2013 MBAA/NAMS presentation, "Being Chinese: A Reflective Study of Foreign Multinational Corporations' Sustainable Development and Global Talent Programs in China. Maria Lai-Ling Lam, Malone University

1. Being Chinese:
A Reflective Study of Foreign
Multinational Corporations’
Sustainable Development and
Global Talent Programs in China
Maria Lai-ling Lam (Ph.D.)
North American Management Society
Conference, February 28, 2013

2. Objectives
To advocate the idea of human
flourishing in the study of
multinational corporations’
sustainable development and
global talent development
programs in China.
To invite global researchers to
examine the complex social
realities in China through creative
research methods.

3. Preparations, Approaches,
and Practices
1. Personal reflections as an American Chinese
citizen
2. Twenty years of research work in China
3. Seven years of research about corporate social
responsibility of foreign multinational enterprises
in various cities in China
4. Many professional conferences about global
talents and corporate social responsibility in
China.
5. Extensive literature review

4. Institutional Context
• The Chinese government initiated
Corporate Social Responsibility Movement
and Global Talent Programs
• Emerging market economy in China
• Fragmented Chinese government
authorities

5. Foreign Multinational Enterprises’ (MNEs’)
Sustainable Development Programs in
China
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs
mirror and supplement institutional requirements.
• Four exemplars out of 30 MNEs are committed
because of moral consciousness of their leaders.
• CSR or sustainability is related to spirituality
development of leaders.

6. Foreign MNEs’ Global Talent Programs in
China
• Economic efficiency, political legitimacy,
competitiveness, national interests
“While many corporations are actively seeking to leverage
the opportunities created by more open, facilitative global
business and technology environment, the reality is that
they may many difficulty challenges in creating a fully
integrated talent structure that can work effectively across
boarders and cultures. (The Levine Institute, 2005:79)

7. Insights
• Need to respect human dignity in China
• Global talents, not only technological
innovations but also social innovations
• Different measure of success of sustainable
development and global talents programs
• Embrace multiple stakeholders’
perspectives

8. Conclusion
• Need creative research methods to
address the humanistic element and the
evolution process of many corporations
• Examine human flourishing in the
sustainable development and global talent
movement in China

9. Discussion
Contact email:
Maria Lam (mlam@malone.edu);