Reflections on the human element in business — and insights contained in this issue.
As a business executive, you have to think about the big picture. You need to consider issues such as what trends are affecting your company’s markets, how your company’s strategy should evolve and what new technologies or initiatives your organization should adopt. These are unquestionably important — and a critical part of your job.
But when it comes to the execution of big-picture ideas, so much of business comes down to people — and how they work together, both within organizations and in partnerships between organizations. In this issue of MIT Sloan Management Review, several articles bring out that point from different perspectives.
In his article “Building Effective Business Relationships in China,” Roy Y. J. Chua explains what recent research reveals about the development of trust between Chinese and non-Chinese business partners. Writes Chua:
In cross-cultural business relationships, trust plays an indispensable role since partners from different cultures don’t always have the same values or assumptions about how business works. When trust is developed, partners can navigate difficult issues over time by fostering a candid exchange of ideas, issues and agendas.
In “How to Become a Sustainable Company,” Robert G.