Business professionalism in mainland China: Wading in shallow waters

Analysis of professionalism among mainland China’s business managers must start with a prior question: can one speak of business managers, no matter the geographic context, as a “profession”? In fact, it is problematic to do so. Business management as a whole does not neatly fit standard definitions of “professionalism” commonly used to describe doctors and lawyers. Discrete elements of China’s nascent business class can be said to be developing markers of professionalism, as the chapter in this volume on accountancy demonstrates. But in no society do managers readily earn the moniker of “professional.”