ABSTRACT
China’s market reforms have made it go from having one of the world’s most backward economies to having its most dynamic economy. However, alongside the rapid economic development, the culture of corruption and exploitation due to the lack of morality has become widespread. The 2008 melamine-milk scandal, which involved 300,000 infant victims, reflects one aspect of the problem. There have been voices from politicians and intellectuals advocating that China should adopt religion as one possible source of constructing a new business morality in its modernization efforts. Among these voices, there are an increasing number of people who argue that Christianity could play a role in rebuilding China’s moral order (Aikman 2003; Bays 2003; Zhao 2006). Significantly, at the same time, empirical studies on Christianity in China (Chen and Huang 2004; Cao 2007) show that a new group of ‘boss Christians’ has emerged. Unlike the stereotyped understanding of Chinese Christians as old, female, and low-educated peasants, ‘boss Christians’ are male and educated entrepreneurs who are adept at integrating Christian values into their businesses. Studies (Yang 2007; Li and Yang 2008) also demonstrate that Christian-owned corporations in China are following Christian ethics, such as integrity, which contribute to workplace practices that are more rational, moral, and legal.
