"Mei Wenti" or "You Wenti"- Overcoming Cross-cultural Challenges in the Chinese Working Environment

The working environment in China is very challenging. Western managers with Chinese staff often encounter misunderstandings and communication problems in their day-to-day business environment. This thesis aims to investigate the challenges Western managers face and to give some hand-on advice on how to overcome these challenges. This thesis has tackled this complex topic with a multi-angle approach. Initially information about the challenges among management in Shanghai was collected through a survey. Secondly, a separate survey followed among Chinese staff working for Western managers in order to create a complete picture of the challenges. These findings are then analyzed in a theoretical context, with the help of a broad selection of sources explaining the Chinese cultural and behavioural patterns. Combining expert interviews with literature and own experiences, the thesis concludes with improvement suggestions and advice for the reader. The author's own experience of living and working in China enhances the thesis with a very practical touch through illuminating examples and creates a unique guide to overcoming cultural differences in a Chinese business environment.