confucian patriarchal culture. The Jungjeong-style layouts in Joseon houses necessitated ensuring natural sunlight and ventilation and improving interior spaces for women’s convenience and household chores. Consequently, the Jungdang-style experiments in these houses aimed to provide a standard for preserving traditional characteristics, ensuring natural light and ventilation, and enhancing household chore efficiency. These experiments also involved discourses on urban planning and density, taking into account neighboring houses, lots, roads, and building-to-land ratios (floor area ratios). However, the Jungdang-style experiments failed to become a leading discourse in addressing that era’s housing and urban environment issues. Nevertheless, the experiments conducted by Joseon’s architectural experts are significant as they represent social experiments addressing the challenges of haphazard urban architecture in a rapidly urbanizing context and a booming urban population.

Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders and their associated factors in Confucian heritage cultures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) may be an 'idiom' of psychological distress in Confucian heritage cultures (CHCs). This systematic review/meta-analysis estimated the prevalence of TMDs in CHCs and compared the differences in TMD occurrence between time periods and age groups. Additionally, the associated biopsychosocial risk factors were also examined. The study protocol was developed a priori following the PRISMA guidelines and Joanna Briggs Institute systematic review methodology (CRD42021245526). Electronic searches of seven databases were conducted from January 2002 to Dec 2021. Reference lists of identified studies were hand-searched for additional articles. Study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction were done. Meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.4 software. Forty-eight articles were included in the systematic review. Overall prevalences were: TMDs-15% (95% CI: 15-16%); TMD pain-8% (95% CI: 7-9%); TMJ sounds-24% (95% CI: 21-27%); and TMJ locking-7% (95% CI: 1-13%). While TMD prevalence appeared to have declined from 2002 to 2011 to 2012-2021, the occurrence of TMD pain, TMJ sounds, and locking increased marginally or remained constant. TMD prevalence in children/adolescents was 18% (95% CI: 14-22%) and 17% (95% CI: 16-18%) among adults. Significant associations between TMDs and bruxism/psychological distress/education levels were specified by 73%/90%/88% of the relevant studies. TMDs are prevalent in CHCs and a slight increase in TMD pain (2%) and TMJ sounds (8%) were discerned over the past two decades. TMDs are related to a myriad of biopsychosocial variables, particularly psychological distress, and these factors must be addressed within the cultural context of patients.

Century-Old Hong Kong Films and the Chinese Cultural Tradition

Abstract Over the last century, despite the orientation toward superficial entertainment, Hong Kong films have, at different dimensions, been deeply connected with the mainstream Chinese culture. In terms of value orientation, and since the very beginning of their formation, Hong Kong films have upheld Confucian culture and Lingnan culture as their spiritual core, seeking the cultural pursuit of “guiding people to be good and to seek an upward-oriented ethics” while focusing on the presentation of daily civilian life. Some representative Hong Kong filmmakers, deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture, have pursued classical images that, for overseas Chinese audiences, stimulate nostalgic thoughts for their motherland. The creative use of traditional Chinese opera elements and folk music also highlights another link between Hong Kong films and Chinese culture. These valuable experiences, inherited from traditional Chinese culture, constitute a unique aesthetic paradigm in Hong Kong films.

Confucian culture and corporate default risk: Assessing the governance influence of traditional culture

Given the prevalence of debt default incidents, this study investigates the influence of Confucian culture on corporate default risk in China. The results underscore Confucian culture's governance impact on corporate default risk. Channel analysis reveals that Confucian culture mitigates the risk of debt default by raising cash holdings and fostering a trustworthy business environment. Furthermore, the legal environment is found to positively moderate the impact of Confucian culture on debt default risk, whereas foreign cultural shocks and local corruption exert a negative influence. These findings not only enrich the literature on mitigating corporate default risk and promoting economic growth but also emphasize the enduring significance of China's revered traditional culture.

Confucian Culture and Corporate Climate Change Risk Disclosure: Based on Text Analysis and Machine Learning

Confucian Culture and Corporate Climate Change Risk Disclosure: Based on Text Analysis and Machine Learning

Tracing the Pathways: The Geographical Evolution of Confucian Culture in East Asia

Confucianism emerged during significant social and political upheaval in ancient China, known as the Eastern Zhou period (770256 BCE). The teachings of Confucius (Kong Fuzi or Kongzi) laid the foundation for this philosophical tradition, emphasizing moral values, proper conduct, and cultivating virtues. Confucianism, a philosophical and ethical system originating from ancient China, has exerted a profound influence not only within China but also across East Asia. Since its inception, Confucianism has undergone various transformations and adaptations, influenced by historical events, cultural exchanges, and geographical conditions. The study investigates the geographical evolution of Confucian culture in East Asia to understand its regional dynamics over time better. This research aims to unravel the complex interplay between geographical factors and the development of Confucian thought in diverse regional contexts in East Asia. By adopting a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on fields such as history, geography, anthropology, and philosophy, this study demonstrates that geographical features, such as terrain, climate, and proximity to other cultures, have shaped the adaptation and transformation of Confucianism in different regions. Additionally, the research examines how Confucian values and practices have been integrated into local cultures and societies, exploring the variations and commonalities across various geographical settings. Ultimately, this investigation contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between geography and cultural evolution, with implications for our understanding of Confucianism's enduring significance globally.