“橘生淮南则为橘,橘生淮北则为枳.所以然者何?水土异也.” 春秋时晏婴的智慧名言一直流传了2000多年,直到今天,当我们看到许多接受过经典西方管理学知识和方法培训的人一旦放到了本土企业职业经理人追求的最高职位-有的叫做CEO,有的叫做总经理甚至总裁,不久即纷纷出局时,我们还是禁不住想起了古人的这句话. 仅以“水土异也”解释其出局,未免失之简单.中国企业在走向现代化的进程中,不仅裹挟着近半个世纪的计划经济的沉淀,而且渗透着数千年的传统思维.水土不服,即是这个现代化进程的反映. 历史学家黄仁宇说,80年代早期他看到中国终于走向现代化,理由是中国已经开始,虽然不是能够,实现“数字上的可管理性”.这说明,中国这块土地也在不断地改造着自己,以使橘生淮北仍为橘.而就在几天前,中国在历尽15年的艰苦谈判后终于加入了世界贸易组织,法律在与国际接轨,中国企业的思维和意识也将会逐渐适应全球化.事实上,在超过20年的改革开放进程中,中国企业也在不断地改变着自己.虽然水土不服的矛盾继续存在,但水土不服出现的反应无疑将逐渐削弱. 这一批高级经理人正是在改造初期的淮北水土上扮演了不见得成功但极具探索价值的角色.探寻水土不服的根源并不是没有意义,找到它,现代化无疑增添了一剂润?“,”“Fruit trees become infertile on unfamiliar soil.” This proverb has been quoted for over 2000 years. It can be exemplified today by ousting from native companies of many well-education people with western managerial knowledge. They are often called CEO, President, or General Manger, the goal that most professional managers are pursuing. But this soil is transforming itself into a more receptive one to western thoughts, though not completely. Their failure can be viewed as a reflection of the transformation of China's traditional economy to a modern one.Historian Huang Renyu once said in the early 80s that he believed that China was heading to modernization because China had begun, though had not been, “mathematically manageable”. After 15 years ot painstaking negotiations, China finally joined the WTO on Nov 11, 2001. Chinese companies will have to think international way. In fact, during the modernization process of nearly 20 years, Chinese enterprises have been constantly changing their views and modes of management. We will see failures of these professional managers, but fewer of them will happen.But it doesn't mean that the search for the answer is meaningless. It will certainly be good for the China if we find it. IT