A Curtin University professor has been awarded the largest Chinese Research Council Grant in social sciences for his research into managing Chinese Gen X and Gen Y’s in the workplace.
Professor Jie Shen from Curtin Business School’s School of Management, and his Chinese collaborator Professor Ningyu Tang, have received $350,000 for their project “Diversity management of generations in the workplace”.
Over five years, Professor Shen and Professor Tang will investigate how the difference in values and attitudes toward life, work and society amongst young Chinese people has changed over time.
“Younger generations have shown strikingly different values and attitudes toward life, work and society, which have a significant impact on their work behaviour,” Professor Shen said.
“In China, management faces the same if not more serious challenges as their Western counterparts.
“More importantly, managers face challenges in managing Gen X and Y who will soon replace them, but are different from previous generations.”
Professor Shen said he regarded the lack of literature and research as a key problem to managing workplace behaviour.
“The current literature is limited and ambiguous about the best management of younger generations,” he said.
He said traditional management of young people was often ineffective because it regarded diversity to be a major problem.
Contacts:
Professor Jie Shen, Human Resources Management, Curtin University
Mob: 0430 355 248, Email: Jie.Shen@curtin.edu.au
Web: http://curtin.edu.au
Karys Nella, Public Relations, Curtin University
Tel: 08 9266 3353, Mobile: 0401103018, Email: karys.nella@curtin.edu.au
Web: http://curtin.edu.au
